Best 10 Ways to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac [Free / No-Watermark Options Included]

Want to convert DVD to MP4 on Mac for easy playback on your iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV, other portable devices or players? Congratulations! You're in the right place. Here you can find the best free DVD to MP4 converters for macOS Sonoma and earlier. Now, let's check the specific details of these Mac DVD rippers on aspects of ripping function, output quality, ripping speed, and DVD decryption capability, and learn how to convert a home movie DVD or a commercial movie DVD to MP4 format on a Mac.

MacX DVD Ripper Free - Convert Copy-Protected DVD to MP4 on Mac

MacX DVD Ripper Free is the best free DVD to MP4 converter for Mac on the market. It can free convert DVDs, including copy-protected DVDs, to MP4 (H.265, H.264, MPEG4), MOV, M4V, MKV, Apple TV, iTunes, MP3, ACC, and more for free movie playback on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, iMovie, QuickTime, Android, Plex, etc.

This free DVD to MP4 converter on macOS accepts a variety of discs, including copy-protected, damaged, and regional ones. It stands out with its 5x faster speed boosted by hardware acceleration, high-quality MP4 conversion, and flexible options like adding external subtitles and trimming clips etc.

If you're looking for a DVD to MP4 converter for Windows, click here.

MacXDVD Software review on Trustpilot >>

How to Free Rip DVD to MP4 on Mac with MacX DVD Ripper Free

The following tutorial will demonstrate how simple it is to convert DVDs to MP4 on Mac using MacX DVD Ripper Free.

Preparatory work:

Step 1. Load the source DVD.

Run MacX DVD Ripper Mac Free, and click "DVD Disc" to select the DVD you just inserted as the source DVD. Then, it will start analyzing your DVD. After that, it will automatically detect the correct title of the DVD, regardless of any copy protections on it, which most software can't do.

Step 2. Choose "MP4 Video" as the output format.

This Mac DVD ripper allows you to convert DVD to MP4 with H.265, MPEG4, or H.264 codec. There are a lot of MP4 presets for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and so on. You can choose any one you like. Here we choose the "MP4 Video" option in the category of "Mac General Video" as an example.

Step 3. Choose the DVD content to convert.

As we mentioned in Step 1, MacX DVD Ripper will choose the main movie title for you automatically. And it will automatically choose an audio track and a subtitle track. You'd better check if the selected title and tracks are exactly what you want. If not, change them.

In addition, we would like to remind you that you can select multiple titles from your DVD to convert at one time. This need usually occurs when you need to convert a TV series DVD. You can toggle the "Merge titles" option on if you want to convert all selected titles to a single file. Otherwise, you'll get separate files.

What's more, you can trim the DVD title. Simply click the Edit button, and then you'll find this feature. And you'll find the options to add external subtitles, crop, and expand video.

Step 4. Set the MP4 output location.

Click "Browse" button in the output setting area and select a destination folder to save your converted MP4 video.

Step 5. Start converting DVD to MP4 on Mac.

Click "RUN" to start the DVD to MP4 conversion. You can view the conversion progress and are able to cancel the conversion process at any time.

Here is a video tutorial to guide you through DVD to MP4 ripping on a Mac. Learn how to rip a physical DVD to MP4 and other high-quality formats step by step by clicking here. 

Notice: We only advocate copying and ripping DVDs under the concept of Fair Use and do not encourage any illegal reproduction or distribution of copyrighted content. Please abide by the local DVD copyright law before doing it.

Handbrake - Require libdvdcss to Convert Encrypted DVD to MP4 on Mac

Handbrake is a free, open-source DVD to MP4 ripper for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It can free convert DVDs to MP4, MKV, and WebM, with ready-made profiles for Android, Apple, Roku, etc. It includes AMD VCE, Intel QSV, and NVIDIA NVENC hardware H.264/H.265 encoders to deliver a fast DVD to digital converting speed on Mac. Moreover, there are a slew of filters available to customize the output MP4 video, including trimming, cropping, deinterlacing, denoising, and more.

