Top 6 Best Open Source DVD Rippers You Must Know [2024 Update]

Why You Need an Open Source DVD Ripper?

Nowadays it's easier than ever to watch movies wherever you are. Not only are streaming services becoming more popular but hard disk storage has also greatly expanded over the past several years. That means you no longer need to carry a bunch of DVDs with you and can instead store all your movies locally on your machine.

Besides, despite their charm, physical DVDs are susceptible to damage and loss – risks that could separate you from your cherished cinematic experiences forever. That's where DVD ripping software comes into play, ensuring that you always have access to those unforgettable movie moments through secure backup copies. Then, let's dive into the best reliable and free DVD ripper Windows 10 together.

The Best Versatile DVD Ripper - DVDFab DVD Ripper

There are times that an open-source DVD ripping software might not be able to meet your special demand, in this case, a more advanced program might be your better option. DVDFab DVD Ripper is the one of the most powerful tools available on the market today which contains many advanced features that those open-source DVD Rippers don't have. It is fast, quick to install, and easy to use.

Main Features of DVDFab DVD Ripper

DVDFab DVD Ripper

DVDFab DVD Ripper allows you to rip and convert any DVD / ISO file / Folder to 1000+ video & audio format playable on any device, media player, or home theatre.

💻Working system: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 and macOS 10.10 - 14

💡Main Features:

• The ONLY tool that can remove protection from newly purchased encrypted DVDs.
• Convert DVD to USB and 1000+ video/audio formats and 260+ profiles playable on any device, including tablets, smartphones, and gaming consoles.
• Merge multiple DVD videos and rip them to one digital video file.
• Offer a built-in video editor that can crop, trim, brighten, add watermarks and subtitles, speed up/down, zoom in/out a video, etc.
• Support DVD ripping in batches at GPU-hardware-accelerated speed.
• Auto-synchronize all the original metadata information and display them on media server.

[Tutorial] How to Use DVDFab DVD Ripper?

Step 1: Launch DVDFab DVD Ripper and load the source DVD

Get this DVD Ripper free downloaded and tab the Ripper option when it runs. Insert the DVD disc you want to rip into the optical drive or navigate to it via the Add button if it is already inserted. If the source is an ISO file or a folder, simply drag and drop it onto the workspace. 

Step 2: Choose one profile and customize the output DVD video

Click "Choose Other Profile" > "Format" > "Video" to convert DVD to MP4 or other digital formats. Options are available to select audio tracks/language, extract subtitles from DVD to SRT format, or add external subtitles.

Set video and audio parameters based on your needs via 'Advanced Settings and 'Video Edit'. 

Step 3: Start to rip DVDs free

Finally, "Save to" your video on HDD or Mobile Device. Click the Start button to rip DVDs. The actual ripping process will be shown clearly. You can cancel the task at any time, have your PC shut down, exit the program, hibernate, or do nothing after the task is done.

Top 6 Open Source DVD Rippers on Windows / Mac

Here in this section, we come up with a list of the 5 best open source DVD ripping software that let you do just that. The features and functions of these open-source tools may vary from one to another, however, if you're not a demanding customer who wants more advanced functions, then they might be just enough for you. Read on to see our introductions on them one by one.

1. DVDFab HD Decrypter

DVDFab HD Decrypter is a totally free DVD/Blu-ray ripper software on both Windows and Mac. As the simplified version of DVDFab DVD Ripper, it comes with stronger functions compared with other open source tools. DVDFab HD Decrypter can not only rip most encrypted DVDs or Blu-rays to MP4 & MKV format, but also help you customize and edit your vides with multiple settings.

💻Work on: 

👍Main Features: 

• Completely free.
• Remove nearly all DVD/Blu-ray protections from discs released one year ago.
• Convert DVD/Blu-ray disc, ISO file or Folder to MKV & MP4 formats.
• 1:1 Copy DVD/Blu-ray to disc, ISO file or Folder for flawless playback.
• Multitasking Mode and Meta Info generation.
• Built-in video editor.

👎Cons:

• Unable to rip newly released discs.
• Only support 2 output formats when ripping.

2. MakeMKV

MakeMKV is a free, open-source DVD ripper and format converter available for various platforms. It's currently in public beta with unrestricted use. The software effortlessly converts proprietary encrypted DVDs and Blu-rays into a set of MKV files without altering the original content or quality. While it's suggested that Blu-ray decryption may become a paid feature in the final release, DVD ripping will remain free forever.

Last year, MakeMKV faced consequences for decrypting AACS, raising concerns about its legality for ripping UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD discs. As a result, some users are seeking MakeMKV alternative.

