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FFmpeg vs x265: catalog facts
FFmpeg	x265
Free Free and open source. The codebase is mainly LGPL 2.1 with some components under the GPL…	Free Free under the GPL-2.0, with a paid commercial license for proprietary use.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Handles practically every container and codec there is Remuxes without re-encoding, so a container change is instant and lossless	Widely used reference-quality HEVC encoder Usable as a command-line tool or as a library
Command line only, with syntax that punishes guessing Argument order matters in ways that are not obvious	Command-line only, with no graphical interface of its own HEVC playback and distribution can involve patent licensing questions
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: LGPL-2.1	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.