Convert MOV to MP4 Online for Free

MOV files are high-quality videos, but not every media program will play them. MP4 files offer universal accessibility and take up less storage space. There are several easy ways to convert MOV files to MP4 to provide broader access and smaller file sizes.

Below, we’ll discuss some of the easiest ways to do MOV-to-MP4 conversion. If you're looking for a free app or an online video converter, keep on reading.

Movavi offers an efficient application for converting MOV files to MP4 without loss of quality – Movavi Video Converter. The program uses SuperSpeed technology, which allows it to convert even large files in a matter of minutes. Apart from converting, the app also lets you edit your files the way you want: crop, rotate, and trim your videos, adjust the color parameters, change the video resolution and bitrate, or add subtitles. Movavi Video Converter supports more than 180 media formats and has over 200 presets for all popular devices, including iPhone, iPad, Android-based devices, Xbox, PlayStation, and many more.

Read our short guide below to learn how to transform MOV files to MP4 in just a few clicks with Movavi. Just download the program for your Windows PC or Mac and give it a try yourself.

You can use an online converter or a free MOV-to-MP4 converter to convert MOV files to MP4. There are a lot of options available. We’ve reviewed a few free desktop apps to help you choose the one that suits you best.

Best for: rapid, high-quality video conversion

OS: Windows, macOS

The first on our list of free desktop apps is Movavi Video Converter. This software enables you to convert video files in just a few clicks. The program allows batch conversion, so you can convert multiple files at once. Movavi Video Converter supports more than 180 formats and can convert videos, audio, and image files. If you have large MOV files, you can compress MOV to MP4 as well. You can change the width and height of your video, resolution, and frame rate. There’s also an option to choose the audio codec and bitrate type.

Here’s a simple explanation of how to convert videos with Movavi’s free MOV file converter.

Step 1. Download and install the program

Download the installation file for Windows or Mac from the converter’s main page. Launch the downloaded file and follow the installation instructions, then start the application.

Download Movavi Video Converter for Windows
Download Movavi Video Converter for Mac

Step 2. Add your files to the program

Click Add Media in the top-left corner of the program window and select Add Video. Next, find the files you want to convert, select them, and click Open. Alternatively, drag and drop your videos into the app.

Step 3. Set the target format

Open the Video tab and click MP4. From the list of presets that will appear on the screen, select the option you need.

Step 4. Adjust additional settings (optional)

Hit the Cogwheel icon at the bottom of the converter and adjust the video and audio parameters as needed. Then click OK.

Step 5. Save MOV as MP4

Click the Save to button and choose the folder for export. Next, hit Convert and wait until the conversion is complete.

Best for: converting for different platforms and mobile devices

OS: Windows

AVS Video Converter is a free-to-download video converter for Windows. This software lets you convert between 150+ formats for free. It also provides presets for mobile devices and different social platforms. Thanks to the hardware acceleration feature, the software allows for a fast conversion process. Compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP, AVS Video Converter is a versatile option for Windows users but not a good one for Mac users.

Here’s how to convert videos with AVS Video Converter:

Step 1. Install the program

Download and install the software from the AVS4YOU website. Go through the installation wizard and launch the app.

Step 2. Load your files into the converter

Click on Browse and select the files you want to convert.

Step 3. Customize the conversion parameters

In the Formats tab, you can select the appropriate file formats for conversion. The Devices tab will show you the presets for different mobile phones, tablets, and consoles. The Web tab will open a list of video hosting platforms.

Step 4. Select the output folder

Click the Browse button next to Output File Name to specify the output folder.

Step 5. Convert your files

Click Convert Now! to start the conversion process.

Download the free version of AVS Video Converter

Best for: converting files in the background while you do other things on your computer
OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

VLC is a media player, but it has a lot of functions, including file conversion. It can convert videos to some of the most popular formats, MP4 among them. The processing speed is not very high, so conversion might take quite a lot of time, especially if you’re converting a large file. But if you’re OK with this, you can make good use of VLC.

The program’s interface might seem a bit confusing to inexperienced users, so here’s a simple guide to help you use VLC to convert MOV to MP4.

Step 1. Install VLC on your computer

Go to the VLC website by clicking the link below and download the installation file. Go through the installation process and launch the app.

Go to the VLC website

Step 2. Upload your MOV video

Go to the upper-left corner of the program’s interface and click Media, then pick Convert / Save. Hit Add to upload the MOV files you want to convert and then click Convert / Save.

