15 Best Free MP4 Editors in 2025

One of the best MP4 video editors on the market is Movavi Video Editor, available for Mac and Windows users. Movavi Video Editor has a whole range of features aimed at pleasing beginners and professionals alike. It can handle the basics, with easy-to-apply tools for cropping, rotating, and trimming your videos. I found these core tools very intuitive and easy to master even on the first try.

You can also use it to add special effects, transitions, stickers, music tracks, and more. If you’re working with outside video, you can also use the built-in chroma-key effects and optional video-capture integration tools to create top-quality content for social media. I especially liked how smoothly the program handled large MP4 files during editing and export.

You don’t need to worry about any stiff learning curve, either, thanks to an easy-to-use interface that makes this video editor a must-have. You can try its features out with a free trial.

In the latest version of Movavi Video Editor, the program added a silence removal tool, new subtitle styles with instant English translation, and over 40 customizable visual effects that make editing faster and more creative.

Key features:

• All essential editing tools
• Transitions between video clips
• Extensive library of stickers
• Select music to accompany your video
• Chroma-key tool for green or blue screen effects
• Stabilise shaky video
• AI tools for noise removal, silence detection & subtitle translation
• 30+ fresh subtitle styles for automatic captions
• Ultra-fast playback speed control up to 100× for time-lapses
• Free trial to see if it’s the right video editor for you

If you’re a Windows user looking for a freeware tool to quickly edit MP4 video, then VSDC Free Video Editor is worth a look. VSDC Free Video Editor is compatible with almost all known video formats and offers a number of advanced effects and filters, making it a powerful alternative to other Windows MP4 editors. I liked how flexible the timeline felt and how easily I could layer multiple clips and effects.

VSDC Free Video Editor uses a non-linear interface that allows you to quickly place items, effects, filters, and more at any point in time. You can use it to apply special effects, color correction, and transitions, as well as a number of creative filters to quickly jazz up your social media content.

With 4K video support, video stabilization, and access to an optional video capture utility, VSDC Free Video Editor gives you the tools to create professional videos at no cost. I didn’t like that some advanced options, like motion tracking and hardware acceleration, are locked behind the Pro version. But, overall, it’s one of the most versatile tools to edit MP4 files on Windows without paying for premium software.

In the latest update (v10.1) VSDC added HDR and HEIC format support, GPS/telemetry overlay import, a major upgrade to its Curve Line tool, and new hardware-accelerated decoding for AV1 and MJPEG.

Key features:

• Available on Windows
• Supports most major video formats (MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV and more)
• Lots of filters to make your videos pop
• Straightforward interface (although some advanced tools may require a learning curve)
• Powerful editing tools available (note: motion tracking is available in the Pro version)
• Pro version contains additional features, such as hardware acceleration

Unlike VSDC Free Video Editor, the open-source (and free to download) Avidemux isn’t trying to aim high with professional-level features. This basic MP4 editor focuses on the core features that casual creators are looking for, such as video conversion, resizing, cutting, and more – all wrapped up in a simple-to-use interface. I liked how lightweight the program felt and how quickly it processed short clips.

While a basic feature set is perfect for beginners, it’s a bottleneck for more advanced creators. Avidemux isn’t built for pros, with an outdated design that other editors match (or beat) in functionality and appearance. I didn’t like that some tools felt hidden in menus, which made basic edits take longer than expected.

If you need to quickly edit MP4 videos for free, Avidemux will get the job done. If you’re looking to use it for anything other than the most basic projects, however, you may find an alternative like Movavi Video Editor is a better option. Still, if your goal is simply to edit an MP4 file quickly and move on, Avidemux remains a dependable choice.

Key features:

• Available on Windows
• Supports all common video formats
• Add filters to make your videos pop
• Straightforward interface
• Includes powerful editing tools, such as motions tracking
• Pro version contains additional features, like hardware acceleration

LUXEA Pro Video Editor 8 is built for users who want a little more control over their projects without giving up simplicity. It is available for Windows and has a clean, straightforward interface that makes it easy to combine clips, add transitions, or record your screen with very little setup. I liked how natural the workflow felt and how quickly I could trim, drag, and rearrange clips without wasting time searching through menus.

The latest version expands its capabilities with AI Super-Resolution for 4K upscaling and AI Motion Tracking for smoother object following, along with workflow upgrades like Nest Sequences and Quick Split Mode. It seemed great for producing tutorials and social videos, although I noticed that AI upscaling can slow things down on older hardware. If you’re looking for a reliable all-in-one editor with modern AI tools and an approachable interface, Luxea Pro Video Editor 8 is a strong choice.

