The best Permute alternatives
Updated Jul 2026
Permute is a lovely, simple media converter for the Mac: drag in video, audio, or images, pick a format, and it converts them locally. The main reasons people look around are that it's Mac only, it's lighter on documents, and its format list is smaller than a general converter's. Here are the honest alternatives, on Mac and beyond. All of the desktop options keep your files on your machine, like Permute does.
Permute vs Morphjet at a glance
| Permute | Morphjet | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your files go | Stay on your device | Stay on your computer |
| Free tier | Paid app with a trial | No daily cap, no watermark |
| Pricing | one-time purchase, Mac only | One-time, launching this July |
| Setup | Mac only | Desktop app (Mac + Windows) |
The alternatives, ranked by need
1. Morphjet
On deviceBest for: Permute's simplicity, but broader and on Windows too
Strengths
- Video, audio, images, documents, RAW, and ebooks
- Runs locally, nothing uploaded
- Mac and Windows
- One-time purchase
Watch-outs
- A newer app rather than a long-established one
- Launching this July, waitlist for now
2. HandBrake
Best for: Deep, free video encoding on Mac or Windows
Strengths
- Powerful video control
- Free
- Runs locally
Watch-outs
- Video only
- Technical interface
- Nothing else
3. XnConvert
Best for: Offline batch image conversion across platforms
Strengths
- Fast image batches
- Runs locally
- Mac and Windows
Watch-outs
- Images only
- Utilitarian interface
- No video or audio
4. An online converter
Best for: A rare one-off on any device
Strengths
- Nothing to install
- Any platform
- Simple for a single file
Watch-outs
- Uploads your files
- Caps and watermarks
- Not private
How to choose
If you're on a Mac and mostly convert media, Permute is already a good fit; the question is whether you need more formats or Windows support. For deep video work, HandBrake goes further. For images at volume, XnConvert is fast. For one app across every format on both platforms, an on-device all-in-one converter covers the most ground. Save web tools for the rare non-sensitive one-off.
A note on privacy
The media you convert, home videos, voice memos, personal photos, is often private. Permute keeps it on your Mac, and the other desktop tools here do the same on your own computer. The moment you switch to an online converter, that file is uploaded to a server you don't control.
Morphjet converts 1,800+ formats on your own computer, with no upload and no account. Launching this July.
Questions
Is there a Permute alternative for Windows?
Yes. Permute is Mac only. An on-device app like Morphjet offers similar drag-and-drop simplicity on both Mac and Windows, and HandBrake covers video on Windows too.
What is the best Permute alternative with more formats?
An all-in-one on-device converter handles video, audio, images, documents, RAW, and ebooks, which is a wider range than Permute's media focus, while still converting locally.
Do Permute alternatives keep files on my computer?
The desktop ones do. Permute, HandBrake, XnConvert, and Morphjet all convert on your own machine, so nothing is uploaded. Online converters are the exception.