DVD authoring is the process of transforming your raw footage into a DVD-ready format for optimal viewing. It's a must-have for movie buffs and filmmakers who want to elevate their viewing experience with streamlined content.

If you're in search of an easy-to-use program that can convert MP4 to DVD, consider exploring the best professional DVD authoring software and other 5 best free tools detailed below. These have been proven to deliver excellent results for all your DVD authoring needs.

Best DVD Authoring Software Mac & Windows

If you have high expectations and want something that guarantees top notch quality and advanced features, stay tuned as we first delve into the best professional DVD authoring software, DVDFab DVD Creator.

Best Professional DVD Authoring Software - DVDFab DVD Creator

DVDFab DVD Creator is renowned as the best professional DVD authoring software for both Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 and macOS 10.10 - 14 system. It's highly versatile, capable of burning all sorts of videos into DVD discs or to be standard DVD ISO files or folders folders. Moreover, it offers the unique feature of merging several different videos of different formats into one high-quality disc.

This program also impresses with its customization tools, allowing users to design a striking DVD menu with free templates, and customize background image, subtitles, audio tracks, TV standard, aspect ratio, playback mode and more. Its intuitive and user-friendly interface is suitable for both beginners and professionals. Moreover, DVDFab DVD authoring software performs with remarkable speed while ensuring zero-quality loss, making it the top choice for professional DVD authoring needs.

DVDFab DVD Creator

Key Features:

• Author DVDs from 200+ video formats, including M2TS, MP4, MKV, TS, WMV, MOV, WMA, FLV, 3GP, M4V, and others. 
• Output high-quality DVD-5/9, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD-R DL, DVD+R DL, DVD folders, or ISO files.
• Come with built-in free and customized DVD menu templates.
• 50 times faster DVD authoring speed based on the latest hardware acceleration technology.
• Auto-synchronize all of the source video's meta data, such as the movie title, cast, and cover. 
• Preview video at any time during the DVD authoring process.

How to Use the Best DVD Authoring Software Mac/Windows

Before you use this DVD authoring software Mac/Windows, you first need to install it on your computer. Depending on your OS, choose the correct version for the free installation.

Step 1: Launch DVDFab DVD Creator, and load the source videos

Launch DVDFab, choose the Creator module and load the videos you want to burn to DVDs. Or just drag those videos into the main interface per the on-screen instructions. Go to the mode switcher at the top left corner to choose the DVD Creator mode.

Step 2: Customize your DVD with DVD Creator built-in templates

Once your source video is uploaded, all input and output details are displayed on the main interface. This is where you can choose audio tracks and subtitles or import additional subtitles.

You can click the Advanced Settings button to customize your settings, including DVD Title, output size between DVD9 and DVD5, Quality Level, TV Standard between NTSC and PAL, Aspect Ratio between 16:9 and 4:3, also the way you want to playback the final disc.

By clicking the Menu Settings button, it opens the window where you can freely create DVD menu: click on the texts to directly edit the font, size, and color; click on a certain decoration widget to relocate and resize it or click the Image Edit button to change the background image for the selected menu.

Step 3: Start to author DVD easily

At the bottom of the main interface, you can select an output destination. To burn the resulting DVD movie to a blank DVD5/DVD9 disc, select your optical drive in the drop-down list box; to make a DVD folder on your hard drive, click the Folder icon; to produce an ISO image file, click the Image icon. Finally, click the Start button to start the process of your DVD authoring.

Other 5 Best Free DVD Authoring Software 

On the other hand, if you are operating on a limited budget, there are still free DVD authoring software that can make home DVDs with good quality. In this section, we will traverse through the four best free DVD authoring software to assist you in choosing the one that suits your basic needs the best.

Best Open Source DVD Authoring Software - DVD Styler

DVD Styler is a free and open source DVD burner that operates seamlessly across various platforms. It allows users to author DVDs from various video formats such as AVI, MOV, MP4, MPEG, OGG, and WMV, among others. It also offers 20 customizable menu templates and basic video editing tools such as trimming and cropping.

Available on: Windows, Mac, and Linux

Best Free DVD Authoring Software - DeVeDe

DeVeDe is also a free DVD authoring software that allows users to create video DVDs, Video CDs, China Video Disks, and DivX/MPEG-4 disks. This DVD converter supports various video formats including MPG, AVI, OGV, MOV, and others. It's a standalone program that creates menus, converts video files, and calls genisoimage, growisofs and dvdauthor to build DVDs. 

Available on: Linux and Windows XP/Vista/2000/2003

Best Free DVD Authoring Software - DVD Flick

DVD Flick is recognized as one of the best free DVD authoring software due to its comprehensive feature set. This program lets you convert video files into a format playable on a DVD player, and it supports an impressive range of over 45 file formats, 40 audio codecs, and 60 video codecs. It also enable users to add additional menus and subtitles. However, if you need to burn DVD on Mac, DVD Flick doesn't meet your requirements.

Available on: Windows 2000 Professional, or any edition of Windows XP / Vista / 7  

Best DVD Authoring Software with Free Trial - Bombono DVD

Bombono DVD is a powerful free DVD authoring software compatible with both Windows and Linux systems, though the full feature set on Windows requires payment. This free DVD maker boasts an impressive video viewer complete with a timeline and monitor for seamless navigation. Beyond creating DVDs, it also allows you to generate ISO files or even burn these files onto disks directly. Noteworthy features include motion menus and subtitle support, adding to its robust functionality.

Available on: Windows XP/Vista/7/8, Linux

Best DVD Authoring Software with Free Trial - DVD Author Plus

DVD Author Plus is a versatile DVD authoring software with free trial that allows you to back up valuable data, author home videos, or burn music with ease. Compatible with most DVD drives, it burns DVD Video discs that are playable on standard DVD players and Windows PCs. This tool also allows for data CD and DVD writing, and can create instant duplicates of existing discs. 

Available on: Windows 10/8/7/2019/2016/2012

Best Free DVD Authoring Software Comparison Chart

Choosing a DVD authoring software program depends on your specific needs. Here is a comparison chart of the above-mentioned options for your convenience.

💡"User Ratings" are from softpedia.com

Conclusion

In conclusion, DVD authoring software remains a vital tool for multimedia enthusiasts and professionals alike. Whether you're looking to create a personal home movie or a professional presentation, the options we've explored, like the best professional DVDFab DVD Creator, cater to diverse needs. Carefully consider each option's strengths and weaknesses before making your choice.