Key features:

• Available on Windows
• AI Super-Resolution tool for 4K video upscaling
• Built-in screen and webcam recorder
• Easy drag-and-drop interface with Quick Split and Nest Sequence tools

If you’re unsure about downloading a free MP4 editor on your Windows 10 PC, you may wish to try an online service like Clipchamp. Clipchamp is one of the best free MP4 editors you can use straight from your web browser (and there is a Windows app too), offering a full set of video editing features that make it suitable for beginners and pros alike. I liked how quickly it launched in the browser and how smooth the editing process felt, even with longer clips.

Thanks to its modern, simple-to-use interface, Clipchamp has a shallow learning curve, giving complete beginners the tools to cut up, customize, and complete video projects. It offers a library of templates you can add immediately to your videos, along with tools to help you adjust colors, add filters, and insert audio and images. It seemed very convenient to me that I could drag and drop everything without needing to learn complex shortcuts.

You can export an MP4 file to your PC or Mac and share directly to social media or cloud services. The free plan allows exports up to 1080p without a watermark. To export 4K videos, unlock premium stock assets, brand kits, and OneDrive content backup, however, you’ll need to sign up for a paid Microsoft 365 account.

In the latest version, I noticed the addition of AI noise suppression and custom color & gradient backgrounds, which made my editing tasks smoother and more flexible.

Key features:

• Browser-based, meaning no need to download software (except for the browser, of course!)
• Template library lets you get a jump start on your video-editing projects
• Insert audio and images alongside video
• Tailor the color balance to your liking
• The Premium version allows you to back up your projects and media files to the cloud for additional security and peace of mind

Freemake Video Converter isn’t really a fully fledged video editor like some of the other entries we’ve listed. This video conversion tool for Windows users allows you to quickly convert files to or from the .mp4 format, and it also supports hundreds of other known formats and codecs. I found the conversion process very straightforward, and the program handled different file types without any trouble.

You can use Freemake to splice together videos, cut and rotate clips, and import additional images or audio files. It also lets you generate embed code for your videos and upload them directly to YouTube. While these options make it a simple way to combine or tweak clips, its editing tools are very basic and limited compared to dedicated editors. I didn’t like that the free version adds a watermark to exported videos, which makes it less appealing for longer projects.

As free MP4 video tools go, Freemake is a decent choice for quick conversions and light editing. If you need to convert or trim clips in just a few clicks, you’ll find it easy to master, though keep in mind that the free version adds a watermark to output videos unless you upgrade.

Key features:

• Free to download and use, with optional paid upgrade to remove watermarks and unlock additional features
• Combine, cut, and rotate clips with simple editing tools
• Upload finished videos directly to YouTube
• Automatically generate code to embed videos on your website
• Convert video files between hundreds of formats and devices

With over 5 million downloads and counting, Movie Creator is a Windows Store app that allows you to create and customize videos using simple-to-apply tools and features. I liked how easy it was to start a project and apply ready-made effects without needing much time to learn the interface.

Using Movie Creator, you can add preset themes to your videos using custom fonts and colors. It also offers free-to-use video stickers, filters, transitions, and more. If you need to customize your videos, you can also use some of the more traditional features, allowing you to convert, trim, split, or merge your videos together. It seemed great to me for making quick social clips, though not powerful enough for detailed editing work.

Movie Creator is freely available to try on Windows, but you’ll need to upgrade to the full version (at cost) to remove ads and video watermarks from your saved projects.

Key features:

• Intuitive user interface has helpful icons to help you easily locate tools
• Select from various themes
• Extensive library of transitions, filters, stickers, fonts, and more
• Basic editing tools, including split, trim, and merge

As the default video editing tool for Mac users, Apple iMovie is where most beginners get their first-hand experience of video editing. This free-to-use tool includes all of the features you’d expect to see, but there are some surprises that make it stand out, from project sharing over iCloud to support for 4K video editing. I liked how smooth the workflow felt when switching between clips, and the preview updates were instant even with larger files.

You can even edit your videos cross-platform, switching seamlessly from your Mac to the iMovie app on iPhone or iPad devices. It masters the basics, with tools to splice or trim your videos in a simple and modern interface. If you need to create something more advanced, however, you can also add more complex filters, 3D text, and more. It seemed great to me for everyday projects, though I wished it had more advanced color grading tools.

Key features:

• All basic video-editing tools
• Sleek drag-and-drop interface
• Seamlessly switch between different Apple platforms with the iMovie mobile app
• Share your project with collaborators via iCloud
• Edit videos in 4K
• Library of filters and special effects

If iMovie is the default video editor for Mac users, you might expect that the well-known Windows Movie Maker fills the same role for Windows 10 users. Unfortunately, this legendary video editing tool is actually no longer available for download. Microsoft stopped supporting it in 2017, replacing it with the built-in Photos app. I remember using Movie Maker years ago and liked how simple it was to arrange clips and add transitions, even for complete beginners.

