Physical Blu-ray discs offer unmatched audio and video quality, but they also lock your favorite movies onto a shelf. If you want to back up your collection, stream it via a home server like Plex, or watch your movies on a laptop or tablet, a reliable Blu-ray ripper is essential.
However, finding a truly free Blu-ray ripper is a minefield. The internet is flooded with 'freeware' that secretly hits you with hidden watermarks, forces a 5-minute ripping limit, or completely fails to bypass basic AACS and BD+ copy protections.
To save you time and hard drive space, we tested the most popular options on the market. Below is our definitive, hands-on review of the 6 best free Blu-ray rippers for Windows and Mac, breaking down what they can actually decrypt, how fast they convert, and whether they are genuinely free.
Table of Contents
| Supported OS | Output Formats | Protected Decryption | 4K/8K | Region Free | Hardware Acceleration | |
| MakeMKV | Windows 11/10, Mac OS X 10.7 or later. | Only MKV. | AACS, BD+, UHD Blu-ray Decryption, and LibMMBD. | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ |
| HandBrake | MacOS 10.13 and later. | MP4, MKV, and WebM. | ❌ | 4K only with Matroska Multimedia Container | ❌ | ✔ |
| Blu-ray Master Free Blu-Ray Ripper | Windows 11/10/8/7, MacOS 10.12 or above. | 500+ formats, such as MKV, MP4, WMV, FLV, M4V, etc. | AACS, BD+, and Blu-ray region codes. | ❌ | ✔ | ✔ |
| EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper | Windows 11/10/8/7, MacOS 10.13 or later. | 100+ formats, like MP4, MKV, HEVC, H.264, etc. | AACS, BD+, BD-J, RC, MKB, and Cinavia. | 4K | ✔ | ✔ |
| VLC Media Player | Windows 11/10/8/7/XP, Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later. | MP4, MOV, AVI, MP3, MKV, WAV, and more. | ❌ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Leawo Blu-ray Ripper | Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11, MacOS 10.13 and later. | 180+ formats, including MP4, MKV, WMV, MOV, MP3, FLAC, etc. | AACS, BD+, and the latest MKB protection. | 4K | ✔ | ✔ |
Part 1. How We Tested and Evaluated These Blu-ray Rippers
To provide you with an honest, unbiased, and hands-on review, we put these 6 Blu-ray ripping tools through rigorous real-world benchmarking. Our team spent over 20 hours testing each software on both Windows 11 and macOS environments, using standard commercial Blu-ray discs (including BD-25 and BD-50).
We evaluated and rated each program based on the following four core criteria:
- • Decryption Capability: How effectively the software can bypass modern copy protections, such as AACS, BD+, and region codes, without requiring complex third-party plugins.
- • Conversion Speed: The actual time taken to rip a full-length movie, with a specific focus on whether the tool supports GPU hardware acceleration (e.g., Nvidia NVENC, AMD AMF, or Intel Quick Sync).
- • Output Quality & Losslessness: Whether the software can preserve the original 1080p/4K video bitrates, HDR data, multi-channel audio tracks (like Dolby Atmos or DTS-HD), and subtitles without artifacts or compression loss.
- • Pricing Transparency (No Hidden Costs): We strictly verified whether the ‘free’ label is genuine. This includes checking for hidden limitations such as watermarks, time limits (e.g., ripping only the first 5 minutes), or aggressive upsells to premium versions.
Top 1. The Power Duo: MakeMKV & HandBrake
1. MakeMKV
Free trial version with limited functions.
BD-R, BD-RW, etc.
Medium.
If you just need to back up and save the Blu-ray movies on your computer, MakeMKV is the free Blu-ray ripper to preserve the most information, such as video streams, audio tracks, subtitles, and more. With several clicks, you can successfully convert Blu-ray discs to one digital format. This Blu-ray backup software has the ability to decrypt and convert most Blu-ray discs with copy protection to MKV format. Moreover, it works with Blu-ray discs on Windows and Mac.
Pros
- Preserve videos, audios, track languages, chapters, and metadata.
- Decrypt the Blu-ray discs and ISO files with AACS and BD+ protection.
- Cross-platform free Blu-ray ripper works with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Cons
- Only can output MKV format.
- Lack of editing features and options for tweaking the video quality.
Compared with other Blu-ray ripping software, original quality output can make MakeMKV more special than other products. However, this could be its biggest drawback, for it only exports in MKV format.
2. HandBrake
Free.
Blu-rays that do not contain any kind of copy protection.
Low.
HandBrake is another free Blu-ray ripper to convert Blu-rays to different presets with optimal output. You can choose MP4, MKV, or WebM as the output format. Moreover, it includes H.264, H.265, and even 1080P high-quality options to improve the video effects. This free Blu-ray ripping software allows you to input one or several Blu-ray files. Even if you want to customize the output videos, you can also find multiple settings features.
Pros
- Advanced settings to convert Blu-ray movies to videos as desired.
- Support common video formats as well as presets for digital devices.
