12 Best Free MP4 Editors for Beginners in 2023

MP4 is the most common video file type and a great way to store large files in a compact, user-friendly way. MP4 files are the best choice for streaming or online video formatting - they sustain a clear, sharp image even after being highly compressed. If you are a content creator, chances are you use MP4 files every day.  

But did you know that not all video editing programs allow you to edit MP4 videos?

We’ve curated a list of the best free MP4 editors to help you find the best option for your needs and budget. We’ve also created a how-to guide to help you learn how to edit MP4 videos, and included a handy comparison chart of our MP4 video editors and their features.  

Continue reading to learn more about the best free MP4 editors on the market.

• Snapshot of the Top 3 Free MP4 Editors
• How to Choose the Best Free MP4 Editor
• How We Test the MP4 Editors on this List
• 12 Best Free MP4 Editors for Beginners in 2023
1. PowerDirector - Best Overall
2. VideoPad - Best Export Options
3. iMovie - Best for Mac Users
4. OpenShot - Best Open-Source Editor
5. Shotcut - Best for Editing Enthusiasts
6. VSDC Free Video Editor - Best for Social Media
7. Windows Video Editor - Best for Windows Photos Users
8. MiniTool Movie Maker - Best for Instant Movies
9. Avidemux - Best Video Converter
10. ClipChamp - Best for Short Videos
11. EaseUS Video Editor - Best for First-Time Users
12. Icecream Video Editor - Best for Slideshows
• Best Free MP4 Editors Comparison Chart
• How to Edit MP4 Videos
• Download the Best MP4 Video Editor for Free
• Free MP4 Editor FAQs

Snapshot of the Top 3 Free MP4 Editors

How to Choose the Best Free MP4 Editor

Free MP4 editors come in all shapes and sizes. And just because we placed an option higher or lower on our list, does not mean it is better or worse for your specific needs. Here is what to look out for in a free MP4 editor. 

Compatibility

You can trust that all the platforms on our list will let you edit MP4 videos, but you may need software to edit other formats as well. Save yourself from having to download and learn multiple free MP4 editors and check that all your usual video and audio file types are covered. Another thing to check is that the free MP4 video editor is compatible with your operating system or preferred web browser and that you have enough space on your computer to run the program. This information is found in the System Requirements which are usually on the product’s website. 

Features

Some of the free MP4 editors on this list will only let you make simple edits like trim, split, merge, adjust playback speed, and tweak the volume of clips. Others will let you play around with visual effects, color correction, and time shifts. Make a list of the features that matter to you and check that your editing needs are covered. 

Skill Level 

While we found all of the MP4 video editors on this list to be appropriate for beginners, there is still a scale when it comes to ease of use. Some of you might be first-timers, while others are non-professional editing enthusiasts. Others might be highly skilled at video editing, but want something quick to learn because they lack time. Read user reviews online to see what users have to say about the free MP4 editor you are considering. If you are strapped for time, check out our Who It’s For section found at the beginning of each review. 

  

How We Test the MP4 Editors on this List

Why trust us to decide which are the best free MP4 editors available? Below we have outlined our testing/ranking process. 

Compare Key Features

We try out the same list of features for each free MP4 editor to compare apples with apples. Once we have a good idea of where similar features match up, we try out the features that make the MP4 video editor unique. We look at the overall list of features and try to combine both quantity and quality in our rankings. 

Rate Ease of Use

Since this is a list of free MP4 editors for beginners, we put a strong emphasis on the learning curve for each product. You’ll notice we have a “Beginner-Friendly Tools” rating included in each review. Some MP4 video editors may have tons of tools, but not many of them are beginner-friendly. Others will be incredibly easy to use but have few tools. The MP4 video editors with the highest score in this category will have tons of tools that are all easy to use. 

Analyze Outside Reviews

We also use an outside reviewer rating to help us rank the MP4 video editors. We pull from reputable critics on sites such as PCMag and TechRadar, or from user-reviewed sites like G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot. That way, we can be impartial when we rank our products. 

Not only do we use outside reviews to help with rankings, but we scour both critic reviews and user reviews to make sure they line up with our user experience. After all, it can be hard for someone who does this for a living to put themselves in the shoes of a first-time user. It’s also a good way to make sure our complaints aren’t based on user error or technical issues on our end. If a tool didn’t work well for us but everyone else is raving about it, we know to take another look. 

12 Best Free MP4 Editors for Beginners in 2023

1. PowerDirector - Best Overall

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

PCMag Rating: 5/5 Exemplary

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 5/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $4.33/month

Key Features:

• 8,000,000+ Stock Assets: Royalty-Free stock videos, music tracks, sound effects, and images from world renowned stock libraries
• Chroma Key: Perform green screen effects without the green screen 
• Video Collage and Multicam Designers: Create from multiple videos and sources
• Video Effects: Including Glitch, CyberPunk, and Pop Art Wall
• Guided Edits and AI Tools: To make advanced edits easy for beginners

Who It’s For

If you’re on the hunt for a user-friendly, affordable MP4 video editor with professional-level tools and filters, PowerDirector is your best bet. PowerDirector is a free MP4 editor that provides a vast array of features to help you cut, convert, and edit MP4 videos like a pro.