That doesn’t mean that Windows Movie Maker can’t still be used. If you still have a copy of Movie Maker that runs on the latest version of Windows 10, the drag-and-drop interface will let you put together basic video projects using video clips, text, images, audio, and more. It seemed nostalgic to open it again, but the lack of updates and modern tools really shows its age.

It’s impossible to ignore the obvious, however, that Windows Movie Maker is limited in scope, outdated, and no longer supported. With Microsoft now focused on Windows 11, this classic editor no longer fits modern systems or user needs.

Key features:

• Suite of classic filters, text effects, and more
• Record video through your webcam and audio through a microphone
• Import videos, photos, and music from your computer
• Add animations and visual effects to your projects

For a basic, easy-to-use video editor that gets the job done, you can’t really go wrong with VideoPad. The user interface is well organized, meaning beginners can get their bearings quickly. And if you aren’t happy with how things look, you can move around the various panels to your liking. I liked how customizable the layout felt, which made it easy to focus on the tools I used most often.

VideoPad automatically organizes your media into bins, helping you keep track of everything during the editing process. All you need to do is drag each clip from its bin onto the timeline. In fact, many features on VideoPad can be activated by simple drag and drops. That said, you can also access them via menu bars if that’s more your style.

The simplicity of VideoPad’s interface might lead you to think it’s a simple app. But that’s not true. In fact, VideoPad has a good variety of more advanced tools. It just tucks them away to keep things tidy. You can add filters, transitions, overlays, text, and more. A stabilization tool is great for sorting out shaky video. Even more advanced tools include editing 360-degree video, detailed color correction, and more. It seemed great to me that these options were easy to find without cluttering the workspace.

If you can’t choose between multiple filters, don’t worry. VideoPad lets you combine multiple filters together, creating a unique result. And you can save your unique filter combination as a custom template, letting you reuse it multiple times in the future.

VideoPad also supports some plugins, but only on the Windows version. There’s also basic audio editing, with tools to help you mix, edit, and record audio.

Key features:

• Straightforward user interface, with advanced tools hidden to streamline editing
• Stabilize shaky video
• Mix and edit audio
• Connect with external plugins
• Combine different filters together and save the result as a unique template
• Add text and titles
• Edit video in 360 degrees

What do you get when you make a video editing software that appeals to both consumers and professionals? Welcome to the world of “prosumer” apps. If you’re looking for something more powerful than your everyday basic video editor, but balk at the price and complexity of truly professional video editors, CyberLink PowerDirector might be for you. I liked how quickly it loaded and how intuitive the layout felt, even though the program is packed with advanced tools.

CyberLink PowerDirector is all about helping you with the video editing process. That starts from the beginning. On launch, CyberLink PowerDirector presents you with a startup wizard and short tutorial showing you the basics of editing with the software. Once you’ve got your bearings, you’re left to your own devices.

Well, not quite. One of CyberLink PowerDirector’s main draws is the wide selection of powerful AI tools. These are aimed to help you achieve professional-level edits in seconds. An AI voice changer and automatic face blur allow you to quickly obscure a subject’s identity, perfect for documentaries or content creators working with people who don’t want to be identifiable. There’s also an AI tool to quickly remove the background of a video, which you can then replace with a video or image of your choice. That removes the need for careful chroma keying. More complex still is the text-to-speech tool, which can transform written text into a natural-sounding voice. Use this to throw together a voiceover without needing to record audio. I found these AI tools surprisingly effective, especially the background remover.

CyberLink PowerDirector also has an extensive suite of manual editing tools and features. Marketers and other professionals will likely appreciate the brand kit. In essence, this is a dedicated media section for brand assets, which lets you keep track of and quickly add selected media like logos and outros. You can also make edits based on text captions, preview videos in portrait mode, and much more.

All this might sound too good to be true. Well, there is a catch. You have to pay for a lot of it. Fortunately, you have a few choices. First, you can make a one-time payment for perpetual use. That’s great if you are opposed to subscriptions. If you don’t mind regular payments, you can choose between a few different tiers depending on how many features you need.

In the latest update, PowerDirector added new AI tools like Brand Kits, text-based editing, AI object masking, frame interpolation up to 240 FPS, and an AI voice translator with lip-sync support.

