The simple ffWorks alternative for Mac
ffWorks gives you 450 FFmpeg options. Picmal gives you one window. Drop in your files, pick a format, and go. No codec knowledge needed, and it works for images, video, audio, and PDFs.
$29 once, updates included. No account, no subscription, works offline. Need 2, 5 or 10 Macs?
ffWorks is a professional FFmpeg frontend: 450 encoding options, 60 video filters, VMAF quality metrics. Picmal ($29, paid once) skips the configuration and handles images, video, audio, and PDFs in one window, no codec knowledge needed.
- Pick Picmal if
- You want to drag in files and get a result without configuring codecs, and you also work with images, RAW files, and PDFs.
- Pick ffWorks if
- You need full FFmpeg control: CRF tuning, VMAF, custom filter chains, professional 4K/8K workflows.
Picmal vs ffWorks at a glance
ffWorks is a professional FFmpeg GUI with hundreds of options. Picmal is a simpler app that covers more file types: images, video, audio, and PDFs in one window, no codec knowledge needed.
| Feature | Picmal | ffWorks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29 one-time | €22 (~$24) one-time |
| Primary purpose | Convert, compress & edit | Professional FFmpeg GUI |
| Privacy | 100% offline | 100% offline |
| Interface complexity | Single window, minimal options | 450 options, 60 filters |
| Image conversion | Yes. 20+ formats | No |
| Video conversion | Yes. Common formats | Yes. Full FFmpeg support |
| Audio conversion | Yes. MP3, WAV, FLAC, and more | Yes. Full FFmpeg support |
| Compression | Images, video, audio & PDF ("never bigger") | Via encoding settings |
| PDF tools | Compress, combine, images→PDF, PDF→PNG | No |
| RAW decode | Yes. CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, and more | No |
| Video filters | Basic | 60 filters (color, crop, overlay) |
| Quality metrics | No | Yes. VMAF, PSNR, SSIM |
| Hardware acceleration | Yes | Yes. VideoToolbox |
| Metadata removal | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcuts integration | Yes | No |
| Folder monitoring | Yes | Drop zones |
| Finder right-click | Yes | No |
| macOS | 15+ | 10.13+ |
What people are
saying about Picmal
"It's a Mac-assed Mac App. Focused, customizable, flexible, well designed and super fast. 10+ times a day I need to convert a file for use on a website. Picmal makes that process a joy. My favorite conversion is taking a multipage PDF and converting each page to an individual image with one click (something even Preview can't do)."
"Wonderfully simple app! I struggled with converting my images from one format to another constantly with online free tools. Picmal makes it effortless. Worth the money to avoid the hassle for sure!"
"I use Picmal to convert images. It works perfectly. I can just leave the Picmal window open on my desktop. Whenever I want to convert an image, I drag the file onto the window and click “convert”—and seconds later, the converted file is in the appropriate folder with the suffix “converted.” It couldn’t be easier or more hassle-free!"
"Working on a presentation and had to convert and resize a lot of images. Picmal did them all in a flash."
"I feel Picmal is one of the apps that I would categorize as essential. There are many features that distinguish the app from other web converters such as Folder Watching and Clipboard Optimization."
"Clean and easy to use. Perfect for quickly converting images without unnecessary extras."
"Everything works as expected - great app!"
"You did a great job here! I like how easy Picmal is to use, and the frequent upgrades show that you are very committed to improving this beautiful software."
"I f* love this app. Just so you know. Keep building!"
"I like the interface. I like the batch processing. I like the fact in the I can set default conversions. I like your program a lot."
"I like the quality of the image processing. It also supports all the important image files. But it still needs some work regarding both the UI and the UX design of it."
"I love how Picmal's made compressing videos a frictionless, easy and straightforward."
