Thinking about converting your old VHS tapes to digital? The first question most people ask is: how much will it cost? Pricing varies wildly depending on whether you go the DIY route or use a professional service. This guide breaks down every option with real 2026 prices so you can make an informed decision.
Professional VHS Conversion: What It Actually Costs
Professional conversion services handle everything — from careful tape inspection and repair to broadcast-quality digitisation and delivery on USB, DVD, or cloud album. Here's what you can expect to pay in the UK:
EachMoment Memory Box Pricing
- Memory Box Small (up to 5 items) — £59.99 (works out to £12 per tape)
- Memory Box Medium (up to 15 items) — £139.99 (about £9.33 per tape)
- Memory Box Large (up to 30 items) — £244.99 (roughly £8.17 per tape)
- Memory Box X Large (up to 60 items) — £449.99 (about £7.50 per tape)
The more tapes you convert, the lower the per-item cost. Every Memory Box includes free DPD collection and return delivery, professional restoration, and access to your memories via a private cloud album you can share with family.
What's Included in Professional Conversion
Unlike DIY methods, professional services like EachMoment include:
- Tape inspection and repair — technicians check for mould, snapped tape, and mechanical issues before digitising
- Broadcast-quality capture — using professional-grade equipment (not consumer USB capture devices)
- Colour correction and restoration — adjusting brightness, contrast, and colour that has degraded over decades
- Multiple output formats — USB stick, DVD, and cloud album included
- Free collection and return — DPD picks up your box and delivers it back with your originals + digital copies
DIY VHS Conversion: The Budget Option
If you only have one or two tapes and want to save money, you can try converting them yourself. Here's what you'll need:
Equipment Costs
- Working VCR player — £30-£80 on eBay (increasingly hard to find working models)
- USB video capture device — £15-£40 (brands like Elgato, August, or generic options)
- RCA cables — £5-£10
- Video capture software — free (OBS Studio) to £40 (specialist software)
Total DIY cost: £50-£130 for equipment, plus 1-2 hours per tape for capture and processing.
The Hidden Costs of DIY
What most guides don't mention:
- Time investment — recording happens in real-time. A 3-hour tape takes 3+ hours to digitise, plus editing time
- VCR maintenance — second-hand players often need head cleaning or belt replacement (£15-£25 for cleaning kits)
- Quality gap — consumer capture devices produce noticeably lower quality than professional broadcast equipment
- No tape repair — if your tape is damaged, mouldy, or has snapped, a consumer VCR may destroy it further
- File management — raw capture files are huge (10-15GB per hour). You'll need storage and encoding knowledge
When Does Professional Make More Sense?
Here's a simple rule of thumb:
- 1-2 tapes, good condition, you enjoy tinkering → DIY might be worth it
- 3+ tapes, or any tape with sentimental value → professional service is almost always the better choice
- Tapes with visible damage (mould, warping, snapped tape) → professional only. DIY risks destroying irreplaceable footage
Consider: if you have 10 VHS tapes, DIY costs £50-£130 for equipment plus 15-20 hours of your time. A Memory Box Medium (15 items) costs £139.99 with zero time investment, professional quality, and free shipping both ways.
How Competitors Compare
The UK VHS conversion market ranges from budget to premium:
| Service | Approx. Cost Per Tape | Turnaround | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EachMoment | £7.50-£12 | 2-4 weeks | USB + DVD + Cloud Album + free shipping |
| High street shops | £15-£25 | 1-3 weeks | Usually DVD only |
| Other online services | £10-£20 | 2-6 weeks | Varies |
What About Other Formats?
VHS isn't the only format worth converting. If you're clearing out a loft or attic, you might find:
- Hi8 and Video8 tapes — same pricing as VHS conversion
- MiniDV cassettes — from camcorders (late 90s-2000s)
- Super 8 and cine film — home movies from the 60s-80s
- Photo slides and negatives — boxes of 35mm slides from holidays
- Audio cassettes — mixtapes, voice recordings, dictation
All formats fit into the same Memory Box, so you can mix and match without paying separate fees per format type.
Tips for Getting the Best Value
- Bundle everything — the more items per box, the lower your per-item cost. Gather all your tapes, films, and photos before ordering
- Check your tapes first — remove any blank tapes or commercial recordings (rented films, TV recordings). Only convert what matters
- Don't wait — VHS tapes degrade 10-20% per decade. The longer you wait, the worse the quality. Tapes from the 80s and 90s are already past their expected lifespan
- Ask about damaged tapes — professional services can often repair snapped, mouldy, or water-damaged tapes that would be impossible to play on a home VCR
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth converting VHS to digital?
If the tapes contain irreplaceable family memories — weddings, birthdays, holidays, children growing up — then absolutely yes. VHS tapes have a limited lifespan and are actively degrading right now. Once the magnetic coating deteriorates beyond a certain point, the footage is gone forever.
How long does VHS conversion take?
Professional services typically take 2-4 weeks from collection to delivery. This includes inspection, digitisation, quality checking, and shipping. Rush services are sometimes available for urgent requests.
Do I get my original tapes back?
Yes — reputable services always return your original tapes along with your digital copies. EachMoment returns everything in the same Memory Box via free DPD delivery.
What quality can I expect?
Professional conversion captures at the maximum quality the tape can produce. Remember that VHS was always a low-resolution format (240 lines), so don't expect HD quality from a VHS tape — but professional equipment extracts significantly more detail and colour accuracy than consumer USB capture devices.
Can mouldy or damaged tapes be converted?
Often yes. Professional technicians can carefully clean mouldy tapes, repair snapped tape, and handle mechanical issues. This is one of the biggest advantages over DIY — a damaged tape in a consumer VCR can get chewed up and destroyed.