Note: Handbrake doesn't support protected DVDs on its own. If you plan to rip encrypted DVDs to MP4 using Handbrake, you have to download and install libdvdcss to work with it. Otherwise, you will encounter errors, such as no valid title found, as HandBrake itself is unable to deal with copy-protected DVDs.

If you're willing to take the extra steps to work with encrypted DVDs, Handbrake can be an excellent choice for converting DVDs to MP4, MKV, or WebM on Mac, Windows, or Linux. Its combination of speed, versatility, and customizability make it a popular option for users who want to convert DVDs to digital files for playback on a wide range of devices.

HandBrake review by TechRadar >>

How to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac Free with HandBrake

Step 1. Download and install HandBrake on your Mac.

The latest HandBrake version, 1.7.2, is compatible with macOS 10.13 and later. For M1/M2 Macs, you should at least have Handbrake 1.4.0. For macOS 10.12 and earlier, you should download an older release.

Step 2. Download libdvdcss for HandBrake.

To convert protected DVDs to MP4 using Handbrake, make sure you've installed libdvdcss on your computer for Handbrake to use. Learn how to download libdvdcss on Mac here >>

This trick doesn't 100% work. If HandBrake cannot convert your DVD to MP4 on Mac, try other programs.

Step 3. Open Handbrake and click the Open Source button to load the source DVD. It will take some time to read the DVD data and find the correct titles.

Step 4. Once the DVD is loaded, open the Title drop-down menu and select the movie title you want to rip.

Step 5. Under Destination, specify a file name and a save path for the converted MP4 file.

Step 6. Click Preset and you will see Very Fast, Fast, HQ, and Super HQ. To free convert a DVD to MP4, you're suggested to choose either 480p or 576p based on the NTSC or PAL DVD. Don't select any higher resolutions as they won't do anything good to the output quality.

Step 7. Next, choose MP4 as the output format. In the section below, you can further adjust the video codec, quality, crop, rotate, add filters, etc.

Step 8. Click Start on the toolbar to begin converting DVD to MP4 on Mac.

Check out "How to Convert DVD to MP4 with Handbrake" for a more detailed guide & tips.

What Are the Best Settings for HandBrake for DVD to MP4?

Handbrake has many settings, which may be confusing for beginners. Below are the recommended Handbrake DVD to MP4 ripping settings on Mac.

For high-quality DVD to MP4 ripping:

For fast DVD to MP4 ripping:

iSuper DVD Ripper - Convert Home-made DVD to MP4 on Mac

iSuper DVD Ripper is the best free DVD to MP4 ripper on the Mac Store. Besides MP4, it can also rip DVDs to MOV, MKV, FLV, AVI, M4V, AAC, MP3, and more video/audio formats. And there are some basic video editing features. It can merge multiple videos into one, cut videos, add text or image watermarks, and adjust brightness, saturation, hue, and contrast.

Note: It's extremely easy to use for converting DVDs to mp4 on macOS. The recent updates, V6.2.25 and V6.2.23, have improved both the speed and stability when ripping DVD to MP4. However, iSuper DVD Ripper, like other DVD rippers in the Mac App Store, does not support ripping encrypted DVDs to MP4. If you're looking to convert protected DVDs to MP4, you may need to look for alternative solutions.

iSuper DVD Ripper review on Mac App Store >>

How to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac with iSuper DVD Ripper

Step 1. Install iSuper DVD Ripper from the Mac App Store on your computer.

Step 2. Run the free converter and insert your non-protected disc. Click the Load Disc button to import your DVD.

Step 3. Once the DVD is loaded, check the DVD title you'd like to convert. Then click the profile menu at the bottom and choose the MP4 profile.

Step 4. You can click the adjustments button on the main window to adjust the encoding parameters, rotate, crop, add watermarks, add effects, etc. Then click Browse to select a destination on Mac to store the converted MP4 video.

Step 5. Next, click Convert to begin ripping DVDs to MP4 on Mac.

