HEVCut vs Compress Videos: Which App Is Right for You?

Running low on iPhone storage? You're not alone. Videos and photos are the biggest space hogs on most devices, and finding the right app to manage them can make a real difference.

Two popular options you'll find on the App Store are Compress Videos & Resize Video and HEVCut. Both help you shrink video files, but they take very different approaches, and one offers a lot more than just video compression. This guide breaks down the key differences so you can pick the one that fits your needs.

Compress Videos

Free with ads

HEVCut

Ad-free · iPhone, iPad, Mac

Quick Comparison

The Big Difference: How Compression Works

This is the most important thing to understand when comparing these apps.

Compress Videos: Resolution Reduction

Compress Videos primarily shrinks files by reducing resolution and frame rate. Have a 4K video? It drops it to 1080p or 720p. Shooting at 60fps? It might drop to 24fps.

This works, and files do get smaller. But you're permanently losing quality. Fewer pixels means less detail. Lower frame rate means choppier motion. Once it's gone, it's gone.

HEVCut: Smart HEVC Encoding

HEVCut takes a completely different approach. Instead of throwing away resolution, it re-encodes your video using HEVC (H.265), a modern codec that's simply more efficient than older formats.

The result? Same resolution, same frame rate, smaller file.

Your 4K 60fps video stays 4K 60fps. It just takes up less space because HEVC is smarter about how it stores the data.

Metadata: The Hidden Problem Most Apps Ignore

Here's something most people don't think about until it's too late: metadata.

When you take a video on your iPhone, it stores more than just the footage. It records:

• Date and time the video was taken
• GPS location where you recorded it
• Camera settings (exposure, lens, etc.)
• Device information
• Orientation data

This metadata is what lets you search "videos from Paris" or scroll to a specific date in your library. It's incredibly valuable.

The Problem with Most Compression Apps

Many compression apps, including Compress Videos, don't preserve all this metadata. After compression, your video might show today's date instead of when it was actually recorded. The GPS location might be stripped. Camera information might be lost.

Your carefully organized photo library becomes a mess of files with wrong dates scattered in the wrong places.

HEVCut Preserves Everything

HEVCut preserves all metadata. Every single field. Your compressed video keeps:

After compression, your video appears exactly where it should in your library—same date, same location, same everything. The only difference is the file size.

More Than Just Video Compression

Compress Videos does one thing: compress videos. That's it.

HEVCut is a complete storage management toolkit:

If you're serious about freeing up storage, videos are only part of the equation. Duplicate photos, forgotten screenshots, and uncompressed images can eat up just as much space. HEVCut handles all of it in one app.

Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Compress Videos is designed for iPhone and iPad only.

HEVCut runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and macOS. Same app, same interface, same features everywhere.

If you manage your photo library across multiple Apple devices, you can use HEVCut wherever you are. Start compressing on your iPhone, continue on your Mac. Your library syncs through iCloud Photos, and HEVCut works with it seamlessly.

Other Key Differences

Ads vs. Ad-Free

Compress Videos is ad-supported. You'll see ads between compressions, and some users have reported ads that are difficult to dismiss. A paid upgrade removes ads.

HEVCut has no ads at all. You open the app, do your work, and that's it.

Processing Multiple Videos

Compress Videos processes one video at a time in the free version.

HEVCut can compress multiple videos simultaneously. Select 10 videos, hit compress, and they all process in parallel. This is a significant time saver if you're clearing out storage after a trip or event.

Photo Compression

Compress Videos doesn't touch photos. It's video-only.

HEVCut compresses photos too. Modern iPhones capture huge image files, especially with ProRAW or high-resolution modes. HEVCut can reduce photo file sizes significantly while maintaining visual quality.

Duplicate Detection

Compress Videos doesn't help with duplicates.

HEVCut scans your library for duplicate photos and videos, showing you exactly what's taking up redundant space. Review them, keep the ones you want, delete the rest.

Unwanted Media Cleanup

HEVCut helps you find and remove clutter: blurry photos, accidental recordings, old screenshots, memes you saved once and forgot about. Smart filters identify media that's likely unwanted, and you can review and delete in bulk.

What Each App Does Well

Who Should Use Which?

Choose Compress Videos if:

• You only need to compress the occasional video
• You don't mind watching a few ads
• You prefer manual control over resolution settings
• You don't care about preserving metadata
• You only use iPhone or iPad

Choose HEVCut if:

• You want to keep full resolution while reducing file size
• Preserving metadata (dates, locations, camera info) matters to you
• You want one app that handles videos, photos, duplicates, and cleanup
• You use iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• You have lots of media to process at once
• You'd rather not deal with ads

The Bottom Line

Compress Videos is a straightforward tool that shrinks videos by reducing resolution. It works, but you lose quality and potentially lose important metadata like dates and locations.

HEVCut is built differently. It uses modern HEVC encoding to shrink files while keeping your full resolution intact. It preserves every piece of metadata so your library stays organized. And it goes beyond video compression to handle photos, duplicates, and unwanted media, all in one app that works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

If you care about quality and organization, HEVCut is the clear choice.