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x264FFmpeg
Free

Free and open source under the GNU GPL.

 Free

Free and open source. The codebase is mainly LGPL 2.1 with some components under the GPL…

Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
  • Fast real-time H.264 encoding on consumer hardware
  • Psychovisual optimizations for visual quality
  • Handles practically every container and codec there is
  • Remuxes without re-encoding, so a container change is instant and lossless
  • Command-line only, with no graphical interface
  • Encodes H.264 only, not newer formats such as HEVC or AV1
  • Command line only, with syntax that punishes guessing
  • Argument order matters in ways that are not obvious
Downloadable app Downloadable app
Open source Open source
License: GPL-2.0-or-later License: LGPL-2.1
No account needed No account needed
Works offline Works offline

Checked October 2, 2026

Checked September 21, 2026

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