Pick a video
Choose a local file. MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, WebM, FLV, and WMV are supported.
BetaSimple video compression for Windows
Shrink videos to fit, without learning FFmpeg
FastCompress turns a too-big video into a file that fits Discord, email, YouTube, or an archive limit. No watermark, no upload, no account.
FastCompress is a dead-simple native Windows compressor. Pick where the video is going, check the plan, and compress. Presets speak plain English, target sizes are editable, and everything runs locally through FFmpeg. No watermark, no account, no uploads.
raid-night_highlights.mp4212.4 MB
DiscordEmail SafeYouTube UploadArchiveBalanced
Target size10 MB
Done212.4 MB → 9.8 MB · saved 95%
How it works
Pick a video, pick a destination, compress
FastCompress exists for the annoying moment when a video is too large to send. No bitrate math, no codec settings, no command line required: the preset already knows what the destination needs.
Pick a destination
Presets are named after where the video is going: Discord, Email Safe, YouTube Upload, Archive, or a plain quality level.
Check the plan
A plan summary shows the selected file, output path, and target size before anything encodes. Unrealistic targets get a warning up front.
Compress
FFmpeg runs locally with a progress bar and cancel. The result summary shows original size, output size, and percent saved.
Features
One job: make the file small enough
FastCompress is a compressor, not an editor. There is no trimming, no timeline, and no cloud. It takes a video that is too big and gives you one that fits.
Plain-English presets
Smaller File, Balanced, and High Quality cover the size and quality tradeoff without bitrate math.
Platform presets
Discord, Email Safe, YouTube Upload, and Archive encode for the place the video is actually going.
Target-size planning
Discord and Email Safe presets plan toward a size cap, with an editable target MB field when you need a different number.
Plan before you encode
See the file details, output path, and target size before compression starts. No surprises at the end.
Clear results
Every run ends with original size, output size, and percent saved, so you know it worked before you send the file.
No watermark, no account
The free version puts nothing on your video and never asks you to sign in.
Resolution presets
1080p, 720p, and 480p at 30 fps when downscaling is the right way to shrink the file.
CLI mode
Every preset is scriptable from the command line for quick automation.
Local-first
Your video never leaves your machine
No uploads. No cloud services. No account. No watermark.
Online compressors make you upload the file, wait in a queue, and trust a server with your footage. FastCompress runs FFmpeg on your own hardware, so a private video stays private and a big file does not need to crawl through your upload bandwidth twice.
A compressor, not an editor
There is no trimming, editing, or format conversion workflow. If the clip needs cutting first, cut it in the tool you already use, then let FastCompress make it fit.
Beta
FastCompress is built in Rust as a native Windows app. The source is currently private; public beta builds are hosted on GitHub Releases.
Compare
Where FastCompress fits
Online compressors want your upload. HandBrake and FFmpeg want your attention. FastCompress just wants the file to fit.
FastCompress is a good fit if you want
- A video under the Discord or email size cap today
- Compression without uploading the file anywhere
- Presets named after destinations, not codecs
- An editable target size when the cap is unusual
- A clear before-and-after result summary
- No watermark and no account, ever
HandBrake or FFmpeg is still better if you need
- Full control over codecs, filters, and containers
- Batch pipelines and complex automation today
- HEVC, AV1, and advanced encoder tuning
- Subtitle, chapter, and audio track handling
- Cross-platform support
- Deep video engineering workflows
Pricing
Compression stays free. Pro unlocks workflow.
The planned model keeps the core job free forever: one video at a time, every preset, editable target sizes, and no watermark. A one-time FastCompress Pro license adds the workflow features heavy users want.
There are no cloud costs behind FastCompress, so there is no subscription and no credit meter. Pay once or do not pay at all.
Final pricing will be announced when FastCompress leaves beta.
Free (planned)
- One video at a time
- All platform, quality, and resolution presets
- Editable target MB for size-capped presets
- No watermark, no account
- CLI mode
FastCompress Pro (planned)
- One-time license, yours for good
- Batch compression, queue, and folder watch
- Saved and custom presets
- GPU fast mode (NVENC, QSV, AMF)
- Parallel processing and export reports
Facts
FastCompress facts
A quick reference for the essentials.
| Product | FastCompress |
|---|---|
| Developer | Calvin Sturm (Sturm Technologies LLC) |
| Category | Video compressor |
| Platform | Windows 10 and later, 64-bit |
| Status | Beta, public builds on GitHub Releases |
| Input formats | MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, WebM, FLV, WMV |
| Output | H.264 video compressed toward the selected preset or target size |
| Presets | Smaller File, Balanced, High Quality, Discord, Email Safe, YouTube Upload, Archive, 1080p/720p/480p 30 fps |
| Processing | 100% local through FFmpeg: no uploads, no cloud, no account |
| Technology | Rust, native Windows GUI, FFmpeg |
| Best for | Getting a video under a size limit without learning compression |
| Not designed for | Editing, trimming, advanced codec control, or batch pipelines (batch is planned for Pro) |
Guides
Learn how to get videos under size limits
Practical guides to the too-big-to-send problem: what Discord and email limits actually allow, why long videos collapse when squeezed, and how to hit a target size cleanly.
Size Limits
Compress a video for Discord
Discord upload limits explained, why quality collapses when you squeeze a long video, and three practical ways to get under the cap, including a one-click preset.
Read the guideSize Limits
Compress a video for email
Why a 25 MB email limit really means about 18 MB, when to compress versus link, and how to shrink a video to an attachment-safe size without turning it to mush.
Read the guideFAQ
FastCompress questions
What is FastCompress?
FastCompress is a dead-simple Windows video compressor. Pick where the video is going, like Discord or email, and it produces a smaller file that fits, using FFmpeg locally on your machine.
Does FastCompress upload my videos?
No. Compression runs entirely on your machine through FFmpeg. There are no uploads, no cloud services, and no account.
Does FastCompress add a watermark?
No. The free version has no watermark and no account requirement.
What formats does FastCompress support?
MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, WebM, FLV, and WMV input files, compressed to H.264 output.
How does the Discord preset work?
Target-size presets like Discord and Email Safe plan the encode toward a size cap, and the target MB field is editable if your limit is different. FastCompress warns you up front when a target is unrealistic for the source.
Is FastCompress a HandBrake alternative?
For the common case of making a file small enough to send, yes: FastCompress trades HandBrake depth for plain-English presets. HandBrake and raw FFmpeg are still better when you need full control over codecs, filters, and batch pipelines.
When can I download FastCompress?
FastCompress is in beta. The latest Windows build is available now on GitHub Releases, and updates are announced on the Fast Series page.
Will FastCompress be free?
Basic compression stays free: one video at a time, all presets, editable target sizes, no watermark. A one-time FastCompress Pro license is planned for workflow features like batch compression, folder watch, saved presets, and GPU encoding. No subscription is planned.
Try the FastCompress beta
The first public FastCompress beta for Windows is available now on GitHub Releases. FastCast and FastPlay are also available today: both are free, native Windows tools from the same Fast Series.