Best Free HEIC Converter (Compared in 2026)
Why HEIC Conversion Is Still a Pain in 2026
Apple has used HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) as the default camera format since iOS 11, and by now most people have accumulated thousands of these files. The problem hasn't gone away: Windows still doesn't open HEIC natively without a paid codec from the Microsoft Store ($0.99), most WordPress installs reject HEIC uploads, and plenty of older design tools — including some versions of Adobe Illustrator — choke on them entirely. The format itself is genuinely good. A typical iPhone 15 Pro HEIC shot comes in around 3–5 MB versus 8–12 MB for an equivalent JPEG at the same quality. But 'good format' and 'universally supported format' are different things, and in 2026 HEIC still falls firmly in the first category. That gap is why free online converters exist, and why there are now dozens of them competing for the same search traffic. This comparison looks at the four most-used options — CocoConvert, iLoveIMG, Convertio, and CloudConvert — across the metrics that actually matter: how many files you can convert for free, whether you need an account, output quality settings, format breadth beyond JPEG, and whether an API is available for developers. One upfront disclaimer: CocoConvert runs this blog, so read the comparison with that in mind. Where a competitor genuinely does something better, this article says so.
The Contenders: A Quick Overview
Before getting into the detail, here is a snapshot of each tool. **CocoConvert** is a browser-based converter that handles HEIC to JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, and PDF with no account required. The free tier allows 20 files per day, up to 50 MB each. A Pro plan at $6/month removes limits and adds batch ZIP downloads. **iLoveIMG** focuses exclusively on image tasks. Its HEIC converter is free, supports batch uploads of up to 30 files at once on the free tier, and outputs JPEG only — no PNG, no WebP. No account is needed for basic use, but file size is capped at 30 MB per file. There is no API. **Convertio** is a broad-format converter (300+ format pairs). For HEIC specifically, the free tier allows 10 conversions per day, 100 MB per file, and outputs to JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, WebP, and more. A free account is required to access conversion history. Paid plans start at $9.99/month. **CloudConvert** is the most powerful option on this list. It supports HEIC to 200+ formats, offers granular quality and DPI controls per file, and has a well-documented REST API. The free tier gives 25 conversion minutes per day (roughly 50–80 typical HEIC files). No account is needed for one-off conversions, but API access requires signup. Paid credits start at $8 for 500 conversion minutes. These four cover the realistic options most people encounter. Tools like Zamzar and FreeConvert exist but offer fewer free conversions (5/day and 5/day respectively) without meaningful advantages.
Free Tier Limits: What You Actually Get Without Paying
Free tier limits are where marketing copy and reality diverge most sharply, so here are the specifics as of May 2026. **CocoConvert** gives 20 conversions per day with no account. Files up to 50 MB are accepted. Batch upload works, but the free tier processes files sequentially rather than in parallel, which means a batch of 20 HEIC files takes roughly 90 seconds rather than 15. Output is downloaded individually unless you upgrade to Pro, which adds ZIP batch download. **iLoveIMG** is the most generous on raw file count: 30 files per batch, no daily cap stated in their terms. The catch is the 30 MB file size ceiling, which will clip 4K ProRAW-style HEIC files from newer iPhones, and the JPEG-only output. If you just need JPEG and your files are under 30 MB, iLoveIMG is genuinely the best free option for volume. **Convertio** caps free users at 10 conversions per day regardless of file size. The 100 MB per-file limit is the most generous here, which matters if you're converting HEIC files shot in ProRAW mode (these can reach 50–75 MB each). The format variety is also the broadest on the free tier. **CloudConvert** uses a time-based model rather than a file count. 25 free minutes per day sounds abstract, but a standard 4 MB HEIC-to-JPEG conversion takes about 3–5 seconds of processing time, so in practice you get 40–60 files per day free. The model penalizes large or complex files more than simple ones, which is worth knowing if you're batch-converting ProRAW files. For most casual users converting a camera roll dump of 15–20 standard iPhone photos, all four tools are effectively free. The differences emerge at scale or with larger files.
Output Quality and Format Options
HEIC to JPEG is the default ask, but format flexibility matters more than it used to now that WebP and AVIF are standard in browsers and Google's PageSpeed scoring penalizes JPEG uploads on web projects. **CocoConvert** outputs HEIC to JPEG (quality slider 1–100), PNG (lossless), WebP (quality slider), AVIF (quality slider), and PDF (single-page per image or multi-page batch). The AVIF output is genuinely useful for web developers; a 4 MB HEIC file typically converts to a 900 KB AVIF at quality 75, which is competitive. There is no DPI control on the free tier — output is always 72 DPI for screen. If you need 300 DPI for print, that requires Pro. **iLoveIMG** outputs JPEG only. Quality is set automatically and cannot be adjusted. In testing, a 4.2 MB HEIC from an iPhone 15 Pro converted to a 2.8 MB JPEG, which is reasonable but not configurable. For print workflows or web optimization, the lack of control is a real limitation. **Convertio** offers the widest format list on the free tier: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, WebP, ICO, and more. Quality sliders appear for JPEG and WebP. Notably, Convertio also lets you convert HEIC to PDF and to SVG (though SVG output from a raster source is a traced approximation, not a true vector — useful to know before relying on it). **CloudConvert** wins on output control. Before converting, you can set JPEG quality (1–100), PNG compression level (0–9), output DPI (72, 96, 150, 300, 600), strip metadata (EXIF removal for privacy), and resize dimensions. For photographers preparing files for print labs that require 300 DPI TIFF, CloudConvert is the only free tool here that handles this without an account. This is a genuine, significant advantage over the others.
