Choosing the right audio converter is fundamental to preserving audio quality. The best audio converter software can help you get your audio conversions flowing from supported file formats to editing capabilities.
In this guide, I ranked and reviewed the 17 best audio converter software, along with my top 3 recommendations, so that you may choose the best one for your needs.
WonderFox
It lets you downmix channels, adjust audio bitrates, and convert online videos to audio formats.
Windows
Audials Music
Convert 40+ audio formats at great speeds, download Spotify songs, and edit the metadata of your output file.
Windows
MediaHuman Audio Converter
Convert from multiple audio formats and automatically fill in the file’s metadata with the built-in tag editor.
Windows & Mac
When it comes to audio, our standards should be high.
Many people use their phones as the primary source of music. But they also use their ears as the primary instrument for listening to music.
I’ve worked for 9 years as a sound engineer in a major dubbing studio in Portugal. I trained my years to find the most subtle details in any audio coming from my speakers.
With this in mind, I found some really neat audio converters on the web. There are many online audio converters, but I’m here to share the best ones with you.
What Are The Best Audio Converter Apps?
Below, I share the best audio converter software.
1. WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory
Free HD Video Converter Factory by WonderFox is one of the best audio converters for Windows. It converts audio formats and can also convert video files to over 500 presets of optimized video and audio file formats.
Besides converting audio files, like WAV to MP3, or FLAC to MP3, you can extract audio from videos and compress your audio files. This software also lets you edit and adjust the audio file parameters such as bit rate, sample rate, and more.
You can optimize your audio conversion based on the device you will use to play that audio file, making it a no-brainer for those who’re not tech-savvy.
What’s more, this video conversion tool lets you even convert YouTube videos to your chosen format just by pasting the video URL.
Key features
- Supports MP3, AC3, AAC, DTS, EAC-3, WMA, OGG, M4R, M4A, M4B, AU, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, and others, including ringtone format compatible with mobile device (Android and iOS).
- You can downmix channels, apply audio normalization, and adjust audio bit rates.
- No time limit and no watermark on the output audio file.
- Convert HD videos and audio files.
- Extracts audio from video files.
- Downloads videos from over 500 online video platforms, like YouTube.
- Includes some video editing features.
- Optimizes output files for a wide range of devices.
Price
The Free HD Video Converter Factory by WonderFox is totally free. However, for extended features such as batch conversion, 50x speed conversions, and more, they offer a Pro Edition ($29.95) and DVD & Video Edition ($39.95).
2. Audials Music
Audials Music converter is on top of this list because of its admirable features.
Besides being a good audio converter software, it lets you download and convert music directly from Spotify and other streaming services.
Not all audio converters record audio, songs, audiobooks, albums, and playlists from streaming services. This makes Audials Music an excellent choice for those who want to quickly (and legally) convert audio from their favorite streaming services.
Unfortunately, there’s no Mac version, as it’s only available for Windows.
Key features
- Labels and adds metadata to tracks during conversion.
- Records songs 15x faster than regular playback.
- Convert audiobooks at 10x speed.
- Converts 41 audio files to 10 audio file formats.
Price
Audials Music is not the cheapest audio converter, as they charge a one-time fee of $38.37. Plus, they even charge for upgrades.
However, if you’re constantly in need of converting lots of files and especially if you need batch conversion to speed up your workflow, it’s worth the investment. Also, there can be a bit of a learning curve as features abound.
3. MediaHuman Audio Converter
MediaHuman Audio Converter is a free and impressive audio converter tool for Windows and Mac. It can convert music from almost any audio file format to another format.
What’s great about this trusted audio converter software is that it is elementary to use and has a simple interface. All you need to do is drag and drop a desired song to the processing list and click the “Convert” button.
MediaHuman Audio Converter uses the latest audio codecs versions, allowing you to encode high bitrate files. This program also has a built-in tags editor. It saves time by automatically filling them based on file name and folder structure (artist’s name, album title).
Key features
- Supports MP3, WAV, FLAC, WMA, AAC, OGG, AIFF, Apple Lossless format, and many more.
- Allows you to export to iTunes/Music.app.
- Supports batch conversion.
- Extracts audio channels from videos.
- Splits lossless tracks by CUE sheet.
- Retains ID3 tags and fetches the cover art image from the internet in case it is missing.