Why We Picked It

If you need to perform a quick edit, you’ll love how easy it is to edit MP4 videos with PowerDirector. Trim, join, crop, pan, zoom, convert, and more in just a few seconds. This free MP4 editor also includes an extensive selection of titles and transitions, motion graphics, stickers, and video templates that you can easily add to your videos. Take your editing a step further with PowerDirector’s artificial intelligence tools, including sky replacement and object detection.

Bottom Line

PowerDirector is the best MP4 video editor because it offers pro tools while remaining beginner-friendly. You can edit MP4 videos without diminishing the quality and export and upload directly to your favorite social media platforms. 

Overall, PowerDirector is the best free MP4 editor on the market. Download it today by clicking the link below. 

2. VideoPad - Best Export Options

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

G2 Rating: 4.1/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.5/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $7.72month, or buy outright for $80 for Home Edition and $139 for Master’s Edition

Key Features:

• 3D and 360-Degree Editing: With 2D and 3D stereoscopic conversion 
• Audio Effects: Such as choral, echo, and distortion 
• Video Stabilization: Camera-Shake reduction for action cam footage

Who It’s For

VideoPad is a free MP4 editor that is easy enough for a first-time editor. It’s an excellent MP4 video editor for home use, especially if you need multiple export options. For instance, if you want to upload your video to social media and also burn it onto a DVD. You can upload directly to YouTube, Vimeo, or Flickr and add your video’s metadata before publishing. You can also upload to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, share your video with friends, burn a DVD, or save it to your desktop or phone. Export is available in a wide range of formats and resolutions including HD and 4K. 

Why We Picked It

This free MP4 editor is easy-to-use with a pared-back interface that will appeal to beginners. It also features tools for quick and easy video creation, with pre-made templates for animated titles, intros, outros, and themes. There are over 50 visual effects that can be applied in a few clicks, and a sound effects library is available for free. 

Bottom Line

With VideoPad, you won’t yield professional results, but since the free version is for non-commercial use only, that won’t be an issue for most home users. It’s a great MP4 video editor for beginners because it has all the tools you need to learn video editing with more advanced features than you first suspect. However, the software suffers from performance issues, especially where video playback is concerned. 

3. iMovie - Best for Mac Users

Compatibility: Mac

PCMag Rating: 4.5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

• 13 Video Filters: Choose a stylized look to add a cinematic touch to your videos
• Split-Screen and Picture-in-Picture Effects: Great for broadcast or gaming videos
• Smart Soundtracks: 100 background music clips that adjust to video length

Who It’s For

iMovie is the free, built-in MP4 video editor that comes with all Apple desktop and laptop devices. It’s one of the best editors to edit iPhone footage because it supports Cinematic Mode, allowing you to adjust the depth-of-field in your footage, and add or delete focus points. You can edit ProRes videos and add Apple ProRAW images to your videos. This free MP4 editor also integrates well with other Apple apps, such as iTunes for background music, and GarageBand for audio editing. 

Why We Picked It

While iMovie doesn’t include many advanced editing features, it allows you to edit MP4 videos with base-level tools and features a clean, user-friendly interface that even the newest editors can easily navigate. You can add transitions, easily trim clips, add subtitles to your footage, record voice-overs, and even stabilize shaky video footage. 

Bottom Line

If you already have a Mac device and just want to perform a few quick edits, iMovie is one of your best free MP4 editors. However, you may want to look further if you need more advanced tools to make your YouTube or home videos look professional.

4. OpenShot - Best Open-Source Editor

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Capterra Rating: 4.3/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

• Unlimited Tracks: The possibilities for layering images, video, and audio are endless
• Advanced Timeline Editing: Drag and drop, scrolling, panning, zooming, and snapping
• Time-Mapping: Animate the speed and direction of your clip 

Who It’s For

OpenShot is a free, cross-platform, open-source MP4 video editor. Typically, open-source software has a high learning curve, but OpenShot is perfect for beginners, especially those on a budget. This free MP4 editor uses integration with the user’s desktop to easily drag and drop MP4 files onto the interface. OpenShot has all you need to edit MP4 videos including resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, rotation, and cutting. 

Why We Picked It

There are over 400 transitions that are easily adjustable with keyframes and 40 adjustable vector title templates. Turn any text and graphics into animated 3D effects and make them fade, slice, bounce, and more. This free MP4 editor also has digital video effects like a chroma key to change backgrounds and remove objects.

