Converters - Good Tools #21

40+ (mostly free) tools to convert files, audio and video clips, documents, images and more into other useful formats at zero cost.

Welcome to a new edition of Good Tools.

The focus of this issue is on file conversion tools and utilities. There’s a ton of them out there, but it’s not easy to tell easily which are the good and truly free ones, from the rest.

That’s where I have spent my time.

Searching to identify new and little-known tools that I didn’t know already about. Checking their effective functionality and verifying their free plans and trials.

As always, during my research I have bumped into many new useful tools, while some of the best from the past have either gone bad or too commercial. The good thing is that I have been able to find a bunch of old free staples that are still good to use and a fast-growing group of new kids-on-the-block offering more than I could hope for.

P.S.: I write this newsletter to help indie entrepreneurs like me find alternative, free or quasi-free tools that can help them save time and money.

I have been searching and reviewing tools for communication professionals for over 20 years.

• I do this because I enjoy searching, verifying and organizing.

• I create lasting information resources that can be useful to others.

• Please consider supporting this work (like, recommend, subscribe).

• I’d love to keep on searching.

Thank you for supporting me in doing what I love.

from Holbox island
Robin Good

The focus of this issue is on Conversion Tools (40+ free or quasi-free tools and paid/commercial ones with generous free plans).

Specifically:

1. General Conversion Tools (9)

2. Video Converters (9)

3. Audio Converters (6)

4. Image Converters (4)

5. Text-to-Voice (TTS) Converters (4)

6. PDF Converters (2)

7. RSS Feed Converters (4)

8. eBook Converters (3)

9. Special Converters (2)

File Format Converters

1) General Conversion Tools

.

• Online Converter
  Web-based video, audio, image, ebook, document and unit converters.
  Max file size accepted: 200MB
  100% Free
  .

• Picsart Converter

  Web-based suite of conversion tools for documents, audio, video, images and text files. No registration required.

  100% Free
  .

• DigitalOfficePro Converter
  Web-based suite of conversion tools for documents, images, audio, video and more. Over 200 formats supported. No limits. No registration required.
  100% Free
  .

• Convert
  Format converter for images and eBooks in bulk.
  Free for up to 100 conversions / day. Max file size: 200MB
  .

• ConvertFiles
  Converts docs, eBooks, vector, images, audio, video, archives & presentations.
  Free - ad supported.
  .

• FreeConvert
  Converts videos, images, audio, documents, archives and eBooks file formats.
  Free. Ad-supported. Max file size: 1GB
  .

• CloudConvert 

  200 formats supported. Audio, video, docs, ebook, archive, image, vector, spreadsheet, CAD, font and presentation formats. No registration required.

  Free version. Up to 25 conversions/day.
  .

• Convertio
  Audio, video, image, ebook, archive, font and presentation converters.
  300 file formats supported.
  Free plan. Max file size: 100MB 
  .

• Convert.io
  Audio, video, image, document, ebook, font and archive converters.
  Chrome extension. Ad-supported. No registration required.
  Free for up to 5 file conversions daily. Max file size: 500MB

2) Video Converters

.

• VLC
  Media player, converter and transcoder. Supports just about any audio or video file format. Cross-platform open-source downloadable software (Mac, PC, Linux). No registration.
  100% free 

  .

• HandBrake
  Converter-transcoder for audio and video files. Supports .MP4, .MKV, WebMAV1, H.265, H.264, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, VP8 and VP9. Cross-platform open-source downloadable software (Mac, PC, Linux). No registration.
  100% free
   .

• Movavi Online Video Converter
  Web-based video formats converter. Supports MKV, MP4, WMV, WebM, VOB, TS, SWF, OGV, MTS, MOV, M4V and many more.
  100% Free
  .

• Miro Video Converter
  Downloadable software app. Converts among different video formats and resolutions. Presets for many types of devices and screen sizes. 

  100% Free 

  .

• EZGif 

  Web app. Video to Animated GIF converter. Max file size 200MB.
  100% Free

  .

• GIFMaker
  Web app. Converts videos to animated GIFs. Video uploads max 15”. Max 100MB.
  100% Free

  .

• EZGif
  Web-based MP4 video to animated GIF converter. Fine controls on conversion method, duration, size and frame rate. Max file size: 200MB.
  100% Free

  .

• Droptogif by mortenjust
  Downloadable Mac app. Converts videos to GIF.
  100% Free

  .