VLC Media Player - Convert CSS-protected DVD to MP4 on Mac

VLC Media Player can do much more than play videos. One extra function is to free convert DVDs to MP4, WebM, MPEG4, AVI, TS, OGG, WMV, etc. There are some basic options to adjust the video bit rate, audio quality, and audio channels. VLC is not the preferred free DVD to MP4 converter as users can't get much control over the output quality they want to get, but hopefully, it can help someone out in a pinch.

Note: VLC doesn't support DVD copy protections except CSS. But here is a workaround: as VLC has libdvdcss built-in, you can play the protected disc with VLC, remember the correct title, and tell VLC which title to rip when converting. However, this method doesn't work with all protections.

VLC media player review by TechRadar >>

How to Free Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac with VLC

Step 1. Download VLC if you haven't installed it on Mac, then insert the DVD you want to convert on your Mac. Open VLC Media Player, click on "File" at the top left corner of the Mac screen, and select the " Open Disc…" button.

Step 2. Click the Disc button and you will see your DVD here. If you don't want to include the DVD menus in the converted MP4 video, click Disable DVD menus. If the DVD is protected, you need to click Enable DVD menus and manually select the title and chapters. 

Step 3. Next, check the Streaming box. Then click the Settings button to customize the DVD to MP4 conversion. Specifically, click Browse to set an output folder on your Mac to store the MP4 video; Go to the Encapsulation Method dropdown menu and select MP4 as the output format. Set the video/audio bitrate if necessary.

Step 4. After all the steps, click OK and VLC will start to convert DVDs to MP4 on your Mac. Still not clear?? Check out our guide on how to rip DVD with VLC here for more detailed info.

How long does VLC take to convert DVD to MP4?

It will take the entire runtime of the movie to convert it because VLC is "streaming" the movie to a file on your hard drive.

How to fix "VLC converts DVD to MP4 without sound"?

This is a common problem. You may fix it by choosing the MPEG 4 audio (AAC) option instead of the default mpeg audio and changing the sample rate to 48000.

FFmpeg - A Command-line Tool to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac

FFmpeg is a free DVD to MP4 converter for Mac. It is widely used in the multimedia industry and many popular video/DVD-related programs such as Handbrake, VLC, DVD Flick, Avidemux, XMedia Recode, and more come with a built-in version of FFmpeg to process multimedia files.

With FFmpeg, you're allowed to freely convert a DVD to MP4, h.264/h.265, MPEG4, MOV, AVI, and more on Mac. Besides converting DVD, it handles all your media needs: decode, encode, and convert a wide range of audio, video, and subtitles. It supports popular codecs (H.264, AAC, etc.) for versatile conversion. Capture live streams and edit videos with basic cutting and trimming features.

Note: As a command-line tool, using FFmpeg-GUI to convert DVDs to MP4 on Mac is quite daunting for many beginner users. Additionally, FFmpeg does not have the capability to convert DVDs with copy protections, so it may not be the best choice for users looking to rip commercial DVDs.

FFmpeg review on G2 >>

How to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac with FFmpeg

Step 1. Download FFmpeg and install it on your Mac. This is the hardest part for many. The easiest way is to install FFmpeg on Mac using HomeBrew. If you don't already have FFmpeg installed on your Mac, run the following command in the terminal:

/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)" 

Then install FFmpeg using the ffmpeg formula:

brew install ffmpeg

Now FFmpeg is installed on your Mac. Let's continue to convert a DVD to MP4 with it:

Step 2. To rip a DVD with FFmpeg, you just need the *.VOB files in the VIDEO_TS folder. Below is the command line to convert a DVD to an mpeg4+mp3 MP4 on Mac.

ffmpeg -i - -s 720x576 -c:v mpeg4 -c:a mp3 -qmin 1 -qmax 3 -b:a 256k -b:v 4000k -y encoded.mp4

Step 3. If there are several VOB files in the DVD and you'd like to convert them into a single MP4 video, you will need to combine them into one VOB first:

cat VTS_01_1.VOB VTS_01_2.VOB VTS_01_3.VOB VTS_01_4.VOB > temp.VOB 

MakeMKV - Require Additional Tool to Convert DVD Rip to MP4

MakeMKV is not an exact free DVD to MP4 converter for Mac, as it only supports MKV as the output format. However, you can use MakeMKV and Handbrake together to rip protected DVDs into MP4 on Mac: convert a DVD to MKV with MakeMKV first and then use Handbrake to transcode it to MP4. This two-step process can be a useful workaround when dealing with protected DVD and Blu-ray discs.

Note: MakeMKV is fast and simple to use. Because the output MKV is quite large, make sure your Mac's hard drive has enough space. It requires an extra step to convert a protected DVD to MP4 on Mac using it.

MakeMKV review by TechRadar >>

How to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac with MakeMKV

Step 1. Launch MakeMKV and insert the disc into the optical drive. Click the big optical drive button to read the DVD data. MakeMKV will take a few minutes to judge the copy protections and detect the titles.

Step 2. Once finished, MakeMKV will display the DVD chapters. Click the disclosure triangle next to the disc to exclude different parts of the disc, such as the audio and subtitle tracks.

Step 3. Click the MakeMKV button, and wait for the app to create the file.

Step 4. Then use Handbrake to transcode the converted MKV video into MP4.

Movavi Video Converter for Mac Free Version - Convert Non-protected DVDs to MP4 with Limitations

Movavi Video Converter is primarily designed to process video files. With this tool, users can change one video format to another, compress video, and make some basic edits. But actually, it can do more. It can also convert DVDs, audio, and images.

Movavi Video Converter allows users to rip DVDs to MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, WMV, and more formats on Mac.

Note: Movavi doesn't allow the conversion of copyright-protected DVDs. Also, the free trial version of the software is only available for 7 days and can only convert half the file. And it will add a watermark to the output. To remove these restrictions and unlock the full potential of the software, you'll need to purchase a license, which starts at $54.95.

Movavi Video Converter review by TopTenReviews >>

How to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac with Movavi

Step 1. Download and install Movavi Video Converter on your Mac. For macOS 10.13 and later, choose the newest version to download. For Mac OS 7- 12, go to Movavi Store to download an older version.

Step 2. Open Movavi Video Converter, click the + Add Media button in the top left corner and choose Add DVD - > Open DVD. Next, navigate to your DVD and select the VIDEO_TS folder.

Step 3. Find the Video tab at the bottom of the screen, locate the MP4 group, and then select an MP4 preset that fits your needs.

Step 4. Click the Save to button at the bottom to determine where you want to save the MP4 output.

Step 5. Click the blue Convert button at the bottom to begin converting your DVD to MP4.

DVDFab DVD Ripper Free Version - Convert DVD to MP4 with 480P and 2.0 Audio Channels

DVDFab DVD Ripper is not free forever. It just offers free trial for 30 days. During the free trial period, you can not experience all its functions. You're only allowed to convert your DVDs to MP4 or MKV format with 480p only and 2.0 audio channels only. You are not allowed to choose other formats unless you upgrade to paid version. what's more, free trial version doesn't support CUDA, AMD, or IQS acceleration. It supports CPU encoding only. This means that it may take quite a long time to convert your DVD to MP4 and it will use a lot of CPU. Anyway, you can give it a try.

Note: The free trial version of DVDFab DVD Ripper does not support the latest encryption protections. Therefore, users may encounter issues when ripping newer DVDs with copy protection.

DVDFab review on VideoHelp >>

How to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac with DVDFab DVD Ripper

Step 1. Download and install DVDFab DVD Ripper on your Mac computer.

Step 2. Launch DVDFab and choose the Ripper option on the top tool bar.

Step 3. Insert the DVD you want to convert into your optical drive and then click the + button on DVDFab to load your DVD. You'll be required to specify the DVD disc's region code. Once selected, click OK. Then it will start opening your DVD.

Step 4. Select your wanted title, chapter, audio track, subtitle track, output format, and quality.

Step 5. Navigate to Save to section and select the output path.

Step 6. Click on the Start button to begin converting DVD to MP4. Or, you can choose Start Later to add it to scheduled task and convert it later.

