Parallel Media Encoder Parallel Media Encoder
EditReady Alternative

A smarter alternative to EditReady

Parallel Media Encoder offers transparent hardware-aware scheduling, custom presets with LUT baking, a full CLI with REST API, and full H.265 output control — choose 8-bit or 10-bit, 4:2:0 or 4:2:2 regardless of your source. Starting free. Pro is $39, one-time.

Download Free See how it works

Requires macOS 14.5 or later. Apple Silicon required.

Parallel Media Encoder
$39
one-time · Pro
Free tier available
EditReady
$49
standard
Pro: $149

Feature-by-feature comparison

An honest look at how Parallel Media Encoder and EditReady compare.

Feature PME EditReady
Parallel Encoding
2–10 simultaneous, hardware-aware
Up to ~8, internal scheduling
H.265 Output Control
8-bit/10-bit, 4:2:0/4:2:2 — you choose
Pass-through only (matches input)
Custom Presets
Save, export, import, bake LUTs
Built-in only
Metadata Pass-through
Yes
No
CLI Tool
Full CLI (7 commands)
Headless CLI
REST API / Service Mode
Yes (Pro)
No
Watch Folders
Yes (Pro, $39)
Yes (Pro, $149)
macOS Shortcuts
Yes
No
Camera RAW Support
BRAW, R3D, ProRes RAW
BRAW, R3D, ProRes RAW + ARRI, Canon, Codex, Nikon, Phantom
Insta360 Support
Yes
No
Video Rotation
Yes
No
Price (Standard)
Free
$49
Price (Pro)
$39
$149

Where PME wins

Key advantages over EditReady for professional workflows.

Price

$39 one-time vs $49/$149. Free tier encodes ProRes and H.265 with no limits.

Transparent Scheduling

PME detects your chip, shows how many encode slots you have, and lets you see exactly what's happening. No guesswork.

Automation Depth

Full CLI with transcode, probe, inspect, service, and watch commands. REST API with SSE for pipeline integration. macOS Shortcuts support.

Custom Presets + LUT Baking

Save, export, and import custom presets. Bake a 3D LUT directly into a preset — unique to PME among transcoders.

Transcode video in three steps

1

Import your media

Drag files or folders into Parallel Media Encoder. It reads all the same formats EditReady supports — ProRes, H.264, H.265, MXF, and camera RAW — plus Insta360 footage.

Overview of Parallel Media Encoder with imported media files
2

Choose your output

Pick your codec, quality mode, and resolution — or save custom presets with embedded 3D LUTs for one-click workflows. Something EditReady's built-in-only presets can't do.

Encoding settings with codec and preset selection
3

Encode in parallel

PME detects your Apple Silicon chip and shows exactly how many hardware encode slots you have. No guesswork — you see what's happening and why.

Encode queue showing multiple files transcoding to ProRes in parallel

Features EditReady doesn't have

Capabilities unique to Parallel Media Encoder.

H.265 output control

Choose 8-bit or 10-bit, 4:2:0 or 4:2:2 — independent of your source. EditReady only passes through whatever the input uses.

Metadata pass-through

Preserves timecode, camera data, and reel names in output.

Insta360 support

Metadata preservation for 360° workflows.

Video rotation

90°, 180°, 270° rotation during transcode.

REST API with SSE

Service mode for pipeline integration with real-time progress events.

macOS Shortcuts

Automate transcoding from Shortcuts app.

Every codec you need

Everything EditReady outputs — plus full control over H.265 bit depth and chroma subsampling, independent of your source format.

Apple ProRes

Full ProRes family from Proxy to 4444 XQ. The industry standard for editing and finishing.

Free

H.265 / HEVC

Main, Main10, and Main10 4:2:2 profiles. Hardware-accelerated on Apple Silicon for fast delivery encodes.

Free 4:2:2 Pro

DNxHR / DNxHD

All DNxHR variants (LB through 444) and DNxHD for Avid Media Composer workflows.

Pro

Quality modes: Automatic, Manual Bitrate, VBR 1-Pass, and VBR 2-Pass. See all encoding options.

Transparent parallel encoding

Both apps encode in parallel. The difference: PME shows you exactly what your chip supports and how many slots are active. No guesswork.

MacBook Neo / M1–M5 Base
Up to 2 simultaneous encodes
M1–M5 Pro
Up to 4 simultaneous encodes
M1–M5 Max
Up to 8 simultaneous encodes
M1–M3 Ultra
Up to 10 simultaneous encodes
Real benchmark — M4 Max
8 files · 60s each · 4K to H.265
Sequential — one at a time 0s
197s
Parallel — 8 simultaneous 0s
119s
39%
faster
with parallel encoding

Learn how parallel encoding works →

Metadata EditReady skips

Parallel Media Encoder passes through source timecode, camera settings, reel names, and production metadata to your output files. EditReady does not.

  • Timecode pass-through — source timecode preserved in output
  • Camera metadata — model, lens, exposure, and recording details
  • Folder structure — recreate source directory layout in output
  • "Transcoded By" field — always know which files have been converted
Metadata viewer showing file details in Parallel Media Encoder

EditReady alternative FAQ

Is Parallel Media Encoder really free?
Yes. The free version includes H.264, H.265, and full ProRes encoding with no watermarks or time limits. You can queue up to 8 files and encode 2 simultaneously. Upgrade to Pro ($39, one-time) for full chip-tier parallel encoding, DNx output, camera RAW, custom presets, watch folders, and CLI tools.
How does PME compare to EditReady Pro?
EditReady Pro costs $149 and adds camera RAW support and watch folders. PME Pro is $39 and includes parallel encoding, camera RAW (BRAW, R3D, ProRes RAW), watch folders, custom presets with LUT baking, a full CLI, REST API, and macOS Shortcuts. EditReady Pro currently supports more RAW formats (ARRI, Canon, Codex, Nikon, Phantom) that PME does not yet have.
Does EditReady support more formats?
Currently yes — EditReady supports ARRI RAW, Canon RAW (.crm), Codex HDE, Nikon RAW, and Phantom CineRAW in addition to the formats both apps share. PME supports Blackmagic RAW, RED R3D, and ProRes RAW. PME is actively adding more RAW format support.
Can I switch from EditReady easily?
Yes. Parallel Media Encoder reads all the same standard formats (MXF, MOV, MP4, ProRes, H.264, H.265) and outputs to the same codecs (ProRes, H.265, DNxHR). Download the free version, try it with your files, and upgrade to Pro when you're ready.
Does PME support Apple Silicon?
Yes, exclusively. PME is built from the ground up for Apple Silicon and uses hardware media engines for both encoding and decoding. It supports M1 through M5 and MacBook Neo chips.
Does PME have watch folders?
Yes. PME Pro ($39) includes watch folders that auto-transcode new files as they arrive. EditReady requires the $149 Pro tier for watch folders. PME also adds CLI-based watch commands (pme watch) for scripted folder monitoring.

Related features

MXF to ProRes

Convert Sony and Canon MXF files to ProRes, H.265, or DNxHR with metadata preservation.

Learn more

BRAW & R3D to ProRes

Convert Blackmagic RAW and RED R3D files to ProRes or H.265 with RAW exposure control.

Learn more

Watch Folders

Auto-transcode new files as they arrive. Network share support with Keychain credentials.

Learn more

Try it free — switch in minutes

Download Parallel Media Encoder and start encoding. Free for ProRes and H.265. Pro is $39, one-time.

Download Free

Requires macOS 14.5 or later. Apple Silicon required.

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