"It's simple to use and does everything I need it to do. Hell, it does much more than I need and the developer keeps adding features :)"
"I love the app! I use it 4-5 days a week for audio and image conversion as I tag and add missing album artwork to my library of 70,000 songs. After that is done, I would like to try it out with my Blu-ray collection on Plex. I truly appreciate the hard work that goes into creating and frequently updating an app such as this. All the best!"
"The program is very simple and practical, and its options are clear."
"Thoughtful, polished, and constantly improving. Alberto genuinely listens to feedback, and it shows in Picmal. Easy 5 stars."
"Picmal is simple and fast but also integrates complex workloads if needed."
"Picmal is complete. The quality is good, and it does exactly what I need."
"Easy to use, automation & batch processing. AVIF & Webp support"
"keep up the great work! Very cool tool you've built here."
"Simple and powerful is a combination that is hard to get right. Picmal nails it! I find image presets particularly useful. Set it up and then just drag and drop to resize and convert."
"Me ha sosprendido la compresion que realiza el programa y si apreciar la calidad."
"The easy going workflow"
"I just sent a few samples through to check everything, and I am very pleased with the results. Everything worked correctly and above all it was easy and not unduly complicated."
Pay once and you're all set
Already own Picmal? Add more Macs
How many Macs?
2 Macs is $10 more
-
Convert, compress and edit images, video, audio and PDFs
-
Everything runs on your Mac, nothing gets uploaded
-
Use it on 1 Mac
-
Command line tool, Raycast extension and watched folders
-
Free updates forever, no subscription
14-day refund after you buy, no questions asked. Needs macOS 15 or later.
More than 10 Macs? Email me.
How does the license work?
You pay once and keep it. No renewals, no subscriptions. Your license activates on the number of Macs you bought it for, and you can move it to another Mac whenever you want. Prices are in USD, tax is added at checkout, and you pay through Stripe.
I bought Picmal and now I need more Macs. Can I upgrade?
Yes, and you only pay the difference. Going from 1 Mac to 2 is $10, 2 to 5 is $50, 5 to 10 is $60, and every other jump works the same way. Enter your license key here and the same key covers more Macs. The offer never expires, so starting small is never the wrong call.
What happens if I get a new Mac?
Open Picmal on your old Mac, go to Picmal → Register license to deactivate, then activate on the new one. Takes about ten seconds.
Do you offer student or country discounts?
Yes. I want Picmal to be affordable wherever you are. Students and educators get 40% off: verify your school email on the education page and the code lands in your inbox. If the price is steep for your country, checkout already adjusts it for you. If it still doesn't work, email support@picmal.app and tell me where you are, and I'll send a code.
Frequently asked questions
Can't find what you're looking for? Email support@picmal.app
Is Picmal a good ffWorks alternative?
If you want something that just works without configuring codecs, yes. Picmal converts, compresses, and handles images, video, audio, and PDFs in one window. ffWorks gives you 450 FFmpeg options. If you actually need that control, it's the right tool.
Does Picmal have the same video options as ffWorks?
No, and that's the point. ffWorks hands you 450 FFmpeg options and 60 video filters. Picmal picks sensible defaults so you don't have to. Drag in your files, pick a format, done.
Can Picmal convert images and PDFs? Can ffWorks?
Picmal converts 20+ image formats (HEIC, JPG, PNG, WebP, and more), decodes RAW files, and has PDF tools: compress, combine, images to PDF, PDF to PNG. ffWorks does video and audio only, no images, no PDFs.
Does Picmal support 4K/8K video like ffWorks?
Picmal handles high-resolution video, but ffWorks gives you granular CRF tuning, VMAF quality metrics, and filter chains for professional 4K/8K work. If that's what you need, ffWorks is the better fit.
Why choose Picmal over ffWorks?
Pick Picmal if you want one app for images, video, audio, and PDFs with a clean interface. Pick ffWorks if you need FFmpeg's full power for video encoding. They don't really compete. It depends what you're making.
What if Picmal doesn't work for me?
Full refund within 14 days, no questions asked. Email support@picmal.app.