HandBrake is free, open source, and since version 1.11 it exports ProRes and DNxHR — for pure transcoding with fine control it is excellent and costs nothing. Grabbit is worth paying for when you also need to get the video in the first place, want ProRes without configuring a codec, or need audio and image conversions HandBrake does not do. Many editors keep both.
Comparison pages usually exist to make the competitor look bad. This one won't, because HandBrake genuinely is a great piece of software and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. What follows is where each tool actually wins, so you can decide whether Grabbit adds anything to a workflow HandBrake already handles.
HandBrake 1.11 added ProRes and DNxHR encoders plus MOV container output. Before that release, "convert to ProRes with HandBrake" simply was not possible, and a lot of advice online still assumes the old behaviour. If ProRes export is all you need and you are comfortable with encoder settings, HandBrake now does it for free.
| Capability | Grabbit | HandBrake 1.11+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free downloads · Converter is Pro ($8.99/mo) | Free forever, open source |
| Download video from a URL | ✓ Yes — Downloads module | ✗ Local files only |
| ProRes export | ✓ ProRes 422 HQ, one click | ✓ Since 1.11, several variants |
| DNxHR export | ✓ DNxHR HQ | ✓ Since 1.11 |
| Encoder control (bitrate, filters, profiles) | ✗ Fixed presets | ✓ Extensive |
| Audio-only export (MP3) | ✓ Yes | ✗ No audio-only output |
| Image conversion (HEIC, WebP → JPG) | ✓ Yes | ✗ Video only |
| Subtitle burn-in and chapters | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Transcript extraction (.txt) | ✓ Yes, from YouTube | ✗ No |
| Batch processing | ✓ Downloads and conversions | ✓ Queue |
| Runs locally, no upload | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| File size limit | ✓ None | ✓ None |
| Platforms | ✗ Windows only | ✓ Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Learning curve | ✓ Pick a format, convert | ~ Many settings to understand |
If your video is already on your drive and what you need is control over how it gets encoded, HandBrake is hard to beat — and it is free, which matters.
The differences are not about which transcodes "better" — under the hood both drive FFmpeg. They are about what surrounds the transcode.
These are not really rivals. HandBrake is a transcoder with deep controls and no price tag; Grabbit is a downloader with a simple converter attached. If everything you touch is already on your drive and you enjoy dialling in encoder settings, HandBrake covers you completely and you do not need Grabbit.
Where Grabbit earns its place is the step before the transcode — pulling the video off a platform — and in the small conversions HandBrake leaves out. Plenty of editors install both and reach for whichever one fits the task.
Yes, since version 1.11 released in March 2026, which added ProRes and DNxHR encoders along with MOV output. Older guides saying HandBrake cannot do ProRes were correct at the time but are now out of date.
No. HandBrake only opens files that are already on your computer. Downloading and transcoding are separate jobs, and HandBrake does the second one only. Grabbit includes both as separate modules — Downloads for URLs, Converter for local files.
No. HandBrake always produces a video container and has no audio-only output — a limitation that has been open in its issue tracker for years. To get a standalone MP3 you need another tool.
At the same settings, neither — both use FFmpeg encoders underneath, so a ProRes 422 HQ file from either is effectively identical. HandBrake can go further because it lets you adjust more parameters; Grabbit fixes sensible defaults so there is nothing to get wrong.
Yes, from handbrake.fr, its official site. It is open source under the GPL and widely audited. Be careful with mirror sites — in 2017 a compromised mirror distributed malware to Mac users, which is a good reason to only download from the official domain.
Only if you need what HandBrake does not do: saving video from a URL, extracting an MP3, converting HEIC or WebP images, or pulling a transcript. For transcoding files you already have, HandBrake is sufficient and free.
Windows 10/11 · Free plan for downloads · Converter requires Pro — $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr