4 Best MakeMKV Alternatives: Features, Step-by-Step Help and Comparison

MakeMKV has been a well-liked option for ripping DVDs, ISO files, and folders for a long time because it is free and compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, many users eventually run into limitations: it only supports MKV as an output format, offers minimal editing features, and lacks advanced customization options. If you're looking for a more flexible, full-featured solution, this article explores the top 5 MakeMKV alternatives that deliver a more capable DVD and Blu-ray ripping experience.

By analyzing common issues during the ripping process and gathering feedback from long-term users, this guide has identified several key limitations of MakeMKV.

Limitations of MakeMKV:

• You can only rip DVDs and Blu-rays to MKV, with no support for other common formats.
• There are no presets to optimize files for playback on phones, tablets, or game consoles.
• You can't preview titles or chapters before ripping, which makes selection less intuitive.
• The software performs 1:1 passthrough only and doesn’t offer re-encoding or compression controls.
• Scanning and loading physical discs can take significantly longer compared to other rippers.
   

These cons are exactly what drive many users to seek out more versatile alternatives. Even if MakeMKV works for most of your discs, the following top-rated options are well worth considering for a smoother ripping experience.

Best MakeMKV Alternatives for Advanced Ripping Needs

DVDFab DVD Ripper – Best Overall MakeMKV Alternative

DVDFab DVD Ripper is a reliable alternative to MakeMKV that enables you to rip any region-locked or encrypted DVD on Mac or Windows. With broad support for output formats like MP4, MKV, and more, it lets you convert DVDs to play seamlessly on smartphones, tablets, and other devices. You can preserve the original video quality along with 5.1 AC3 surround sound, or choose compressed formats like MP4 to save storage space without sacrificing too much quality.

More Features:

• Decrypt various Discs with Cloud Decryption Service
• 1:1 ratio DVD ripping without quality loss
• It offers 260 device presets & advanced settings
• Enjoy profile filters such as passthrough, 3D, 8K resolution, etc
• You rip multiple DVDs at a time with a batch-ripping option

Steps to Rip a DVD Using DVDFab DVD Ripper

Step 1: After launching DVDFab, go to the module panel on the left, select the Ripper module, and put your desired DVD on the drive for ripping. DVDFab will upload the DVD automatically.

Otherwise, select the "+" icon and upload the DVD source. If the source is an ISO file or folder, use the drag-and-drop option to add it to the main interface.

Step 2: Next, go to the Profile Selection Box > move to the built-in profile library > choose your desired output file format from the available options, such as MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, etc.

Step 3: After that, customize the output video with subtitles and audio chapters. You can also adjust the other settings from the "Additional Settings" to match your requirements. Here, you can also do further editing using the built-in editor.

Step 4: Move to the folder, choose the directory where you want to save the output video, and hit the "Start" option to initiate ripping.

Free MakeMKV Alternatives Worth Trying

HandBrake

HandBrake is one of the most popular open-source video transcoders and serves as a great alternative to MakeMKV, functioning effectively as a DVD ripper. This multi-platform tool works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It can rip any non-protected DVD with solid flexibility and customization, allowing you to choose between constant quality or average bitrate encoding, as well as support for both Variable Frame Rate and Constant Frame Rate.

Pros:

• Rip DVD to your desired device profile with built-in device presets option
• It supports three major video file formats like MKV, MP4, and WebM
• It provides batch scanning & chapter marking
• You can explore chapter, range, and subtitle selection
• Customize video with filters such as Decomb, deblock, denoise, etc

Cons:

• Handbrake can't remove copy-protection from encrypted DVD
• It's very time-consuming and inconvenient to rip any long DVD content

How to Rip DVD on Windows and macOS Using HandBrake

Step 1: Download and install Handbrake V1.7.3 or newer. Insert the DVD, launch the software, and click Source to load the DVD from the Mac's drive.

Step 2: To rip protected DVDs with Handbrake, install libdvdcss, select the output folder with Browse, and choose format using Presets.

Step 3: Configure optimal settings and add filters as needed. Then, click RUN to initiate free DVD ripping on your Mac.

VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is a free, and cross-platform media player that includes basic DVD ripping features. While VLC can rip unprotected DVDs to various formats, it does not reliably support DVDs with copy protection unless additional libraries (such as libdvdcss) are installed. When ripping, VLC allows you to choose between keeping the original video quality or compressing the file size. Also, this free MakeMKV alternative supports nearly all multimedia formats and streaming protocols, making it a versatile, lightweight media tool.

Pros:

• Plays most audio and video codecs natively without needing additional codec packs
• Completely free, and free from ads, user tracking, or spyware
• Supports a wide range of input and output file formats
• Allows subtitle synchronization and customization during playback
• Includes various audio and video filters for enhanced media experience

Cons:

• Cannot decrypt or rip most commercial DVDs protected by encryption
• Limited DVD ripping features—no support for batch ripping, editing, or output presets
• Lacks a dedicated, user-friendly interface for DVD ripping

How to Rip DVDs Using VLC Media Player

Step 1: Download and install VLC Media Player (version 10.7.5 or later for macOS, or the latest version for your OS).

Step 2: Insert the DVD into your drive. Launch VLC, then go to File > Open Disc. VLC can open unprotected DVDs directly. For commercial discs, additional setup like libdvdcss may be required.

Step 3: In the Open Disc window, check the Stream Output box. Then click the Settings button at the bottom left.

Step 4: Click Browse to name and select the output folder. Under Encapsulation Method, select a format such as MPEG 4, MP4, or QuickTime, depending on your playback needs.

Step 5: Click OK or Open to begin ripping the DVD. The process will take some time depending on the length and size of the disc.

DVD Shrink

DVD Shrink is a classic MakeMKV alternative designed for compressing and backing up DVDs to your hard drive. Though no longer updated, it remains a lightweight tool for shrinking dual-layer DVDs to fit on single-layer discs. DVD Shrink also offers limited decryption capabilities and can bypass certain copy protections like CSS on older DVDs. However, it doesn’t support newer encryption methods or Blu-ray discs. 

Pros:

• It functions smoothly on older PCs and has no installation bloat
• Shrink dual-layer DVDs to fit onto single-layer DVDs with minimal quality loss
• Removes basic protection on many older DVDs without third-party help

Cons:

• Just for backup, no cropping, cutting, or format conversion
• Lacking modern video formats and device presets
• No support for Blu-ray or modern DVD encryption
• No official support or compatibility improvements for modern systems

How to Rip DVDs with DVD Shrink 

Step 1: Download DVD Shrink from the official site on Windows computers. 

Step 2: Insert the DVD into your computer's drive. Click Open Disc to select the source. DVD Shrink will analyze and display the DVD structure: Menus, Main Movie, and Extras.

Step 3: Move to Compression Settings and choose your preferred ratio. To fit copy-protected DVDs on a DVD5 disc, select Automatic. By default, all audio tracks and subtitles will be selected— Uncheck unnecessary tracks to reduce the output file size.

Step 4: Tap Backup at the top center. Choose the backup target and folder, then click OK to remove copy protection.

Conclusion

Now you know the best MakeMKV alternatives with their best abilities and limitations. So, while picking up the right tool for your DVD ripping purpose, you must look for the maximum features, customization, decryption and video editing option in the tool. To meet all of these requirements nothing would be better than DVDFab DVD Ripper.