Everything Bitrate does
Drop in audio, pick a format, and get files back with their tags and artwork intact. No Homebrew, no command line.
Every format you actually use
Convert to the seven formats people actually send and ask for, lossless or compressed, in one drag.
- Drop files on the window or the Dock icon, or use Open With in Finder
- A whole selection goes into one queue
- Output lands next to the original, or in a folder you choose
- ALAC
- FLAC
- WAV
- MP3
- AAC
- OGG Vorbis
- Opus
Seven output formats, powered by the copy of FFmpeg 8.1 built into the app.
Eleven presets, grouped by format
Pick a preset from the format menu, from MP3 V0 to 24-bit WAV. Bitrate remembers your choice between launches, along with your output folder and clean-up setting.
Not sure which to pick? AAC 256 is a good default for Apple devices; FLAC or ALAC keep every bit of the original.
Tags and artwork come along
Titles, artists, albums and the rest of your tags are copied by default, written as ID3v2.3 for MP3 so older players can read them. Embedded cover art is kept when you convert to MP3, AAC or ALAC.
- Nothing to switch on: tags are copied automatically
- Each queued file shows its source, such as “FLAC · 44.1 kHz · stereo”
- Artist
- Example Artist
- Album
- Night Drive
- Track
- 3 of 10
- Artist
- Example Artist
- Album
- Night Drive
- Track
- 3 of 10
A queue that keeps going
Drop in one file or a whole album. Every file gets its own progress bar and percentage, and long recordings like audiobooks are no problem.
- Batch conversion
- Parallel mode, if you want it
- Cancel any file
- Retry failed files
- Never overwrites a file
- Show in Finder
Files convert one at a time by default, to spare your disk. Parallel mode runs up to half your CPU cores at once and can be switched on mid-queue. A cancelled file leaves no half-written output behind.
Optional clean-up for old recordings
Take the clicks and background hiss out of tape transfers, vinyl rips and voice memos while you convert. Choose Light, Medium or Strong. It stays off unless you turn it on.
- Removes clicks and pops
- Reduces broadband hiss
- Uses FFmpeg’s declick and denoise filters
The small things that add up
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Nothing else to install
Built for Apple silicon, with its own copy of FFmpeg inside. No Homebrew, no Terminal, no PATH to set up.
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Your originals are safe
If a file with the same name already exists, Bitrate adds -1, -2 and so on. It never writes over a source file.
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Output where you want it
Save next to the original file by default, or send everything to one folder you choose.
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Errors you can read
When a file fails, a popover shows FFmpeg’s own error details. Retry Failed tries again; Clear Finished tidies up.
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Collects nothing
No analytics, no telemetry, no account. Bitrate reads the files you give it and writes the results. Nothing leaves your Mac.
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Signed and notarized
Developer ID signed and notarized by Apple. The whole app, FFmpeg included, is about 51 MB.
Planned Loudness normalization is being considered for a future version.
Coming from NCH Switch?
Bitrate covers the everyday conversions Switch is used for, natively on Apple silicon. There’s nothing to import and no settings to carry over: drop your files in and pick the format you used before.
Bitrate converts audio files. It doesn’t edit, record or rip CDs.
- Drop your files onto the Bitrate window, or its Dock icon.
- Pick a preset such as MP3 320 kbps or AAC 256 kbps.
- Find the results next to the originals, tags and artwork included.
Same formats you’re used to: MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, OGG, ALAC and Opus.
NCH Switch is a trademark of its respective owner. Bitrate is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NCH Software.
Built on FFmpeg
Bitrate includes FFmpeg 8.1, licensed under the GNU General Public License. The license texts and the source code offer are on the licenses page.
Try Bitrate in the beta
Leave your email and we’ll send you a download link as soon as there’s a beta build for you to try.
Needs macOS 14 or later on a Mac with Apple silicon. About 51 MB. Pricing will be announced at launch.