💻Work on: Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux

👍Main Features: 

• Converts DVD and Blu-ray discs to MKV format only.
• Able to read discs protected with AACS and BD+.
• Keep all video/audio tracks intact, including HD audio.
• Retain chapters information as well as meta-information like track language and audio type.
• Offers fast conversion rates limited only by your drive's reading speed.

👎Cons:

• Output is limited strictly to MKV format.
• Unable to decrypt new copy-protected DVD discs.
• Generate large MKV files due to lossless ripping.
• Prone to crashing during operation, particularly with certain movie DVDs.
• Lack of video editing features.

3. HandBrake

HandBrake is a free and open-source DVD ripping software that can rip an convert DVD or Blu-ray disc to MP4, MKV and WebM format. It also supports ripping from VIDEO_TS folders and ISO images. Meanwhile, HandBrake can serve as a video transcoder for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs. However. HandBrake doesn't support copy-protected discs. The software is targeted more at professionals and as such, its user interface can be a bit intimidating for the average user.

💻Work on: Windows 10 and later & macOS 10.13 and later & Linux

👍Main Features: 

• Rip non-encrypted DVD/Blu-ray to MP4, MKV, and WebM format.
• Offer various output presets suitable for devices such as iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Mobile.
• Adjust dimensions, filters, video settings, audio settings, subtitles and chapters.
• Multiple encoding and ripping tasks can be queued up.

👎Cons:

• Unable to bypass copy-protection features on DVDs.
• Only support 3 output video formats.
• Slow encoding and ripping speed, especially if you use complex settings filters.
• It seems complicated to use because some control options are only available in the command-line interface (CLI).

4. VidCoder

VidCoder is an open-source DVD/Blu-ray ripper and video transcoding tool for those who find software like Handbrake to be a bit too complicated. VidCoder is essentially a simplified version of Handbrake and even uses the same encoding engine. It supports MP4, MKV, and various audio formats with presets like Fast 1080p and 30 FPS.

While it lacks some of HandBrake's advanced options (its underlying engine), its UI is a lot more user-friendly and easier to use. You don't need to install HandBrake separately for VidCoder to work, but you have to install the.NET 6 Desktop Runtime (though a portable version doesn't need this).

💻Work on: Windows 11/10/8/7

👍Main Features: 

• Rip DVD and Blu-ray to MP4/MKV formats.
• Encode video files before ripping them from DVDs.
• Batch and hardware-accelerated encoding.
• Adjust audio tracks, subtitle, destination, titles, size, quality, and more.
• Preview DVD video.

👎Cons:

• Unable to rip encrypted DVD or Blu-ray discs.
• Very limited output formats.
• You may encounter bugs occasionally with encoding.

5. VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is a versatile, free and open-source media player but also is an effective open source DVD ripper. Beyond its primary function of playing media files of various formats like MP4, AVI, FLAC, MP3 etc., VLC also provides tools for converting DVDs, Blu-rays, ISO images or folders into different digital video formats such as MP4, MOV or MKV.

VLC is additionally equipped with features to adjust video codecs and properties like bitrate, frame rate and subtitle. However, it's worth noting that while this functionality exists within VLC, the software is not specifically designed for ripping DVDs and may lack some advanced features found in other open source ripping tools. 

💻Work on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, others

👍Main Features: 

• Rip DVD to MP4, AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, and other digital formats.
• Include video and audio features such as the ability to choose a title, chapter, audio, and subtitle track.

👎Cons:

• Unable to read copy-protected DVDs.
• It may crash during DVD ripping or playback.
• VLC may deliver a file without audio after ripping.

6. Freemake DVD Ripper

Freemake DVD Ripper is an open-source DVD ripper that can rip DVD to MP4, AVI, and MKV formats and also doubles as a video converter. The software comes equipped with a clean and minimalistic interface that's very intuitive for average users. It's designed for optimal compatibility with multiple devices such as HDTVs, USBs, iPads, iPhones, and Android. Freemake can also select titles or chapters from DVDs while preserving audio tracks and subtitles.

💻Work on: Windows 11, 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista

👍Main Features: 

• Convert region-locked DVDs/folders into more that 20 video formats.
• Include a library of over 50 preprogrammed profiles.
• Select DVD titles or chapters, audio tracks and output quality.
• Cut or crop DVD videos.

👎Cons:

• Unable to rip copy-protected DVDs (except for region-coded DVDs).
• It doesn't rip DVD ISO files.
• Any you rip using the software will feature a small watermark.
• Some advanced features actually requires payment.

Wrap Up

In conclusion, the world of DVD ripping software offers various options to support diverse needs. We've explored six open-source alternatives that provide a good starting point for anyone looking to digitize their DVD collection. For those seeking more advanced features and functionality, this best DVD Ripper for Mac and Windows presents an excellent choice.