Ripping Blu-rays is an important task for many reasons. Most people want to back up movie collections due to the potential possibility of physical disk loss or damage. Another important reason is that you can’t watch those movies on other devices if you do not have that particular Blu-ray player.
However, most of the time, this ripping procedure is problematic due to copy protection, compatible formats, and slow ripping speed. The best Blu-ray rippers can assist in overcoming these issues. Next in this guide are some top rippers that make tasks easier, faster, and handier so that you can enjoy your Blu-ray movies easily.
VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper – Remove Protections of Blu-ray
VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper can be considered a premium option for Blu-ray ripping. It proved to be one of the best Blu-ray rippers for Mac and Windows users. This Blu-ray DVD ripper software can handle all copy protections, including APS, CSS, ARccOS, CPRM, AACS, BD+, and Cinavia. As for video quality, it rips videos in original quality up to 4k resolution, along with keeping subtitles and audio tracks. All these mean that you can experience authentic Blu-ray playback at home even if you don’t have a dedicated Blu-ray player.Â
We tested with popular output formats like MP4, MOV, and MKV and unpopular formats like AAC for flexible use on most demanded devices, and it was the same as advertised to support multiple output formats. What surprises us is that the great 6x ripping speed really accelerates the process. With an intuitive interface, everyone can use it without problems.Â
Above all, VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper is powerful and efficient for both Mac and Windows users who value high-quality output and have to handle a large number of Blu-rays.
Pros:
- Supports 300+ output formats including MP4, MOV, MKV.
- Removes all copy protections and region codes.
- 6X faster ripping speed.
- Preserves all subtitles and audio tracks.
- Maintains original video quality.
Cons:
- Offer a limited free trial.
MakeMKV – Rip Some Encrypted Blu-rays to MKV
MakeMKV is considered one of the best Blu-ray ripper software options for preserving the original quality of your Blu-ray discs. Our testing shows that MakeMKV does a pretty good job of ripping Blu-rays with lossless quality. It retains uncompressed audio and video and is fully capable of ripping Blu-ray, which is protected with AACS and BD+ accordingly. However, it cannot decrypt newer copy protections easily, and it rips at a standard speed without GPU acceleration.
It’s a great option for those who only rip a few Blu-ray discs and are more concerned with the best quality output. However, it has the disadvantage of resulting in big-sized files since it only rips into MKV format at sizes that range from 20GB to 50 GB. For larger collections, we recommend using VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper, which allows for more flexible format choices, including compression features that make for reasonable file sizes.
Pros:
- Easy to use with comprehensive features.
- Handles AACS and BD+ copy protections effectively.
- Preserves original quality and retains chapters and audio tracks.
Cons:
- Only outputs in MKV format, resulting in large file sizes.
- Cannot decrypt region-protected discs.
- Does not retain subtitles.
CloneBD – Handle 3D Blu-rays
CloneBDÂ is a professional Blu-ray disc ripper, especially supporting 3D Blu-ray, which can convert your 3D Blu-ray discs to MKV with advanced compression standards like H.265/HEVC. Such an option is best for the preservation of 3D movie immersion along with efficient file size management. However, it cannot handle protected Blu-rays.
Unlike VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper which can handle both Blu-ray and DVD discs, CloneBD rips Blu-ray discs only. Naturally, its performance for Blu-ray formats, even 3D Blu-ray, is great. However, it cannot handle protected Blu-rays. Also, CloneBD offers fewer output formats, primarily MKV, MP4, and AVI, compared to VideoByte’s extensive selection of over 300 formats with device-specific recommendations. If you use CloneBD, you need to ensure your output format is compatible with your playback device.Â
Be aware that some features of the CloneBD free version put noticeable watermarks in the output file, such as rip at MKV or MP4 format, especially if permanent subtitles are involved. To remove these watermarks and access the full range of features, purchasing the paid version is necessary.
Pros:
- Supports popular file types, including MKV, MP4, and AVI.
- Handles 3D Blu-rays with H.265/HEVC compression.
Cons:
- The full version requires the purchase.
- Cannot handle encrypted Blu-rays.
- Limited output formats compared to competitors.
- The free version adds visible watermarks.
Final Words
This article explored the three best Blu-ray rippers: VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper, MakeMKV, and CloneBD. As one of the best 4k Blu-ray rippers, VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper stands out for its robust protection removal and versatility, handling all copy protections and offering over 300 formats with fast ripping speeds. It’s the best choice for those needing comprehensive functionality.
On the other hand, MakeMKV excels in preserving high-quality MKV files but results in larger sizes and is better suited for handling fewer disc ripping needs. CloneBD is ideal for 3D Blu-ray enthusiasts with its advanced compression, but it supports fewer formats and cannot handle protected Blu-rays. Depending on your specific needs, VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper offers the most balanced and high-quality solution.