ffmpeg alternatives for Mac
ffmpeg — Play, record, convert, and stream select audio and video codecs — is installed 144,129 times a month through Homebrew. These are hand-picked alternatives that occupy the same slot, ordered by how comparable their user base is.
Run
brew install ffmpeg to install ffmpeg itself.- LosslessCut195.6× smaller user base
- Permute1455.8× smaller user base
- HandBrake83.7× smaller user base
- Shotcut274.5× smaller user base
- Kdenlive323.2× smaller user base
- Audacity40.6× smaller user base
- OBS22.1× smaller user base
- Downie367.7× smaller user base
Full comparison
| ffmpeg | LosslessCut | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | CLI tool | GUI app |
| Category | Video & Audio | Video & Audio |
| Open source | Yes | Yes (inferred) |
| Licence | GPL-3.0-or-later | Not declared |
| Apple silicon | All Macs (binary package) | Universal |
| Latest version | 9.0.2 | 3.70.1 |
| Dependencies | 11 | 0 |
| Installs (30 days) | 144,129 | 737 |
| Install command | brew install ffmpeg | brew install --cask losslesscut |
How we picked these
The list comes from a hand-maintained set of same-purpose apps, not from keyword matching. Alternatives are removed automatically when Homebrew no longer carries them. Ordering reflects 30-day install volume, not paid placement. Data updated 2026-10-26.