XDA’s writer spent this month hunting for the right Blu-ray drive to rip a physical collection into Plex, and the piece landed with anyone rebuilding a media server around discs they actually own. The drive is one half of the job. The app that reads it is the other. Most readers already know MakeMKV as the default answer, and it still is for a lot of libraries, but the beta-forever license reminder, the slow pace of codec support, and the fact that it does no transcoding push a real number of people to shop around. We tested 7 MakeMKV alternatives on a Windows 11 tower with a Pioneer UHD drive, a Mac mini with an external Blu-ray reader, and a Linux workstation running libredrive-friendly firmware, then fed each app a stack of DVDs, standard Blu-rays, and UHD discs.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HandBrake | Transcoding rips into Plex-ready files | Yes, fully | Free | H.265 and AV1 presets tuned for Plex |
| DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper | All-in-one ripping and transcoding | Trial | About $70/yr | HDR10 and Dolby Vision pass-through |
| AnyDVD HD | Background disc decryption for other tools | Trial | About $99 one-time | Sits between the drive and every app |
| Leawo Blu-ray Ripper | UHD rips with disc menu preservation | Trial | About $45 one-time | Keeps chapters and menus intact |
| WinX DVD Ripper Platinum | Fast DVD-only ripping on Windows | Trial | About $50 one-time | Level-3 CSS and region-code bypass |
| Aiseesoft Blu-ray Ripper | HDR-aware transcoding to any format | Trial | About $50/yr | GPU-accelerated HEVC and AV1 |
| DVDFab Passkey | Drive-level decryption shim | Trial | About $45/yr | Runs invisibly for any player or ripper |
Why people look past MakeMKV
Threads on r/PleX, r/DataHoarder, and the AVS Forum keep circling the same complaints.
- The Blu-ray license has been in beta since 2010. The workaround is a monthly key refresh you paste into settings. It works, but it is friction, and the $60 one-time license price has not moved even as the exchange rate has.
- New AACS 2.1 revisions still land unevenly. UHD discs pressed in the last quarter sometimes need a firmware update on the drive and a beta build on the app before they open.
- There is no transcoding. Every rip lands as a lossless MKV somewhere between 20 GB and 90 GB, which means a second pass through HandBrake or FFmpeg before anything reaches Plex.
- The UI has not changed shape in a decade. Rip presets do not exist, subtitle handling requires reading the wiki, and the app crashes hard if the drive spins down mid-read.
- Development is one person. The pace matches that reality, and codec support (AV1, HEVC 12-bit, immersive audio pass-through in newer containers) lags what commercial tools ship.
None of that makes MakeMKV bad. It makes room for the tools below.
The alternatives
HandBrake, the transcoder every MakeMKV rip needs next
HandBrake is the free, open-source companion to MakeMKV. It cannot read a protected disc on its own, so the workflow is a two-step: MakeMKV writes a lossless MKV, HandBrake compresses it into something a Plex library can stream. The H.265 10-bit presets in version 1.9 target Plex hardware transcoding directly, the H.264 1080p preset covers older Blu-rays without fuss, and the queue chews through a full season of TV overnight on a modern CPU.
Where it falls short: it will not open a protected disc, which is the whole point of MakeMKV. Use them together, not instead.
Pricing:
- Free, open source (GPL).
- vs MakeMKV: free, but does not replace MakeMKV’s ripping stage.
Migrating from MakeMKV: you do not replace MakeMKV with HandBrake. Point HandBrake at the MKV files MakeMKV already produced and pick a preset. A mid-size 500-disc archive re-encodes in a few weeks of overnight batches on a Ryzen 9 or M2 Pro.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: HandBrake download
Bottom line: the free second half of the MakeMKV workflow. Almost every serious Plex archive runs both.
DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper, the all-in-one that does both jobs
DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper rolls MakeMKV’s disc cracking and HandBrake’s transcoding into one interface, and adds HDR10 and Dolby Vision pass-through for UHD sources. The device presets cover Plex-friendly H.265, direct-play profiles for Apple TV and NVIDIA Shield, and a “PS5-ready” MP4 profile that keeps HDR intact. AACS key updates ship inside the app on a fast schedule, so a new UHD release rarely blocks a rip for long.
Where it falls short: the pricing model leans hard on subscriptions with a “lifetime” upsell that is almost always on promotion. The installer is heavy, and the free trial watermarks output.
Pricing:
- Free trial with output limits.
- Paid: about $70/yr, with a lifetime option that is sales-led.
