DVD publishers use DRM like CSS, RCE, ARccOS, and RipGuard to prevent DVD copying. These encryption methods make ripping DVDs on Mac challenging, leading to quality compromises with free software despite numerous paid and free DVD ripper options available. In this post, you will find the best six free and paid DVD ripper for Macs to watch your DVDs conveniently on other devices in high quality.
Table of Contents
Comparison of the Best DVD ripper Software for Mac
Here's a quick comparison of all the best and free DVD ripping software for Mac.
| Mac DVD Rippers | Input format | Output format | Decryption function | Video Editor | Speed |
| DVDFab DVD Ripper | DVDs, ISO files, and folders | 1000+ digital formats | Yes. Including latest released DVDs. | Yes | Super fast, 50x GPU acceleration |
| Mac DVDRipper Pro | DVD | 5 digital formats | Available | No | Fast |
| Cisdem Video Converter | Any copy-protected DVD, video, audio | 600+ digital formats | Available | Yes | Fast |
| HandBrake | DVD & Blu-ray disc, ISO, DVD folder, video | MP4, WebM, MKV | Built-in decryption is unavailable | Yes | Slow |
| VLC | 50+ media formats, Blu-ray, DVD, CD/VCD, SVCD | Many digital formats, including MP4, AVI, MOV, MPEG, etc | No | No | Slow |
| MakeMKV | DVDs and Blu-rays | MKV | Available | No | Decent |
3 Best DVD Rippers for Mac
1. DVDFab DVD Ripper
DVDFab DVD Ripper is one of the top DVD ripping software for Mac that excels equally on Windows PC. It offers straightforward DVD ripping with advanced GPU acceleration like CUDA. It swiftly removes all DVD protections, converting DVDs to any video and audio format in under 5 minutes for flawless playback on any device or media player.
How to Use DVDFab DVD Ripper for Mac
Step 1: Double-click DVDFab 13 and select Ripper from the option bar. Load the DVD into the optical drive or use the Add button for ISO files/folders; drag-drop files onto the main page.
Step 2: After loading the source, click Profile Library to choose your profile. Select audio and subtitles, adjust video/audio settings, use the video editor, and set the output path by clicking Save to.
Step 3: Click Start to begin DVD ripping with your selected profile. Receive detailed progress reports and options to cancel or manage PC shutdown post-task completion.
2. Mac DVDRipper Pro
Mac DVDRipper Pro is the second multifunctional DVD ripping software for Macintosh we would like to recommend, which can copy DVD to ISO, DVD media, backup to CD. It also supports compressing files for iTunes and ripping to M4V, MP4, MKV and more.
How to Use Mac DVDRipper Pro
Step 1: Download Mac DVDRipper Pro on your Mac and launch it. Insert your DVD into the optical drive.
Step 2: The software will load the DVD content. However, if the DVD's region code mismatches your Mac, ripping may not work.
Step 3: Select "Rip and Convert" to start. Use the built-in player to choose chapters, audio, and subtitles.
Step 4: Click "Destination" to set the output location on your Mac. Then click "Rip" to begin.
3. Cisdem Video Converter for Mac
Cisdem Video Converter is also a trustworthy DVD ripping software for Mac. It not only provides basic DVD/Blu-ray ripping options, but also supports batch conversion, fast ripping and a wide range of formats. Besides, Cisdem has the multi-purpose use of downloading music and videos from popular video websites.
How to Use Cisdem Video Converter for Mac
Step 1: Download and launch the Cisdem DVD Ripper. Then, go to the ripping interface and drag-drop the copy-protected DVD disc or VIDEO_TS folder.
Step 2: Use the "✓" checkbox to select the main title. Next, choose subtitles and soundtracks in your preferred languages.
Step 3: Click the format icon to access extensive output format options categorized by terminal devices for selection.
Step 4: After configuring settings, initiate encrypted DVD video ripping by clicking the conversion icon at the bottom right.
Top 3 Free DVD Rippers for Mac
1. HandBrake
Handbrake is a multi-functional DVD ripping freeware on Mac that helps convert DVD to MP4 and MKV with codecs like H.265, H.264, and MPEG-4. It utilizes AMD VCE, Apple VideoToolbox, Intel Quick Sync Video, and NVIDIA NVENC, ensuring fast DVD to MP4 conversions on Macs with robust GPUs.
How to Rip DVD on macOS Using HandBrake
Step 1: Download and install Handbrake V1.7.3 or newer. Insert the DVD, launch the software, and click "Source" to load the DVD from the Mac's drive.
Step 2: To rip protected DVDs with Handbrake, install libdvdcss, select the output folder with "Browse," and choose format using "Presets."
Step 3: Configure optimal settings and add filters as needed. Then, click "RUN" to initiate free DVD ripping on your Mac.
2. VLC Media Player
Among the methods to rip DVDs on MacBooks like Pro, Air, or iMac, VLC offers free DVD Ripper downloads with a straightforward solution. While not the most powerful, VLC Media Player can convert DVDs to various formats, including H.264 and MPEG. It supports homemade DVDs and utilizes libdvdcss for encrypted discs, simplifying the process alongside Handbrake.
How to Use VLC to Rip DVDs on Mac
Step 1: Download VLC for Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later for free.
Step 2: Insert the DVD, open VLC, and go to File > Open Disc. Non-protected DVDs load fine; however, you must adjust the settings for commercial ones.
Step 3: Check the "Stream Output" box and click the "Setting" option at the bottom left corner.
Step 4: Click "Browse" to name and select the output folder. Open the "Encapsulation Method" dropdown and choose a format like QuickTime for Mac to rip DVDs freely.
Step 5: Click "Open" to start DVD conversion using VLC on Mac.
3. MakeMKV
MakeMKV is a leading free DVD ripping tool available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It preserves DVD MPEG2 content in MKV format without quality loss. It is ideal for backing up movie collections to hard drives, NAS, or USB.
How to Use MakeMKV Mac DVD Ripper
Step 1: Download and launch MakeMKV on your Mac. Then, insert a DVD or Blu-Ray disc into the optical drive.
Step 2: Click "Open Disc" to load the disc info. MakeMKV scans and lists chapters; select the longest or main title for conversion.
Step 3: Choose a Mac folder to save MKV output files, then click "Make MKV" to begin the conversion.
Step 4: MakeMKV quickly processes DVDs on Mac; Blu-Ray discs take about 30 minutes, producing high-quality but large MKV files.
FAQs
How do I rip a copy protected DVD for free on Mac?
Several free software options are available to rip copy-protected DVDs on Mac. For example, HandBrake or VLC can be used for general ripping, and MakeMKV can be used to create lossless MKV copies.
Can VLC rip DVD on Mac?
Yes. VLC can convert DVDs to various formats, such as H.264, H.265, MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4, DIVX, H.263, VP8, WMV, MJPEG, Theora, and Dirac, across Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile platforms.
Final Words
Choosing the best DVD ripping software for Mac involves many factors. Users are most concerned about macOS compatibility, GPU acceleration speed, high-quality output, the ability to rip protected DVDs, and additional features such as video editing. Although there are free DVD ripping tools, they often lack high-level features and the conversion speed is slow. Therefore, we recommend you to consider a comprehensive tool like DVDFab DVD Ripper for full and flexible features.