Privacy, Signup Requirements, and File Retention
When you upload personal photos to a web service, the retention policy matters. Here is what each service states in their documentation as of early 2026. **CocoConvert** deletes uploaded files and converted outputs after 1 hour. No account is required for the free tier. Files are processed on EU-based servers (Frankfurt region), which is relevant for GDPR compliance. The privacy policy explicitly states files are not used for training or analytics beyond aggregate conversion counts. **iLoveIMG** states files are deleted after 2 hours. No account required. Servers are listed as EU-based. The privacy policy is straightforward but shorter than CocoConvert's — it does not explicitly exclude files from aggregate processing. **Convertio** retains files for 24 hours by default. A free account extends this to allow conversion history access. The 24-hour window is the longest on this list, which is a minor privacy concern if you're converting sensitive photos. Servers are listed as EU and US, and the policy notes data may be processed in either region. **CloudConvert** deletes files after 24 hours (free tier) or after download if you enable the 'delete after download' option in the conversion settings — this is available without an account. For privacy-sensitive work, enabling this option makes CloudConvert the most privacy-conscious choice despite the longer default retention. The setting is in the conversion task options panel, labeled 'Delete input files after conversion.' For most holiday photos, retention period is irrelevant. For medical images, legal documents saved as HEIC, or anything sensitive, CloudConvert with 'delete after download' enabled or CocoConvert's 1-hour automatic deletion are the better choices.
API Access for Developers
If you're building an app, a CMS plugin, or an automated pipeline that needs to handle HEIC uploads from users, the API situation changes the comparison entirely. **CocoConvert** offers a REST API in beta as of Q1 2026. Authentication uses API keys tied to a Pro account ($6/month). The API supports HEIC conversion to JPEG, PNG, WebP, and AVIF. Rate limits on Pro are 500 conversions/month; higher tiers are available on request. Documentation is at docs.cococonvert.com and includes a Postman collection. The API is functional but the documentation has gaps — the webhook callback for async jobs is documented but the error code reference is incomplete as of this writing. **iLoveIMG** has no public API. Full stop. If you need programmatic access, iLoveIMG is not an option. **Convertio** has a REST API available on paid plans starting at $9.99/month (100 conversions included). The API is mature, well-documented, and has client libraries for Python, PHP, Node.js, and Ruby on GitHub. For a developer who needs a reliable, well-supported API with existing community libraries, Convertio is a stronger choice than CocoConvert's beta offering. **CloudConvert** has the most capable API on this list. It uses a task-based model where you create a job with input, conversion, and export tasks chained together. The Node.js, PHP, Python, Laravel, and Java SDKs are all actively maintained. Free API access gives 25 conversion minutes/day (same as the web tool). For production use, credits are purchased: $8 for 500 minutes, $40 for 3,000 minutes. CloudConvert's API is the industry standard for this category and it's not particularly close — if API access is your primary requirement, start there.
When to Pick Each Tool
Here are straightforward recommendations based on actual use cases rather than feature checklists. **Pick CocoConvert if:** You need AVIF output (useful for web performance), you want a clean interface with no upsell popups, or you're converting fewer than 20 files a day and want HEIC-to-PDF in a single step. The Pro plan at $6/month is also the most affordable paid option if you need daily batch processing. Honest caveat: the API is still in beta and shouldn't be used for production workloads yet. **Pick iLoveIMG if:** You need to convert a large batch of standard iPhone photos to JPEG and nothing else. The 30-file batch limit and no daily cap make it the most generous free option for straightforward JPEG conversion. Don't use it if you need quality control, WebP/AVIF output, or files over 30 MB. **Pick Convertio if:** You need format variety on the free tier (TIFF, BMP, GIF outputs), your files are large (up to 100 MB), or you want a mature API with existing language SDKs. The 10-conversion daily free limit is the tightest here, but the $9.99/month paid tier is reasonable for moderate API usage. **Pick CloudConvert if:** You need DPI control for print (300 DPI output), you want the most granular quality settings, you need privacy controls like 'delete after download,' or you're a developer building a production integration. The API is the best in this category. The time-based pricing model can be confusing at first, but for most HEIC conversion tasks 25 free minutes per day is sufficient for personal use. No single tool wins across every dimension, and that's the honest answer. For a developer building a production pipeline, CloudConvert is the clear choice. For a photographer batch-converting 200 vacation photos to JPEG once, iLoveIMG gets out of the way fastest. For web developers who want AVIF output without an account, CocoConvert is the only free option that covers it.