- vs MakeMKV: pricier annually, but removes the second HandBrake pass.
Migrating from MakeMKV: MakeMKV rips import as source files if you want to keep the archive layer; otherwise, DVDFab reads discs directly. Plan a weekend to build the preset library you want.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: DVDFab download
Bottom line: the pick when the two-step MakeMKV plus HandBrake dance stops being fun. HDR pass-through in one pass is the reason to pay.
AnyDVD HD, the background decryption layer
AnyDVD HD does not have a ripper UI in the usual sense. It runs as a background service that removes AACS, BD+, region codes, and RipGuard at the drive level, then presents any disc as an unprotected disc to whatever app you open next. That means MakeMKV, HandBrake, VLC, or a plain file-copy command all see the raw video and audio files as if the disc had no protection at all. For a workflow built around other tools, AnyDVD is the missing piece.
Where it falls short: Windows only, and the RedFox team ships smaller updates than DVDFab. UHD support requires a firmware-flashed drive from the compatibility list.
Pricing:
- Free trial (21 days).
- Paid: about $99 one-time (lifetime updates dropped years ago; renewal about $45/yr).
- vs MakeMKV: pricier upfront, but pairs with any app rather than replacing them.
Migrating from MakeMKV: install AnyDVD, keep MakeMKV, and the beta-key friction disappears because MakeMKV never sees the protection layer. Alternatively, use plain drag-and-drop from the mounted disc.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: AnyDVD HD download
Bottom line: the pick for Windows users who want to keep their existing ripping app but drop the AACS-key busywork.
Leawo Blu-ray Ripper, the menu-aware option
Leawo Blu-ray Ripper targets the archivist who cares about disc menus, chapter markers, and the extras track that MakeMKV would rather ignore. It reads standard Blu-rays and DVDs, handles most UHD discs with a compatible drive, and outputs to MP4, MKV, or a folder structure that keeps the original menu playable in players that support it. The interface is dated but the settings are laid out where you expect them.
Where it falls short: UHD support is thinner than DVDFab’s and the update cadence has slowed in 2026. Cinavia detection is not stripped, which matters for older Blu-rays that use it.
Pricing:
- Free trial with watermark.
- Paid: about $45 one-time for the Blu-ray-only module, about $99 for the full media suite.
- vs MakeMKV: cheaper one-time price and adds transcoding, but menu handling is the reason to buy.
Migrating from MakeMKV: point it at the discs directly. If you want to preserve the folder-based menu structure MakeMKV drops, re-rip in Leawo rather than converting.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: Leawo Blu-ray Ripper download
Bottom line: the pick when the extras and the menu matter as much as the main feature. Plex users can usually skip it.
WinX DVD Ripper Platinum, the fast DVD-only pick
WinX DVD Ripper Platinum exists for one use case: rip a DVD as fast as the drive will read it, with hardware acceleration on NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD GPUs and a preset library that covers every common target from Plex to iPhone. It bypasses Level-3 CSS, region codes, and Disney “structure protection” that trips up open-source rippers. A single-layer DVD comes off in about 5 minutes on a modern machine.
Where it falls short: no Blu-ray or UHD support. That is a hard limit, not a “coming soon.”
Pricing:
- Free trial (5-minute cap per rip).
- Paid: about $50 one-time.
- vs MakeMKV: cheaper if the collection is DVD-only, but MakeMKV covers more disc types.
Migrating from MakeMKV: import the source folder and it recognises the VOB structure. Rebuild the preset once and the batches are trivial.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: WinX DVD Ripper Platinum download
Bottom line: the pick for anyone whose collection is DVDs, not Blu-rays. The speed and preset library are the differentiators.
Aiseesoft Blu-ray Ripper, the HDR-aware transcoder
Aiseesoft Blu-ray Ripper competes directly with DVDFab on features and undercuts it on price. It rips DVDs, standard Blu-rays, and UHD Blu-rays (with a compatible drive), then transcodes to H.264, H.265, or AV1 with GPU acceleration on all three vendors. HDR10 and Dolby Vision pass-through are supported for MP4 and MKV output, and the preset library covers every current phone, tablet, and TV.
Where it falls short: the update cadence lags DVDFab by a few months on new AACS revisions, and macOS builds ship later than Windows.
Pricing:
- Free trial (3-minute output cap).
- Paid: about $50/yr, about $75 lifetime.
- vs MakeMKV: cheaper annually and includes transcoding, but disc compatibility on the newest UHD releases is behind DVDFab.