- Supports lossless formats.
Price
MediaHuman Audio Converter is entirely free of cost.
4. Stellar Audio Converter
Stellar Audio Converter is a simple, easy-to-use audio converter software that does the job.
Although not so comprehensive as Audials Music in terms of features, its intuitive interface makes the conversion process a breeze.
Its built-in video editor is one feature that distinguishes it from other audio converters on this list. This comes in handy if you intend to convert audio and add it to a video.
Stellar Audio Converter can convert MP4 to MP3, and you can even use the software to create GIFs.
Not having as many audio editing capabilities as other converters is its drawback. And if you’re looking to convert audio from Spotify or other streaming services, you should look elsewhere.
Key features
- Supports audio file formats such as MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV, AC3, ACC, AIFF, MP2, M4A, M4B, MKA, M4R, APE, OGM, FLAC, AU, and OGG.
- Convert many different video formats to audio.
- Has a built-in video editor.
- You can edit the audio file metadata information.
- Add and replace an audio track in a single video.
- Supports batch conversion.
Price
Stellar Audio Converter has a free version that lets you convert one-third of the audio or video file. This is only for evaluating the software.
If you want to purchase Stellar Audio Converter, it costs $24.99, and it works on Windows and Mac. They also offer free technical support 24/5.
5. Xilisoft Audio Converter
Xilisoft Audio Converter is one of the simplest audio converter software you can find on this list. It’s a great tool to convert a file into different formats simultaneously or add audio effects.
It’s also a great option if you intend to only convert a segment of an audio file or extract a selected portion of a video’s audio track.
While there are some editing tools in Xilisoft Audio Converter, you won’t find them as abundant as in more functional software like Stellar.
Audio Input Formats: MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, CDA, OGG, FLAC, APE, CUE, M4A, RA, RAM, MP2, AC3, AIFF, AU, MPA, SUN AU Format.
Audio Output Formats: MP3, AAC, AC3, AIFF, APE, AU, FLAC, M4A, MP2, OGG, WAV, RA, WMA, WAV lossless, WMA lossless.
Key features
- Extract audio channels from multiple video formats,
- Supports batch conversion.
- The multi-core CPU processing and multithreading allow for high-speed conversions.
- Convert the same file to different formats simultaneously.
- Split files by time length or file size.
- The built-in bit rate calculator lets you convert an audio file to a specific size.
- Edit ID3 tags, and adjust the audio file output parameters.
- Basic audio effects include fade-in, fade-out, volume normalization, band-pass filter, flanger, chorus, echo, and speed.
Price
For $29.95, you can get a license or Xilisoft Audio Converter that includes free customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
6. Switch Audio Converter
Switch Audio File Converter is a free software that, while not feature-rich, lets you batch-convert audio files quickly and effectively.
It’s compatible with 55 different audio formats that can be converted to 25 audio formats. Besides the wide range of format compatibility, it can also extract the audio channels from video files and DVDs.
Switch Audio Converter automatically normalizes the audio, which is a good option if you’re converting older files from cassettes or vinyl.
Key features
- Supports over 75 audio formats.
- Extracts audio files from the most popular video formats like AVI, MOV, and MPEG.
- Imports and converts playlists.
- Supports batch conversion.
- You can right-click the file from the Finder window to start the conversion.
- Possibility to apply equalization and dynamic range compression.
Price
Switch Audio Converter offers a free version that does not expire for non-commercial use. If you decide to go with the commercial license, they charge $60 for it. However, there’s a discount applicable at the moment of this writing, dropping the price to $29.99.
7. Freemake Audio Converter
Freemake Free Audio Converter is one of the best free audio converter software available only for Windows machines to convert the most popular audio formats and extract audio from video files.
What’s more, this software can even upload your files to iTunes and cloud storage platforms like Dropbox or Google Drive.
A remarkable feature of this free audio converter is its ability to join, merge, and convert multiple audio files with different formats in one single file.
Key features
- Supports over 50 audio formats.
- Extract audio from video files (currently supports over 500 video formats).
- Batch converting allows for encoding multiple audio files to the same format.
- Adjust audio parameters such as bit rate, sample rate, file size, and channels (including 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound).
Price
Freemake Free Audio Converter is entirely free of cost.