Step 3. Choose the output format

Open the drop-down list of formats in the Profile section and select Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4). If you want to use other video and audio codecs in the output file, click the Wrench icon next to the list of formats. Open the Video codec tab and select the appropriate option from the list in the Codec section. Here you can also change the bitrate and frame rate of your video. You will find the settings for audio in the Audio codec tab. Hit Save when you’ve set the necessary parameters.

Step 4. Convert the file

Click Browse and indicate the folder where you want to save the file. Then hit the Start button to convert MOV to MP4 with VLC.

Best for: converting files to be compatible with specific devices
OS: Windows

Freemake Video Converter lets you convert video and audio files between more than 500 formats. When converting, you can choose a certain output format or specify the device on which you’re going to watch the movie, and the app will convert the file to a compatible format. The program has some editing functions as well – it enables you to cut, merge, and rotate video clips. You can also use the converter to add subtitles to your video. Some of the functions are only available with a paid subscription to an upgraded version of the app. The conversion speed in the free version is not particularly high, so converting large files might take quite a while. Also, mind that in the free version, output videos will have a watermark on them.

Here’s how to change MOV to MP with Freemake Video Converter.

Step 1. Install and launch the app

To install the Freemake MOV-to-MP4 converter, download the installation file from the page linked below and launch it. Follow the instructions that will appear on the screen and then open the app.

The Freemake Video Converter website

Step 2. Upload your video to the program

Hit the +Video button and choose the MOV file you want to convert, then click Open.

Step 3. Edit your file (optional)

Hit the Scissors icon to open the editing window. Use the editing tools to cut and rotate your video. Click OK when you’ve made the necessary changes.

Step 4. Set the export parameters

Now select the output format – click to MP4 in the lower part of the program window. To adjust additional settings, click the Cogwheel icon. Here you can select the video and audio codecs that will be used in the converted video as well as the resolution and bitrate of your video. When everything’s ready, click OK.

Step 5. Convert your file to MP4

In the Save to field, indicate the folder where you want to export the output video. Hit the Convert button and then pick Continue with logo to convert your file for free.

Best for: converting videos from cloud storage

OS: Web-based

This online MOV-to-MP4 converter supports more than 200 formats, MOV and MP4 among them. You can upload a file for conversion from your computer. Alternatively, you can upload a video from your Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. You can use CloudConvert to convert MOV to MP4 online even over 500 MB – the maximum size of uploaded files is 1 GB. Before you start the conversion, you can adjust various settings. For example, you can select the audio codec and change the audio volume. CloudConvert also lets you customize the resolution of the output video. If you want to convert a fragment from your video, you can use the trimming option.

CloudConvert allows up to 25 free conversions per day. For more conversions, you’ll need to buy additional conversion minutes either in a form of a package or a monthly subscription.

Here’s how to convert MOV to MP4 with CloudConvert.

Step 1. Open the converter’s website

Click the link below to go to the CloudConvert website.

Go to CloudConvert

Step 2. Add your file

Hit the Select File button, pick your MOV video for conversion, and click Open.

Step 3. Set the export parameters

Click the Wrench icon and adjust the settings of the output video. Hit Okay.

Step 4. Transfer MOV to MP4

Hit the Convert button, wait until the conversion is done, and click Download to save the file on your computer.

Best for: converting video files without changing any of the parameters

OS: Web-based

Zamzar is another tool that can help you convert MOV to MP4 for free online. The service supports the most popular video formats, and can also convert other types of media: audio, images, and documents. As for video conversion, Zamzar lets you convert files up to 50 MB for free. This online MOV-to-MP4 converter doesn’t offer any options for adjusting the parameters of your output video. But if you simply need to change MOV to MP4, Zamzar will be helpful. To convert videos larger than 50 MB, you’ll need to subscribe to one of the paid plans offered by the service. The conversion speed will be 5 times higher than in the free version.

To convert MOV to MP4 online with Zamzar, follow these simple steps.

Step 1. Open the converter

Open the converter by clicking the link below.

Go to the converter's website

Step 2. Upload your MOV video

Click the Add Files button and select the MOV video you want to convert. Alternatively, you can drag and drop your file into the converter’s page or click select link and insert the URL of your video.

Step 3. Start the conversion and save the file

Hit Convert Now. Once your file is converted, click Download.

Best for: converting MOV files while adjusting video and audio quality

OS: Web-based

With Online Video Converter, you can convert .mov files to all popular video and audio formats. Apart from changing the format, you can also change the video resolution and audio bitrate of your file. If you want to convert a fragment from your video, you can specify the timecodes for the start and the end of this fragment, and the converter will trim your video accordingly. Mind that the file size for the free conversion is limited. To convert large files, you’ll need to sign up for a paid plan.