Key features:

• Wide array of powerful AI tools that let you achieve complex edits in seconds
• Text-based editing
• Cross-platform editing with a mobile app and CyberLink Cloud
• Large library of stock content, including transitions, templates, and audio tracks
• Brand kit lets you organize and easily add brand assets to your projects
• Easily obscure people’s identity with AI tools
• Transform video into animations with the cartoon effect
• Remove and replace the background of video, including the sky specifically

When it comes to editing video, the basics can go a long way. If you’re someone who doesn’t need plenty of fancy effects clogging up your video editor and getting in the way of your workflow, then OpenShot might interest you.

One of OpenShot’s most well-reviewed features is its interface. It’s simple, attractive, and customizable. You can rearrange panels and toolbars to fit your workflow, and the timeline zoom control makes navigation smooth and intuitive. Tools are clearly marked and easy to understand, even if you’re just starting out. I liked how quickly I could figure out where everything was without checking any tutorials.

Learning and using OpenShot’s tools might be straightforward, but then again, there isn’t that much to learn. Compared to more advanced free video-editing apps on this list, OpenShot is pretty basic. It has some novel features, like a library of emojis you can add to your projects. Also available are a few complex effects, like a video stabilizer. But that’s about it.

Unfortunately, some of these features have a reputation for not always working as expected. Actually, OpenShot itself is considered somewhat unreliable. Users report the official Mac version sometimes having stability issues, leaving Apple users to rely on Daily Builds instead. Those are different from an official release, but seem to work fine. Other bugs have also been reported, including some related to transitions. It didn’t crash on me personally, but I did notice a bit of lag when rendering longer clips.

If you’re willing to work around these issues, you might find yourself with an easy-to-use, efficient video editor. For a free product, that’s nothing to sniff at.

Key features:

• Two layouts, simple and advanced
• Customize the position of various panels
• Some advanced effects, including motion tracking and video stabilization
• Library of emojis with transparent backgrounds
• Compatible with major video file formats
• Intuitive user interface

Like Lightworks, DaVinci Resolve is another Hollywood-favourite video editor aimed at the professional market. It lets you edit and colour-grade a wide range of major file formats in its free version, with support for up to 4K video editing, advanced clip trimming, and a large bank of professional effects and tools. I liked how well the interface balanced complexity and organisation, making it easier to find powerful tools without feeling overwhelmed.

DaVinci Resolve includes AI-powered video and audio tools, enhanced HDR colour grading, Fusion-based VFX options, and advanced 3D audio mixing capabilities. The free version provides all the essential editing, colour, and Fairlight audio tools, while more advanced features such as 8K resolution, neural-engine effects, and multi-user collaboration are available in the paid Studio edition. It seemed incredibly responsive to me during regular editing tasks, although heavy renders definitely pushed my system to its limits.

DaVinci Resolve offers nearly everything a professional editor could need in a single application. While it is not the most beginner-friendly option, professional creators will find it one of the most powerful and complete solutions available for film, TV, and online-video production.

In the latest update (version 20.2), DaVinci Resolve added support for streaming immersive content to Apple Vision Pro, improved Surface Tracker performance (up to 2× faster), introduced a new “Ripple Delete Silence” tool in Fairlight, and added custom guide workflows in Fusion.

Key features:

• Industry-leading tools for color correction, grading, and adjustment
• Edit and export videos in resolutions up to 4K in the free version (up to 8K in Studio)
• AI-powered tools for faster editing, face recognition, and scene detection
• Professional Fairlight audio editing with effects and multitrack mixing
• Custom aspect ratios and vertical video support for social media projects
• Supports third-party OpenFX and VST plugins
• Add and composite special effects using the integrated Fusion workspace

Kdenlive is one of those rare free editors that genuinely feels professional. It gives you the kind of tools you normally find in expensive software, yet it costs nothing and doesn’t demand sign-ups or subscriptions. It handles MP4 and most other formats easily, and even big 4K projects don’t slow it down much.

The interface is flexible and easy to adjust. You can move panels around, hide what you don’t need, and keep only the essentials. It supports multi-track editing, color correction, audio mixing, and a solid range of transitions and filters. Trimming clips feels precise, and the undo history saves you from losing work when you experiment.

I liked how stable Kdenlive felt with long videos. It didn’t crash or stutter when rendering, which is rare for a free editor. The layout might look plain compared to commercial tools, but once you get used to it, it just works.

Kdenlive is a great choice if you want to work seriously without paying for a license. It’s ideal for YouTube, short films, and documentaries where creative control and reliability matter more than fancy design.

Key features:

• Fully customizable interface that adapts to your workflow
• Multi-track video editing with unlimited tracks
• Real-time previews and smooth timeline performance
• Wide range of effects, filters, and transitions
• Color correction and keyframe animation tools
• Supports most major video formats, including MP4 and 4K
• Backup and auto-recovery options for safer editing