WinX DVD Ripper for Mac - Convert Old and New DVDs to MP4 on Mac

WinX DVD Ripper is one of the best DVD rippers available on Windows and macOS. With WinX DVD Ripper for Mac, you can rip any region-locked and copy-protected DVDs to MP4, MKV, MOV, HEVC, H.264, and more formats on your Mac computer. It offers a wide range of presets and allows you to customize the output besed on your own needs. It supports Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA powered GPU acceleration, helping you rip a DVD within a matter of minutes. tHE High-Quality engine and deinterlacing technology also ensure excellent video and audio quality.

WinX DVD Ripper for Mac allows you to try all features for free. However, the free trial version will not rip full disc for you. If you are satisfied with the performance, you can buy a license. During the holiday season, you can get a premium license with $15 off and get 3 month license of WinX Video Converter for Mac for free.

WinX DVD Ripper review by TopTenReviews >>

How to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac with WinX DVD Ripper for Mac

Step 1. Download and install WinX DVD Ripper for Mac.

Step 2. Insert the DVD you want to convert into your computer's DVD-ROM drive.

Step 3. Open WinX DVD Ripper for Mac and click "DVD Disc" to import the DVD you just inserted. After finishing the analysis of your DVD, it will display all your DVD titles in the main window with the correct main movie title detected. Certainly, you can specify other titles for later conversion.

Step 4. In the Output Profile panel, choose an MP4 preset. You'll find many MP4 presets in the category of Mac General Video, PC General Video, Apple Device, etc. The available video encoding formats include H.265, MPEG4, and H.264. You can choose any one you like.

Step 5. Specify a save path for the MP4 output by clicking the "Browse" button.

Step 6. Click "RUN" to start converting DVD to MP4 on Mac.

Mac DVDRipper Pro - Convert 5 DVDs to MP4 for Free

Mac DVDRipper Pro, also known as MDRP, is a DVD ripper, DVD copier, and DVD burner. It can rip and convert DVDs to MP4, M4V, and MKV, rip main movie only, copy full disc image, burn a copy of the main movie only and full disc image, and copy all videos, menus, and bonuses. It added the support for exporting MP4, M4V, and MKV files on August 23, 2018, with the release of version 8.0.

Unlike MacX DVD Ripper, Mac DVDRipper Pro doesn't support region code mismatch. The region of the DVD disc you want to convert must match the region of your DVD drive. Otherwise, you may fail to rip the DVD.

As its name implies, it isn't a free program. The good news is that the free trial version allows you to rip 5 DVDs for free.

Mac DVDRipper Pro review on MacUpdate >>

How to Convert DVD to MP4 on Mac with Mac DVDRipper Pro

Step 1. Download and install Mac DVDRipper Pro on Mac.

Step 2. Launch MDRP.

Step 3. Take out the DVD you want to convert to MP4 and insert it into your DVD drive.

Step 4. Go back to the MDRP window, which now shows the DVD's title, and click on the "Destination:" button to specify where you want to save the ripped MP4 file.

Step 5. Click the pull-down menu that reads "All videos, menus and bonuses" and choose "Rip and convert".

Step 6. Click the "Rip" button at the bottom of the MDRP window. Then MDRP will start ripping the DVD's main movie as an MP4 file.

How Do We Select the Best Free Mac DVD to MP4 Converters?

Our ultimate goal is to help you choose the right DVD to MP4 converter for your needs. It should be fully compatible with your Mac system (including the latest Sonoma and older versions), have certain decryption capabilities, export videos supported by Mac, run fast conversion speed and be simple and easy to use.

Based on the above reviews and test results, we have selected the top 3 for your reference.

1. MacX DVD Ripper Mac Free Edition - A user-friendly free option for converting copy-protected or homemade DVDs to MP4 with fast processing speed. Best for casual users converting basic, homemade, and encrypted DVDs.

2. Handbrake - A powerful free option with good conversion quality, but requires some technical knowledge to navigate its settings. Ideal for experienced users comfortable with customization. Best for tech-savvy users comfortable with some setup.