Follow the steps below to convert QuickTime (.mov) to MP4 with Online Video Converter.

Step 1. Visit the website

Click the link below to open the Online Video Converter page.

Go to the Online Video Converter page

Step 2. Upload your MOV file

Click Add Your Media to find and select the MOV file you want to convert. If you want to upload a video from Dropbox or Google Drive, click the arrow next to Add Your Media and select the suitable option.

Step 3. Adjust the export parameters (optional)

Click the Cogwheel icon. Choose the desired value from the Video resolution drop-down list. To change the audio bitrate, open the list of bitrates under Audio quality and select the option you need.

Step 4. Do the online MOV-to-MP4 conversion

Hit the Convert button. After the file has been uploaded and converted, you’ll be able to download the new file to your computer.

Best for: editing videos while converting them to MP4s

OS: Web-based

Freeconvert is a useful tool that can help you convert MOV to MP4 online (over 100 MB). It also enables you to adjust additional settings for your output video. You can choose the video codec, resolution, aspect ratio, and frame rate. Freeconvert lets you rotate and flip your video as well. There’s even an option to add subtitles to your video file. Apart from that, you can adjust the audio parameters, including the audio codec, bitrate, and volume. You can add fade-in and fade-out effects if you wish or remove the audio track from your video. Keep in mind that the free version has some limitations, for example, the file size is limited to 1 GB, and there are ads on the converter’s webpage.

This is how to change the format of your video from MOV to MP4 with Freeconvert.

Step 1. Open Freeconvert’s website

Click the link below to open Freeconvert.

Go to Freeconvert

Step 2. Add your MOV file

Click Choose Files, select the video you want to convert to MP4, and click Open. You can also add your file from your device, Dropbox, Google Drive, or URL. Click the arrow on the right of the Choose Files button and select the option you need.

Step 3. Adjust the settings (optional)

Click the Cogwheel icon and adjust the video and audio settings as needed. Then click Apply Settings.

Step 4. Convert the file

Hit Convert To MP4. Once the conversion is done, click Download MP4.

Online conversion is a convenient way to change the format of your videos since you don't have to install any software on your computer. Almost all online conversion tools support MOV and MP4, so you have a wide range of converters to choose from. Many online converters offer additional options, like adjusting the video and audio parameters, rotating and trimming your file, or adding subtitles.

However, online services have certain limitations. In most cases, the size of the uploaded file is limited in the free version. Sometimes, the number of conversions per day is limited as well. The speed of conversion is not as fast as in desktop converters. Another drawback is that some converter websites contain a lot of ads.

So, online conversion tools are the best choice if you have only one small file to convert. If you have large files for conversion, consider using desktop apps.

Free desktop apps normally don’t impose any limitations on the size of the uploaded file and can process relatively large video files. Desktop converters also provide additional options, like changing the bitrate and resolution of your video. So, in some cases, it’s worth spending some time to download and install software on your computer.

The drawback of free apps is that they can’t boast a very high conversion speed and processing large files might take a lot of time. And free converters include only basic editing features. To sum up, free desktop apps may come in handy when you want to convert relatively small files, or you want to convert large files and you’re ready to wait as much as needed until the conversion is done.

So, you have a wide choice of online and desktop MOV-to-MP4 converters that are free. But if you want to have a fast converter with a lot of editing functions, it’s better to take a look at a paid alternative, like Movavi Video Converter.

1. Movavi Video Converter – full video conversion package
2. AVS Video Converter – converting using presets
3. VLC – playing and ripping media
4. Freemake Video Converter – best for converting 4K videos
5. CloudConvert – best for users who want to create GIFs online
6. Zamzar – best for small file sizes
7. Online Video Converter – fast online video conversion
8. FreeConvert – easy-to-use interface

Which format to choose: MOV or MP4? Let’s compare these formats to see the difference between them. First, it should be noted that .mov is an extension of the QuickTime format. This is why it makes more sense to discuss the comparison between QuickTime File Format and MP4. Another important factor is that MP4 as a format was created based on the QuickTime group of formats, so they have a lot in common. The most significant difference between QuickTime and MP4 is that the first was developed by Apple and is mostly used by Apple devices, from phones and tablets to computers, and MP4 was developed by the International Organization for Standardization, so the format is more universal, and it’s supported by almost any device manufacturer, including Apple.