• Clipgrab
  Cross-platform downloadable software. Allows you to download and convert videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and many other online video sites. Converts to MP3, WebM, OGG Theora, OGG VOrbis, WMV, MP4, MP3.
  100% Free

3) Audio Converters

.

• Audacity

  Cross-platform open-source downloadable audio recording and editing software for Windows, Linux and Mac. Converts most audio file formats. 

  100% Free
  .

• Sodaphonic Format Flipper
  Convert audio/video files to MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, WMA, MOV, MP4
  Control quality from 96Kbps to 320Kbps. Google Drive add-on.
  100% Free. Ad-supported. Unlimited conversions. Max file size 2GB.

  .

• Handbrake
  Converter-transcoder for audio and video files. Supports AAC / HE-AAC, MP3, FLAC, AC3, E-AC3, Opus, Vorbis, AAC. Cross-platform open-source downloadable software (Mac, PC, Linux). No registration.
  100% Free

  .

• Headliner
  Generate video clips from podcast audio. Transcription. 1080p. 50 GB storage.
  100% free plan: 5 videos/month - Pro from $7.99/mo
  .

• Vokal
  Convert audio to video clips. Transcription. Add logo. Subtitles. 1080p.
  Paid: from $15/mo for 20 min of video/mo
  .

• GoodListen
  Generate clips, highlights, chapters and transcriptions from podcasts.
  Free plan: 1hr of audio/month - Pro from $15/mo for 7hr

4) Image Converters

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• Edit Photo
  Web-based image editor. Converts among JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF formats.
  100% Free
  .

• SVG Converter
  Web-based converter. From any image to vector SVG with 6 possible different styles. Quite useful.  

  100% Free

  .

• Movavi Online Image Converter
  Web-based converter. Supports: JPG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, GIF.
  100% Free

  .

• TinyWOW Tools

  Web-based suite of image converters supporting many unique formats including: HEIC, WebP, AVIF, APNG, PSD, TIFF, AI, EPS, and many more.
  100% Free

5) Convert Text To Voice

.

• ElevenLabs Text to Speech
  Generate speech in 32 languages using thousands of unique voices.
  Free plan - 10k characters/mo (~10 mins audio)
  .

• TTS Maker
  Convert text to speech with multiple voices, multiple languages.
  100% free - up to 1000 characters per conversion.
  .

• Woord
  Convert text to speech. No character limits. Hundreds of voices.
  Full 7-day trial (requires credit card) - Pro from $9.99/mo
  .

• Natural TTS
  Multiple voices, 6 languages, upload .txt, .mp3 file download.
  Free plan - up to 5,000 characters

6) Convert to PDF

.

• Docs.Zone
  Web suite of utilities converting to and from PDF. Formats supported: Word, Excel, images and more.
  100% Free 
  .

• Convert - Web to PDF
  Web app converts any web page to PDF.
  100% Free 

7) Convert to RSS

.

• RSS Feed ASAP
  Convert YouTube, Spotify, iTunes Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Google News, SoundCloud, Reddit, Blog, Github or any website into a RSS feed.
  100% Free
  .

• Kill the Newsletter
  Create a RSS feed that includes all the newsletters you subscribe to by using a special email address.
  100% Free
  .

• FeedFlipper
  From iTunes podcasts to RSS feed
  .

• RSS Feed
  Web app converts any website or social media channel into a RSS feed.
  Free to try (2 feeds max - 5 posts / feed max). Pro from $9.99/mo (15 feeds).

8) eBook Converters

.

• dotEPUB
  Web app converts any webpage into an ebook - ePub / MOBI formats.
  Converter app. Browsers bookmarklet. Browser extensions. Widget. API.
  100% Free
  .

• PubCoder
  Downloadable software for Mac and Windows.
  30-day free trial. (Pro $99/year)
  .

• MagicEPUB
  Web app converts from PDF to “Fixed Layout EPUB® 3” and KDF8.
  Free to try.
   

9) Special Converters

.

• Wirify
  Convert any webpage into a wireframe (the essential blocks and elements of a page). Web app.
  100% Free

  

.

• Legacybox
  Conversion service. From analog to digital media. Convert video and audio tapes into digital files.
  Paid.

N.B.: If you have found errors or inaccuracies in any of the tools reported, please let me know through the comments or by replying to this email.

If you know of tools and apps that would fit this collection but which I did not include, please do let me know.

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What Would You Like Me To Research in the Next Issue?

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Thank you.

from Holbox island (MX)
Robin Good