HandBrake vs VLC Media Player:Which is searched more?

Name: HandBrake vs VLC Media Player: Which is searched more?
Creator: Brandwave
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In September 2026, VLC Media Player had more branded searches than HandBrake among video conversion software worldwide. VLC Media Player had about 1.2 million branded searches, while HandBrake had 450,000. VLC Media Player made up 45.5% of all video conversion software searches we track, and HandBrake accounted for 16.8%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.

Share of searches among video conversion software worldwide in September 2026Is HandBrake or VLC Media Player more popular in search?

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Is HandBrake or VLC Media Player more popular in search?

Compare the tools used to convert video files. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

HandBrake and VLC Media Player among video conversion software worldwide, by month

Month	VLC Media Player	Compressor	HandBrake	FFmpeg	Shutter Encoder	Adobe Media Encoder	Permute
Oct 2025	50.9%	18.7%	15.3%	12.5%	1.7%	0.92%	0.01%
Nov 2025	45.8%	20.6%	16.9%	13.8%	1.9%	1%	0.01%
Dec 2025	50.7%	18.6%	15.2%	12.5%	2%	0.92%	<0.01%
Jan 2026	52.5%	15.8%	15.8%	12.9%	2.1%	0.95%	<0.01%
Feb 2026	53.8%	16.1%	16.1%	10.8%	2.2%	0.97%	<0.01%
Mar 2026	50.5%	15.2%	18.5%	12.4%	2.5%	0.91%	<0.01%
Apr 2026	48.9%	17.9%	17.9%	12%	2.4%	0.72%	<0.01%
May 2026	50.6%	18.6%	15.2%	12.4%	2.5%	0.75%	0.01%
Jun 2026	45.4%	20.5%	16.8%	13.7%	2.8%	0.83%	0.01%
Jul 2026	47.3%	17.4%	17.4%	14.3%	2.9%	0.7%	0.01%
Aug 2026	47.3%	17.4%	17.4%	14.3%	2.9%	0.7%	<0.01%
Sep 2026	45.5%	20.5%	16.8%	13.7%	2.8%	0.68%	<0.01%

How has the HandBrake and VLC Media Player comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings

VLC Media Player was ahead of HandBrake in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, HandBrake’s share of searches among video conversion software worldwide moved from 15.3% to 16.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 450K.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, VLC Media Player’s share of searches among video conversion software worldwide moved from 50.9% to 45.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.5M to 1.2M.

How did search popularity change for video conversion software worldwide in September 2026?

2 changes

In September 2026, VLC Media Player lost share of searches among video conversion software worldwide, from 47.3% to 45.5%.
In September 2026, HandBrake lost share of searches among video conversion software worldwide, from 17.4% to 16.8%.

How are branded searches counted?

2 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using HandBrake’s and VLC Media Player’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.