The Best Free Online Video Converter

The Best Free Online Video ConverterThanks to a wide variety of video content and its numerous sources, there are so many video formats that are available today on the market. To keep your video library in a single format you will need to use a video converter. For everyday convenience, free video converters are a better alternative.

The online video converter market has changed a lot recently, so choosing the right tool to convert video is hard, not least because many services are now enforcing stricter limits on file sizes and conversion minutes per day. Other online converter tools are insisting on watermarking each video you convert, while apps are now also ad based.

Our recommendations of online video converter tools largely stay away from those changes and still deliver a smooth and free experience.

1. Apowersoft Free Online Video Converter – an online video converter with editing features

Apowersoft Free Online Video Converter

Apowersoft Free Online Video Converter is perhaps best described as a hybrid tool. It is browser based and can only be accessed through the web, but when you select a file to convert you will need to download a launcher plugin. Either way, the result is a free online video converter that handles just about any format you can throw at it.

Maybe because it is also available as a desktop app, Apowersoft Free Online Video Converter offers more output formats than most other video converters. Another handy feature is the ability to convert multiple videos at the same time, so just load up the content and let the tool work. It’s also an option-rich experience, offering features such as watermarking, clip trimming, filters, crop abilities, and frame rate adjustment.

Apowersoft Free Online Video Converter taps directly into social media, so you can instantly share clips once they have converted. Yes, we think the launcher download is an unnecessary step, but everything else about Apowersoft Free Online Video Converter is excellent.

Our Rating: 10 / 10

Pros Cons
  • An easy-to-use video converter
  • Modern UI
  • Social media links
  • Strong file output support
  • Nice editing features
  • The launcher download is unnecessary

2. 123apps Video Converter – a simple-to-use video converter

123apps Video Converter

123apps Video Converter is arguably the easiest free video converter to use, with a simple and self-explanatory UI. Sure, it’s a little sparse, but as a tool it efficiently gets the job done with minimum fuss.

This online converter keeps user requirements to an absolute minimum, so there are no sign-ins, social media obligations, or launchers to download. Simply upload your file to convert your video right away. While format choice is not unlimited, 123apps’ free video converter does support 10 of the most popular formats, including MP4, AVI, MPEG, and MOV. Adjusting video quality is a joy thanks to a slider that allows you to manually make resolution changes.

Ads are a part of the 123apps Video Converter, although they are not too obtrusive so it’s hard to class them as an issue. Perhaps more problematic is how long a video takes to upload to the service. It’s a slow process, and because you can’t queue videos, converting multiple clips becomes time consuming.

Our Rating: 9 / 10

Pros Cons
  • An easy-to-use online video converter
  • Simple controls
  • Device presets
  • Intuitive design
  • Slow to upload
  • Can’t queue videos

3. CloudConvert – an online video converter with support for 218 formats

CloudConvert online converter

CloudConvert boldly promises that it can convert videos of any file format into any other video file format. While the free online video converter does not quite live up to that pledge, it is not far off. For example, it provides support for a dizzying array of video formats, including AVI, MP4, WMV, and hundreds more.

Perhaps more importantly, CloudConvert is something of a jack of all trades. The web-based online tool can also convert vector images, audio files, presentations, and spreadsheets. For users who want an online converter for varying needs, CloudConvert is a good all-rounder without needing to use multiple online solutions.

This free video converter supports file uploads from URL, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and of course desktop. However, it is limited to only 1GB file sizes and 25 conversion minutes per day. Sure, that’s enough for most users, but it may be limiting for people wanting to convert video files of a larger size. We do like the editing features, including the ability to add subtitles, crop the clip, and choose the resolution and frame rate.

Our Rating: 9 / 10

Pros Cons
  • An all-round tool that converts other media
  • Fantastic format support
  • Brilliant post-conversion editing tools
  • Cloud storage integration
  • Limited to 1GB files
  • Restricts conversion minutes each day

4. ClipChamp – an online video converter with an account and watermark

ClipChamp online video converter

ClipChamp may have topped this list of services that convert video files a few months ago, because it is an all-round masterclass in free video converting technology. However, recently the online video converter underwent a change for the worse and now watermarks all videos you convert. It remains an excellent choice for its sheer quality, but you now have to compromise on those watermarks and sign up for the account.

We’ll let you decide if that’s a trade-off you are willing to make, but in terms of features, ClipChamp remains, well, a champ. A wide array of video formats are supported by this online converter and expanded quality choices are a nice touch. Editing tools are robust, including its cropping and trimming features.

Another annoying facet of the experience with ClipChamp’s online video converter is the need to sign up through Google, Facebook, or using your email address. Of course, this is hardly new for online tools, but it is an added step that many users may not fancy taking.

Our Rating: 8 / 10

Pros Cons
  • Excellent all-round quality
  • Good editing tools
  • High-quality video tools
  • Sign-in required (just once)
  • Watermarks on videos

5. Convert to Video Files Online – a plain, free online video converter

Convert to Video Files Online

This is hardly an imaginative name or an imaginative-looking tool, but for a back-to-basics free online video converter with no frills, Convert to Video Files Online is a good choice. It may appeal to users who don’t have much experience with browser tools or even PC use in general.

It is likely that the video file format you have will be supported by this online video converter, because the selection of conversion formats is impressive. Users can choose between four quality options, which is more than many other video converter services offer.

As mentioned, the design here is literally just plain text on a white background, and that is likely going to put off some users. More of a problem for us is that Convert to Video Files Online lacks any post-conversion editing tools, so this really is a no-frills experience. We also found that the web tool was slow to upload our files.

Our Rating: 8 / 10

Pros Cons
  • A simple but effective online video converter
  • Good format choices for conversions
  • Added quality choices
  • A boring design
  • No editing tools

There are dozens of free online video converter services, but increasingly the number of tools offering a truly excellent experience is falling. The online converter tools we listed above now stand out from the crowd thanks to their features, format support, editing tools, and designs. Yes, there are some compromises, such as ads, watermarks, and more to consider, but some of the tools listed above won’t bother you with any of those. If you don’t want to trust your video files to online converters, then you might be interested in our review of the best free video converters that can be installed on your computer.

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