- Convert Blu-ray movies to video with batch conversion and chapters.
Cons
- Rip Blu-ray videos to MP4, WebM, and MKV only; it does not support audio files.
- It is hard for beginners to master all the settings of the program.
HandBrake suits beginners well. It has an intuitive interface to guide beginners on where to start. It's free and open-source, which makes it convenient and accessible for most users. However, the limited output formats hold it back.
3. Why MakeMKV + HandBrake is the Ultimate Free Ripping Solution
If you ask any home theater enthusiast on Reddit or Plex forums how to digitize a Blu-ray collection for free, they won’t recommend a single all-in-one software. Instead, they will tell you to use MakeMKV and HandBrake together.
HandBrake is an incredible transcoder, but it has a major weakness: it cannot decrypt commercial Blu-ray discs protected by AACS or BD+. This is where MakeMKV shines. It bypasses almost all modern copy protections to extract the exact, untouched video and audio streams directly from the disc, saving them into a massive, lossless MKV file.
Now, let's see how to use these two free tools to decrypt and rip Blu-rays.
Step 1. Open MakeMKV and Load Blu-ray
Launch MakeMKV on your computer, and under the Source section, choose to load the Blu-ray you want to convert.
Step 2. MakeMKV Decrypt Blu-ray Movie
The tool will scan the Blu-ray information and list it in the interface. Check the titles and audio tracks you want to retain. Then, click the Make MKV button to rip the Blu-ray.
Step 3. HandBrake Open-up and Load MKV Files
Open HandBrake and choose the File option to import the MKV files.
Step 4. Choose Output and Start Conversion
Go to the Summary section and choose Format as MP4. Next, choose the download folder of the converted files, and click Start Encode to begin the conversion process.
By combining MakeMKV’s unstoppable decryption with HandBrake’s industry-leading compression, you get a 100% free, legal-for-backup pipeline that delivers perfect compatibility for your Plex, Jellyfin, or mobile devices without spending a single dime.
Top 2. Blu-ray Master Free Blu-Ray Ripper
Free.
BD-5, BD-9, BD-25, BD-50, BD-XL, BD-R, and BD-RE.
Quick.
Whether you want to extract or rip Blu-ray disc, Blu-ray ISO, or Blu-ray folder, Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Ripper can rip Blu-ray movies into most video formats, audio formats, and even optimal presets, such as MP4, MKV, AVI, WMV, HD MP4, HD MKV, iPhone, BlackBerry, etc. If you worry that some commercial Blu-rays cannot be ripped, this best Blu-ray ripping software can rip any encrypted Blu-ray with advanced decryption technologies. Moreover, the free Blu-ray ripper has advanced technology for CUDA and AMD acceleration to efficiently convert Blu-ray to many formats.
Pros
- Rip Blu-ray movies to command and HD audio/video format.
- Customize the video and audio files for the output file format.
- Convert Blu-ray disc/ISO/folder to optimal digital presets for free.
- Advanced hardware acceleration for CUDA/AMD with fast speed.
Cons
- Upgrade to the Pro version for video editing and high quality output.
Free Download
For Windows
Secure Download
Free Download
for macOS
Secure Download
Step1.Click the above buttons to download Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Ripper on your Windows or Mac computers. Then, install this free Blu-ray disc ripper on your computer and open it.
Note: You can click the Upgrade option to get the latest version of this software.
Step2.Choose the Load Disc option at the menu bar to add one Blu-ray file you want to convert to digital format.
Note: You can see the Preview feature in its right section, which allows you to see the video effects.
Step3.Move to Profile and select it. Choose MP4 or one desired format from its drop-down options.
Note: You can click the Settings beside the Profile to adjust the profile parameter to fit your special needs.
Step4.Next, click the Browse button at the bottom to set the download folder and click Convert to rip Blu-ray disc to one MP4 file.
As for why we recommend Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Ripper, this Blu-ray Ripper has the most compatible formats with the abilities of decryption, ripping all-region Blu-ray discs, and fast hardware acceleration. A comprehensive Blu-ray ripper should be like this. However, its free version is limited to output resolution and other advanced settings. You can try it first.
Top 3. EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper
Free trial version with limited functions.
BD-R, BD-RW, BD-ROM, BD-RE, etc.
Quick.
The next one is the EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper. This Blu-ray ripping program can conduct the whole ripping process at a fast speed. You can customize the converted Blu-ray video with more than 100 video formats or targeted playback devices like TV, USB, VR devices, and game consoles, which greatly meet your diverse requirements. It can decrypt various types of copy protection, like AACS, RC, Country Code, etc. Even if your discs are damaged, scratched, or unusable, this best Blu-ray ripper for Mac can help.
Pros
- Support ripping Blu-ray movies of discs, ISO files, and folders.
- Fast ripping speed.
- Useful editing tools.
Cons
- Old-fashioned interface.
- Full functions in the paid version and it’s expensive.
In general, EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper can give you a relatively comfortable ripping experience. But all of this is included in its paid version. If you don’t want to spend a lot on the ripping, EaseFab won’t be your ideal choice.