3. Mac DVDRipper Pro - Mac DVDRipper Pro offers the best combination of speed, quality, and features. It handles most disc types, converts quickly, and provides a user-friendly experience. However, it requires purchasing the software for more than 5 discs. Best for users who need fast conversion, high quality, and broad compatibility.

FAQs about Converting DVD to MP4 on Mac

1. Can I convert a DVD to MP4 on Mac using QuickTime?

No. In QuickTime, you can import a video, then choose File > Save As, and convert the video to MP4 H.264 or HEVC. It will be the perfect program if it's able to convert DVDs into MP4. Unfortunately, while QuickTime supports various different video formats, it doesn't accept DVDs or DVD media. As a result, you can't use QuickTime to convert a DVD to MP4.

2. How long does it take to rip a DVD to MP4?

The DVD to MP4 converting speed on Mac is influenced by a set of factors such as the DVD ripper, the MP4 quality, and the computer configuration, etc. On the same hardware, you can select a DVD converter that supports GPU hardware acceleration to achieve a faster speed. Among the above free DVD to MP4 converters for Mac, the two programs that support hardware encoding are:

During our testing, MacX DVD Ripper took just 5.8 minutes to convert a 2-hour DVD to MP4 H.264 format, while HandBrake took 20 minutes.

3. How to convert a DVD to MP4 on a Mac without disc drive?

An optical drive and a big hard drive are a must for DVD ripping. If your Mac doesn't contain an internal disc drive, get an external DVD drive like Apple's USB SuperDrive. Here is a list of external disc drive for Mac >>

4. Any other DVDs to MP4 converters for Mac?

In addition to free DVD to MP4 rippers, there are many paid programs with more powerful performance.

5. Is it legal to convert DVDs to MP4?

The legality of ripping DVDs of your own depends on your region law. For example, in the US, it's illegal to rip a copy-protected DVD. But in Australia, Spain, and many other areas, users are allowed to copy a commercial DVD for personal use. With that being said, you won't be caught or sued for converting a protected DVD for private use. Unless you distribute the copies, no one will ever know.

6. Can iTunes convert DVD to MP4?

No, iTunes itself cannot convert a DVD to MP4. However, you can use third-party software to rip the DVD and then import the resulting MP4 file into iTunes.

7. How to convert DVD to MP4 using Format Factory?

Step 1. Download and install Format Factory on your computer.

Step 2. Open Format Factory and access to DVD to Video File tool.

Step 3. Insert the DVD your want to convert and make sure it is selected as the source media on Format Factory.

Step 4. Select the title you want to rip.

Step 5. Select MP4 as the output format.

Step 6. Click the Convert button to begin converting DVD to MP4.

Note: Format Factory can convert DVD to MP4. However, this program works on Windows only. So, you may need to find the best alternative to Format Factory for Mac.

8. How can I convert DVD to MP4 fast?

If you're looking to rip a DVD to MP4 quickly, consider using a GPU-accelerated DVD ripper such as MacX DVD Ripper, HandBrake, or WinX DVD Ripper. These programs utilize your computer's graphics processing unit (GPU) to speed up the conversion process. If you're working with an older or less powerful computer, MacX DVD Ripper is still a good option because it supports using multi-core CPUs and hyper-threading technology to speed up DVD conversion.

9. Is there a free DVD to MP4 converter without watermark?

Yes, there are several free DVD to MP4 converters that won't add watermarks to your output. Some of the options include MacX DVD Ripper Free Edition, HandBrake, VLC, and FFmpeg.

10. How do I convert a copy-protected DVD to MP4 on a Mac?

Not all DVD to MP4 converters can handle copy-protected DVDs. To convert a copy-protected DVD to MP4 on a Mac, you can try using programs such as MacX DVD Ripper Free Edition (which supports all DVD copy protections), VLC (which only works with CSS-protected DVDs), DVDFab DVD Ripper (although the free trial doesn't work with the latest encryptions), or WinX DVD Ripper for Mac (which supports all DVD copy protections).