Migrating from MakeMKV: point it at the disc or at an existing MKV. Preset creation takes an hour; after that the workflow is import, pick preset, queue.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: Aiseesoft Blu-ray Ripper download
Bottom line: the pick for anyone who wants DVDFab’s feature set without DVDFab’s pricing pressure.
DVDFab Passkey, the drive-level shim for people who love their existing app
DVDFab Passkey is the DVDFab team’s answer to AnyDVD HD. It runs in the background, decrypts discs at the drive level, and hands unprotected files to whatever app opens the disc next. The DVD-only tier is free; Blu-ray decryption is the paid module. For a MakeMKV user who does not want to touch AACS keys ever again, Passkey plus MakeMKV works exactly the same as AnyDVD plus MakeMKV, at a lower annual price.
Where it falls short: the free tier is DVDs only, and the pricing model is subscription rather than one-time.
Pricing:
- Free for DVDs (Passkey Lite).
- Paid: about $45/yr for full Blu-ray and UHD.
- vs MakeMKV: complements it rather than replaces it; combined cost lands close to the paid MakeMKV license.
Migrating from MakeMKV: install Passkey, launch MakeMKV, and MakeMKV never has to check for its own key again. The Passkey status icon sits in the system tray.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: DVDFab Passkey download
Bottom line: the pick for the person who wants to keep MakeMKV forever but is done pasting monthly beta keys.
How to choose
Pick HandBrake if the goal is a Plex library that actually streams to a phone. Keep MakeMKV for the ripping step and let HandBrake do the compression pass, because that is the workflow every serious archive settles on eventually.
Pick DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper if the two-step workflow annoys you and HDR pass-through matters for UHD discs. The annual price stings, but the time saved on new releases is real.
Pick AnyDVD HD if you are on Windows, you like your existing ripper (MakeMKV, VLC, or a plain file copy), and the only thing you want to fix is the AACS-key busywork.
Pick Leawo Blu-ray Ripper if disc menus and extras are part of what you are archiving. Nobody else in this list preserves them as cleanly.
Pick WinX DVD Ripper Platinum if the collection is 100 percent DVDs. The speed and preset library are the payoff; the lack of Blu-ray support is the trade.
Pick Aiseesoft Blu-ray Ripper if DVDFab’s feature list is what you want but the price is not. Accept that new UHD releases occasionally need to wait for the next update.
Pick DVDFab Passkey if MakeMKV works fine for you and the only real complaint is the beta-key reminder. Passkey removes the reminder, MakeMKV keeps working, and the annual cost is close to a paid MakeMKV license.
Stay on MakeMKV if the current workflow already works, you have paid the license, and the collection is stable. The tool is still the reference implementation for lossless disc-to-MKV. Everything above is either a companion or a step around a specific friction point.
FAQ
What is the best free MakeMKV alternative?
HandBrake is the closest useful free tool, but it does not read protected discs, so it is a companion rather than a replacement. For a fully free workflow, keep MakeMKV in beta (refresh the monthly key) and add HandBrake for the transcoding pass.
Is DVDFab better than MakeMKV?
DVDFab is more featureful in one app: it rips, transcodes, and passes HDR through in a single pass. MakeMKV is stronger at pure lossless ripping and it costs less over five years. Pick DVDFab if you want an all-in-one; pick MakeMKV if you want the master file and do not mind a second tool for compression.
Do I need MakeMKV if I have HandBrake?
Yes, if you are ripping protected DVDs or Blu-rays. HandBrake refuses to read AACS-protected discs by design. MakeMKV (or AnyDVD, or DVDFab Passkey) does the disc cracking; HandBrake does the compression.
Can I rip UHD Blu-rays without MakeMKV?
Yes. DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper, Leawo Blu-ray Ripper, and Aiseesoft Blu-ray Ripper all read UHD discs if the drive is on the compatibility list (usually a Pioneer or Asus drive with libredrive-friendly firmware). AnyDVD HD supports UHD as a background layer for any app.
Is MakeMKV really free?
DVD ripping is free forever. Blu-ray and UHD ripping run in a permanent “beta” that is free as long as you refresh the key from the MakeMKV forum every 60 days. The one-time paid license (about $60) removes the refresh step and unlocks the same features.
What do people use with MakeMKV for Plex?
The common stack is MakeMKV to rip, HandBrake to transcode, and Plex or Jellyfin to serve. Some users add Bazarr for subtitles and tdarr to automate the HandBrake step across a NAS.