Top 4. VLC Media Player
Free.
BD-R, BD-RW, and others.
Low.
VLC Media Player can serve as a Blu-ray ripping software to convert Blu-ray discs to digital videos. This Blu-ray ripping program can convert Blu-ray to digital at a fast speed. You can directly use the Convert/Save feature of VLC to save Blu-rays to digital files successfully. However, you should note that VLC doesn't support Blu-ray decryption natively. To rip copy-protected Blu-rays, you can install libdvdcss on it. doesn't support Blu-ray decryption natively. To rip copy-protected Blu-rays, you can install libdvdcss on it.
Pros
- Totally free program.
- Basic editing functions of selecting audio tracks/subtitles, taking screenshots, cropping, and adjusting aspect ratio.
- Support ripping both homemade and encrypted Blu-ray discs.
Cons
- Converting Blu-ray with some quality loss.
- Complicated ripping operations.
Though VLC is comprehensive with multiple abilities, you need to note that it is not basically designed to be a professional Blu-ray ripper. So the usage experience may not be as perfect as your imagination.
Top 5. Leawo Blu-ray Ripper
Free trial and 3 premium versions.
BD-R, BD-ROM, and BD-RW.
Quick.
Leawo Blu-ray Ripper is also worth your trial. It’s a comprehensive ripping software for handling Blu-ray encryption and region code. You can convert the Blu-ray disc to various formats of video in MP4, MKV, AVI, etc., and extract audio from Blu-ray to save in MP3, AAC, and other formats. It can well maintain the Blu-ray high quality to 4K, and HD qualities. Moreover, this best Blu-ray ripping software offers features of 3D ripping and powerful editing functions.
Pros
- Support more than 180+ video formats output.
- Support all Blu-ray region codes.
- Support batch conversion of Blu-ray discs.
Cons
- The free trial only lasts for 12 days.
- The software is not so stable for it crashed several times during Blu-ray ripping.
Leawo Blu-ray Ripper’s main drawback is its instability when software running, which really bothers the whole ripping experience.
Part 7. FAQs of Freeware Blu-ray Ripper
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How can I rip Blu-ray on Windows 10?
Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Ripper is a free and all-in-one tool that can rip Blu-ray movies on Windows 10. a. Free download, install and launch Free Blu-ray Ripper on your Windows 10 computer. Insert the Blu-ray disc into Blu-ray drive. Click "Load Disc" to load the Blu-ray file into the program. b. Click "Profile" drop down button to select the output file format like MP4, MKV, etc. Then, click "Browse" to select the destination. c. After all settings done, click "Convert" button to rip Blu-ray file to the file format you want on Windows 10.
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Can you rip Blu-rays with HandBrake?
Yes, you can rip Blu-rays with HandBrake - the open source free Blu-ray Ripper. First, you can install and run HandBrake on your computer. Click "Open Source" to load the Blu-ray file. In "Destination" part, you can click "Browse" to choose the destination folder. In "Output Settings" part, you can select the output file format like MP4. Finally, click "Start" to start ripping Blu-rays with HandBrake.
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Can I rip a DVD with Windows Media Player?
No, you can't play and rip DVD with Windows Media Player directly. If you want to play and rip DVD with Windows Media Player, you can rip the DVD with Blu-ray Master Free DVD Ripper first. Then open the converted file in Windows Media Player.
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Is there a 100% free Blu-ray ripper for Windows 11 with no time limits?
Yes, MakeMKV is the closest option. It operates in a perpetual 'Public Beta.' The developer posts a Free Beta Key on their official forum every month or two. By updating this key in the app (Help - Register), you can rip commercial Blu-rays and 4K UHD discs completely free without watermarks or time limits.
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Can HandBrake rip commercial Blu-rays directly?
No. HandBrake is strictly a video transcoder (compression tool) and cannot bypass commercial AACS or BD+ copy protections. To rip a commercial disc, you must first use MakeMKV to decrypt and extract the movie to your hard drive, then load that file into HandBrake for compression.
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Why does MakeMKV on Mac show 'No disc inserted' or AACS errors?
• For 'No Disc': macOS security is blocking access. Go to System Settings - Privacy & Security - Full Disk Access and enable permissions for MakeMKV.
• For AACS Errors: The disc has a newer encryption that locked your drive. You need to flash your external drive with LibreDrive firmware to bypass this restriction.
• Hardware Tip: Clean the disc and use a powered USB hub; external drives often fail on Macs if they don't get enough USB power.
Wrapping up
When you want to rip some Blu-Ray movies for free, you can find the list compiled with the best free Blu-ray rippers totally free of charge. To extract the desired videos from Blu-Ray movies, you should check out the detailed features for these free Blu-ray rippers instead. Blu-ray Master Free Blu-Ray Ripper is always one of the best choices if you just need to extract the Blu-Ray movies to iPhone, Android, or other devices with a simple process. It is a free 4k Blu-ray ripping software, and why not download it to try it?
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