iPhone & Mac · More than 150 tools · On-device
A HandBrake alternative
for when you just need the file smaller.
HandBrake is a free, open-source video transcoder with every encoder setting in reach, and power users love it for that. If you mostly need a clip under an email or Discord limit, MediaKit gets there in fewer steps: set a target size, see the estimated result before you run, and compare the output with the original afterwards. The same app compresses PDFs, converts photos and audio, and opens archives on both iPhone and Mac.
How does MediaKit compare to HandBrake?
HandBrake goes deep on one job. MediaKit trades encoder depth for a shorter path and a wider set of tools.
Scope
MediaKit: More than 150 tools for video, audio, image, PDF, archive, and ebook files. Drop a file in and MediaKit suggests the tools that fit it.
HandBrake: A video and audio transcoder that goes deep on that one job.
HandBrake: A video and audio transcoder that goes deep on that one job.
Getting to a size limit
MediaKit: Compress to a quality preset, a target size, or a bitrate. Compress never overshoots a target size; it stops with an error instead. The size estimate shows before you run, and the result shows what you saved.
HandBrake: Full control over x264 and x265 settings, quality factors, and filters, for people who want to tune every pass.
HandBrake: Full control over x264 and x265 settings, quality factors, and filters, for people who want to tune every pass.
Platforms
MediaKit: iPhone and Mac, and one purchase covers both. There is no iPad, Windows, or Linux version.
HandBrake: Windows, Mac, and Linux. There is no iPhone version.
HandBrake: Windows, Mac, and Linux. There is no iPhone version.
Privacy
MediaKit: Every tool runs on your device, the app makes no network requests of its own, and there is no account. See the Privacy Manifest.
HandBrake: Local and open source, so also on-device.
HandBrake: Local and open source, so also on-device.
Who should pick MediaKit vs HandBrake?
Pick MediaKit if…
- You need a clip under a size limit and want to see the result size before you run
- You also compress PDFs, convert photos and audio, or open archives in the same week
- You want the same tools on your iPhone and your Mac
- You repeat the same steps and want them saved as a Recipe (with Pro), or run by a watched folder on your Mac
Stick with HandBrake if…
- You tune RF, B-frames, and reference frames by hand
- You batch-encode movie libraries for free, or script HandBrake's command-line version
- You work on Windows or Linux, or need WebM output
- You want a free, open-source tool you can inspect or extend
About MediaKit
Questions
FAQ
What is a good HandBrake alternative for Mac?
MediaKit suits people who want a video smaller or in another format without learning an encoder. You drop in a clip, choose Compress, and set a quality preset, a target size, or a bitrate. The tool screen estimates the output size before you run it, and the result shows the space you saved next to a side-by-side compare. MediaKit runs on Mac and iPhone, and every tool runs on your device.
Does MediaKit upload my files to a server?
No. Every tool runs on your iPhone or Mac, and the app makes no network requests of its own; only Apple's App Store handles purchases. There is no account, and the app has no analytics SDK. HandBrake also works locally, so on privacy the two are even.
Does MediaKit run on iPhone too?
Yes. MediaKit runs on iPhone (iOS 17 or later) and Mac (macOS 14.6 or later), and one purchase covers both. There is no iPad version. HandBrake runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux but not on iPhone, so MediaKit is the one to pick if you also compress clips on your phone.
Does MediaKit support the formats HandBrake handles?
For everyday work, mostly. MediaKit compresses, converts, trims, crops, resizes, and changes the frame rate of video, opens MKV files directly, and writes ProRes to .mov. It does not support WebM, and it doesn't expose encoder settings the way HandBrake does. MediaKit also covers audio, image, PDF, archive, and ebook files, which HandBrake doesn't handle.
What does MediaKit cost?
Five tools stay free for good, one file at a time, and Video Compress is one of them. Your first 3 days unlock every other tool for single-file runs with no payment. Pro adds every tool, batch processing, and unlimited exports for $3.99/month or $22.99/year, each starting with a 3-day free trial, or $39.99 once. HandBrake is free and open source.
Try it
Open MediaKit.
More than 150 tools in one iPhone and Mac app, and your files never leave the device. Video Compress is free for good.
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