HEVCut vs Video Compress: 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 Video Compress - Shrink Vids (from Brachmann Online Marketing) and HEVCut. Both help you shrink video files, but they take 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.

Details about Video Compress are as listed on the US App Store (checked 19 October 2026), where it was rated 4.7 from about 3,700 ratings. Listings change, so check the current page before you buy.

Video Compress

Free with ads

HEVCut

Ad-free · iPhone, iPad, Mac

Quick Comparison

The Interface: Pick-a-Resolution vs. Plain-Language Presets

Let's start with something you'll notice immediately: how each app asks you to choose settings.

Video Compress gives you a list of output resolution presets, topping out at 1080p, and leaves the choice to you. If you already know what you want, that's quick. If you're not familiar with video encoding, you have to guess which preset fits your video.

HEVCut was built for regular people, not video engineers. You choose one of four presets (Gentle, Standard, High, or Maximum), and the settings sheet tells you in plain words what you'll get: "Similar look," "Up to 1080p," "Up to 60 FPS." Standard is the default, and it works for most videos without any tuning.

See Your Savings Before You Compress

Here's a workflow question that matters on a full phone: How do you know which videos to compress first?

The Video Compress listing doesn't mention a size-sorted view of your library or savings estimates, so plan on picking the videos yourself.

HEVCut shows you potential savings before you compress anything.

You can browse your library sorted by Largest Files or Most Savings, so the videos taking up the most space come first. Every item shows an estimated saving before you start, which lets you target the videos that will have the biggest impact on your storage.

That saves a lot of trial and error, especially on a library with thousands of videos.

The Big Difference: How Compression Works

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

Video Compress: Resolution Presets up to 1080p

Video Compress - Shrink Vids works with output resolution presets, and the largest is 1080p. Have a 4K video? The maximum output is 1080p, and reviews on its listing point this out. Its listing doesn't name the codec it writes.

That works, and files do get smaller. But if you shot in 4K for a reason, there's no way to keep it in 4K.

HEVCut: HEVC, With the Choice to Keep 4K

HEVCut re-encodes every video to HEVC (H.265), a modern codec that is more efficient than older formats such as H.264. HDR sources are encoded in 10-bit, so HLG and HDR10 footage stays HDR.

HEVCut's presets also output 1080p by default (720p with Maximum). The difference is that you can change it: turn on Keep original resolution in the Video Compression settings and 4K stays 4K. The toggle is free. HEVCut adapts the bitrate to each video's resolution and frame rate either way.

Settings: Technical vs. Intuitive

Video Compress: You Pick the Output

Video Compress asks you to choose an output preset. That's simple when you know the answer, but it means you need to know:

• How resolution affects quality and file size
• Which preset suits the way you'll watch the video
• What you give up with each lower preset

HEVCut: Smart Defaults That Just Work

HEVCut handles the technical decisions for you. Each preset sets the bitrate from your video's resolution and frame rate, so you get sensible results without needing to understand video encoding. HEVCut also skips videos it expects to shrink by less than 5%, and if a result comes out larger than the original, it keeps the original.

If you want more control, it's there: Fine-tune in HEVCut Pro sets an exact bitrate, resolution, and frame rate. But you don't need it to get great results.

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.

Where Video Compress Stands

Credit where it's due: the Video Compress listing says it keeps the date/time and GPS location of your videos, the two details that matter most for your timeline and the Places map. Not every compressor does; reviews on several other App Store listings complain about lost dates and locations.

What HEVCut Keeps

HEVCut keeps the date and location too, and goes further. It copies the original file's metadata into the new video and restores the details Photos uses to organize your library. Your compressed video keeps:

After compression, your video appears where it should in your library: same date, same location, same albums. The difference is the file size.

More Than Just Video Compression

Video Compress focuses on video. Photo compression is offered as a separate app, and its listing has no duplicate or clutter tools.

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

Video Compress is an iPhone and iPad app. On a Mac it runs as the iPad version.

HEVCut has a native Mac app alongside the iPhone and iPad versions, with the same tools on each. It needs iOS, iPadOS, or macOS 26 or later.

If you manage your photo library across multiple Apple devices, you can use HEVCut wherever you are. Compress on whichever device is handy, and iCloud Photos syncs the smaller files to the others.

Other Key Differences

Ads vs. Ad-Free

Video Compress shows ads. Its listing offers a Remove Ads purchase alongside Premium and Unlimited options.

HEVCut has no ads at all. Scanning your library, browsing results, and reviewing compressed files are free, and you can try three compressions before deciding on Pro for unlimited compression.

4K Support

Video Compress can accept 4K videos, but the maximum output resolution is 1080p. If you want to keep your 4K footage in 4K, this app can't help.

HEVCut also outputs 1080p by default, but the free Keep original resolution toggle keeps 4K at 4K. The file gets smaller through more efficient encoding instead of fewer pixels.

Processing Multiple Videos

Both apps can compress several videos in one go. HEVCut can compress every photo and video that matches your filters in one run, and encodes videos one at a time on your device's hardware HEVC encoder. On iOS 26 the queue keeps going in the background with a system progress indicator; if iOS pauses it, it picks up again when you return to the app.

Review Before You Replace

Video Compress saves a compressed copy and can delete the original for you.

HEVCut saves each compressed version as a new item and leaves the original in place. Compare them, then tap Keep Compressed (the original moves to Recently Deleted) or Revert (the compressed copy is removed). You can also keep or revert a whole batch at once.

Photo Compression

Video Compress handles video only; photo compression is a separate app.

HEVCut compresses photos too, saving them as HEIC or AVIF. The photo presets also cap image size (3840 px on the long edge for Gentle and Standard), so very large 48 MP shots shrink in pixels as well as bytes. Fine-tune in Pro can keep full resolution.

Duplicate Detection

Video Compress doesn't help with duplicates.

HEVCut groups duplicate photos and videos into four tiers, from byte-identical Exact copies to Near matches and Burst frames. Keep Best Copy picks the copy to keep, based on favorites, location, edits, resolution, and size, and tells you why. Review the groups, keep the ones you want, delete the rest.

External Drives and SD Cards

The Video Compress listing doesn't mention external storage.

HEVCut can also compress videos and photos in a folder on an external drive, an SD card, or another Files location. Each result is saved next to the original and keeps the source file's dates.

What Each App Does Well

Who Should Use Which?

Choose Video Compress if:

• You only need to compress the occasional video
• 1080p output is all you need
• You don't mind ads, or are happy to pay to remove them
• Your iPhone or iPad can't run iOS 26, which HEVCut requires
• You only use iPhone or iPad

Choose HEVCut if:

• You want a modern app that's easy to use
• You want to see potential savings before compressing
• You want to easily find your largest videos first
• You want the option to keep 4K footage in 4K
• You want dates, locations, favorites, and albums kept
• You want one app that handles videos, photos, duplicates, and cleanup
• You use a Mac too, or compress footage on an SD card or external drive
• You'd rather not deal with ads

The Bottom Line

Video Compress - Shrink Vids is a straightforward compressor that keeps your dates and locations. You pick an output resolution yourself, the largest is 1080p, and its listing doesn't mention a way to see which videos will save the most space.

HEVCut is built for how people actually use their phones today. Browse your library sorted by size, see an estimate of how much space you'll save before you compress, and let the app handle the technical settings. Keep 4K in 4K with one free toggle, keep your metadata, and manage your entire photo library from one modern app that works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

If you want compression that actually fits into your life, HEVCut is built for that.

For a wider look, see our video compressor app comparison or browse all comparisons.