8. Audacity
Audacity is a well-known free and open-source multi-track audio editor comparable to some DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation). Although not intended for music production, you can edit audio files and apply effects as you would on professional DAWs.
It works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
With Audacity, you can record live audio, import, export, edit, and combine audio files, and apply a load of effects through plugins.
There are only two handfuls of audio formats available when it comes to audio conversion, but it’s enough for most people.
Key features
- Applies high-quality sampling and dithering when converting files.
- Exports audio files in multiple file formats, including multiple files at once.
- Includes a spectrogram that can help you deal with annoying frequencies, which you can correct with equalization.
- Edit and mix large numbers of tracks.
Price
Since Audacity is open-source, it’s completely free to use.
9. AIMP
AIMP is a free audio player for Windows and Android with powerful features and a built-in audio converter.
As one of the best free audio converters on this list, it has a flexible UI where you can add sound effects to your audio files, organize your music library, create smart playlists based on filters, and much more.
Key features
- It reads and plays almost all audio formats available.
- You can convert audio files to MP3. APE, FLAC, OGG, OPUS, WAV, WMA, WMA Pro, MusePack, and WavPack formats.
- Import audio information from CDs.
- You can apply peak-based normalization to your audio files.
- Edit audio tags such as ID3v1, ID3v2, APE, Vorbis, WMA, M4A.
- It can calculate the BPM (Beats Per Minute) of each track.
- You can schedule your tasks.
Price
AIMP is completely free to use.
10. Zamzar
Zamzar is a cloud-based online converter that supports audio and video files, documents, images, and other types of files.
You can use Zamzar to convert a wide range of formats to multiple formats. Besides supporting different types of conversions, you can also compress your MP3 or WAV files to reduce their size.
Because it’s a free online audio converter, the conversion process can sometimes be slow. But you can always choose to receive a link via email with your converted file ready to download.
Audio input formats: MP3, AAC, 3Ga, AC3, AIFC, AIFF, APE, AMR, CAF, FLAC, M4A, M4B, M4R, OGA, OGG, MIDI, RA, RAM, WAV, and WMA.
Audio Output Formats: MP3, ACC, AC3, FLAC, WAV, M4A, M4R, OGG, and WMA.
Key features
- Support over 1,200 file formats.
- No registration is necessary.
- Allows for multiple conversions simultaneously.
- Includes online storage.
Price
While you can convert audio files for free with Zamzar, there’s a 2 files per day cap limitation with a size limit of 50MB.
To remove these limitations, you can purchase one of its plans:
- Basic ($9/mo). Unlimited website conversions per day with a maximum file size of 200MB.
- Pro ($16/mo). Unlimited conversions up to 400MB per file.
- Business ($25). Unlimited conversions up to 2GB per file size.
11. FileZigZag
FileZigZag is another free online converter that offers a Chrome extension to simplify users’ life. Like Zamzar, you can convert different formats, including audio, image, video, ebooks, and archives.
All uploaded files are stored in their servers for a period no longer than 24 hours, after which they’re deleted.
Key features
- Industry-leading CPUs for fast audio conversion.
- Supports over 180 file formats and performs over 3150 different types of conversions.
- There’s no need to register or install any software.
- Includes a conversion API that lets you integrate FileZigZag into your applications.
Price
FileZigZag is completely free to use. There’s a limit of 10 files per day for unregistered users with up to 50MB per file size. You only need to register with your email address to increase these limitations.
12. Hamster Free Audio Converter
Hamster Free Audio Converter is a freeware audio converter for Windows with a minimal interface. Besides supporting batch downloading for multiple file conversions, you can also merge multiple audio files into a single file.
A cool feature of Hamster Free Audio Converter is that it helps you choose a format to convert to by selecting the device you want to use. This comes in handy if you don’t know what audio formats your device can read. For example, instead of choosing an audio format, you can select the actual device, like Apple, Nokia, Microsoft, Apple, and many others.
Key features
- Easy to use.
- Supports conversion in bulk.
- It shows you the audio formats based on your chosen device.
- Merge multiple files into one.
Price
Hamster Free Audio Converter is a free software that runs only on Windows machines.
13. VLC
VLC is a free and open-source cross-platform media player that plays most video and audio formats, including DVDs, CDs, and different streaming protocols.
Most people don’t know that it also lets you convert files. VLC reads many formats and can convert them to major audio file types, including MPEG Audio, WAV, MP3, AAC, AC3, Vorbis, FLAC, Speex, and WMA. It also includes the ability to change the sample rate and bit rate of the output file.
With VLC, you can also rip CDs and extract audio from videos. However, this conversion feature is not in plain sight. You might want to check some tutorials to better take advantage of this open-source tool.
Key features
- It reads several different formats.
- Rips audio from CDs.
- Extracts audio from video files.
Price
VLC is free and open-source software available for Windows, Mac, and Linux machines.
14. VSDC Free Audio Converter
VSDC Free Audio Converter is a Windows-only audio converter software with an intuitive interface.
It’s not as feature-rich as many other converters on this list. Still, it supports the most common audio file formats such as MP3, WMA, ASF, M3U, MOV, M4A, RM, RA, OGG, AMR, VOC, AU, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, OMA, and more.
A cool feature of this free software (that others lack) is that it lets you download and convert audio from online URLs.
Key features
- Supports most popular audio formats.
- Downloads audio files from the internet.
- Extracts the entire audio channels from video files or just a part of it.
- Includes a built-in audio editing tool that lets you delete a fragment of an audio file.
15. Fre:ac
Fre:ac is a free and cross-platform software that enables its users to convert audio files from various formats.
It supports MP3, M4A, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, AAC, WAV, Bonk, Apple Lossless, Opus, Speex, and Monkey’s Audio (APE).
Fre:ac outperforms other tools in its ability to rip CDs and convert them to MP3 or M4A. It can also convert whole music libraries and retain the folder and filename structure.
Key features
- Supports only a handful but the most popular audio formats.
- In-built CD ripper.
- You can edit ID3 tags of the audio files.
- Multi-core processing increases conversion speeds.
- You can take the application in a USB pen and use it on other computers.
- Available in 43 languages.
Price
Fre:ac is entirely free of cost and open-source software.
16. Helium Converter
Helium Converter is a free audio converter available exclusively for Windows computers.
It’s simple to use, and its interface is excellent for people with little to no knowledge of audio converters.
However, it only covers a handful of the most popular audio formats such as FLAC, WAV, MP3, WMA, MPC, Ogg Vorbis, and even MPA.
This free software’s most advanced feature allows users to batch convert between multiple files.
Key features
- Easy to use.
- Lightweight application.
- Supports batch conversion.
- Comes in different languages.
Price
Helium Audio Convert is totally free.
17. FFmpeg
FFmpeg is a free, open-source, and cross-platform solution that’s not for the faint-hearted in technical knowledge.
This free multimedia framework is capable of decoding, encoding, transcoding, converting, mux, demux, streaming, filtering, and playing pretty much anything that has been created so far.
If you’ve got some developer skills and enthusiasm, then FFmpeg might help you develop some tasks other tools can’t. However, if you’re just an amateur with no coding abilities, I’d recommend you stay away from FFmpeg, as it might give you some headaches.
Key features
- Converts multimedia between different formats with the command line.
- It allows users to customize conversions with much flexibility.
- Best for users who are comfortable with shell scripting.
Price
FFmpeg is totally free of any cost.
Conclusion
Audio converter software is a great way to enhance your audio experience. With the help of these apps, you can convert a video or a whole disc collection of your favorite songs into a new format. Then you can enjoy your audio files on devices that support those formats.
As long as you are looking for a set of quality apps that can help you convert audio files, any of these options should help get the job done.
A few of them may even offer additional features that you wouldn’t expect from a basic audio converter, like converting YouTube videos to MP3. Just keep in mind that some are Windows only, and make sure you check the specifications before downloading.
Overall, I’ve seen so many text-based reviews on audio converter software, and I wasn’t happy with the list of compared apps. Therefore, I decided to make this more comprehensive list of the best audio converter software and added some best paid apps based on my experience.
If there’s an audio converter you use that’s not mentioned in this article, let me know in the comments below.
You might also like:
Avdshare Audio Converter also can convert between audio formats, convert video to audio format.
Hi. You can use a free online tool to convert WAV to MP3 https://freetools.site/audio-converters/wav-to-mp3
Hi Simon,
I appreciate your comment. It’s certainly a useful tool for those who, unlike myself, don’t use a DAW for file conversion.