Bottom Line

OpenShot is a quick and easy MP4 video editor with a sleek and customizable interface. This free MP4 editor is good for beginners but lacks features more advanced editors will want. If you need a beginner-friendly free MP4 editor but want more advanced tools, try PowerDirector.  

5. Shotcut - Best for Editing Enthusiasts

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

G2 Rating: 4.2/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

• Native Timeline Editing: No import required
• Audio Mixing: Mix on all tracks, fade in, fade out, cross-fade, and apply audio filters 
• 3-Way Color Wheels: For precise color correction and color grading 

Who It’s For

Shotcut is the perfect free MP4 editor for the home editor looking to advance from basic beginner software. We found it was only slightly harder to learn than others on our list, but greatly surpasses most of them in terms of advanced features. Anyone with a little editing experience will pick it up quickly, and it will grow with them as their skills progress. 

Why We Picked It

This MP4 video editor has advanced features rarely found in free software, such as 360-degree video filters, and pitch compensations for audio during video speed changes. Shotcut comes with a wide range of video and audio effects, and advanced timeline editing features such as append, ripple, insert, overwrite, and more. 

Bottom Line

Shotcut is constantly updated, so any bugs or issues are quickly dealt with. We love all of the advanced tools and features it has to offer, but it lacks social media templates, AI tools, and guided edits which make editing quicker and easier for beginners. Even though it has more advanced features, we placed Shotcut behind OpenShot since it is easier to use and has a sleeker UI. 

6. VSDC Free Video Editor - Best for Social Media

Compatibility: Windows

Trustpilot Rating: 3.9/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free
*Pro version available for $19.99

Key Features:

• Powerful Chroma Key: Accurately remove a green screen background
• Built-In Video Capturing: Capture video from external devices
• Color Correction: Utilize precise blending modes or Instagram-like filters

Who It’s For

VSDC Free Video Editor is a multimedia freeware tool used to edit MP4 videos, improve audio, screen record, and more. It supports MP4s and all popular video and audio formats. This free MP4 editor has a large selection of trendy filters, transitions, and effects, perfect for social media. 

Why We Picked It

It’s a lightweight MP4 video editor with the lowest system requirements possible and even works on old and outdated PCs. VSDC allows for editing of multiple layers, as well as split-screen and picture-in-picture effects. 

Bottom Line

If VSDC Free Video Editor lacks the tools you need, you can update to the very affordable Pro version. However, VSDC has a cluttered interface and clunky workflow, so although this free MP4 editor is for beginners, it can be very difficult to find the tools you need for quick edits. 

7. Windows Video Editor - Best Windows Editor for Beginners

Compatibility: Windows

PCMag Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

• Background Music: Choose from a selection of songs and automatically sync your video to the beat 
• Motion Feature: Pan and zoom in and out of video clips
• 3D Effects: A library of 3D effects and objects to add to your videos

Who It’s For

Windows Video Editor is the Windows equivalent of iMovie and comes built-in on Windows 10 and up. For anyone who uses Windows Photos to store their media, this is a good free MP4 editor to try, since it is located in the app. 

Why We Picked It

This MP4 video editor focuses on easy-to-use creative tools for video creation and editing. Use music, text, motion, and 3D effects to tell your story. Video Editor has basic track editing tools, such as trimming, adjusting audio, and splitting clips. It also offers a good collection of filters and themes to apply to your MP4s. You can then export your video in an MP4 format to maintain the benefits of this file type and easily share it on social media. 

Bottom Line

Windows Video Editor is not very robust but does offer a quick, free, and easy way to manipulate MP4 files. Brought in to replace the now-defunct Windows Movie Maker, this free MP4 editor is already being phased out in place of ClipChamp (#10 on our list), which you can also access within the Photos app. It seems that Microsoft has changed its name to Legacy Video Editor, which is what you need to search in Photos to find this strangely hidden MP4 video editor. If you don’t like having to learn new software, we recommend trying another option from our list, since it appears Windows Video Editor’s days are numbered. 

8. MiniTool Movie Maker - Best for Instant Movies

Compatibility: Windows

Softonic Rating: 3.9/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $12.99/month or $59.99/year

Key Features:

• Batch Processing: Apply filters, effects, transitions, and more to all your clips and images at once
• Ken Burns Effect: Add pan and zoom with over 30 motion options
• Animated Elements: Add texts, stickers, and more, customize size, duration, and color, then add motion

Who It’s For

MiniTool Movie Maker is a free MP4 editor for beginners to make movies quickly. It has lots of one-click tools and effects and customizable (though somewhat generic) templates. Create a stylized video in minutes, perfect for posting. 

Why We Picked It

While it lacks professional features, this MP4 video editor focuses on the fun stickers and filters that give your social media videos personality. It does offer some tools that go beyond the basics, such as speed adjustment, reverse video tools, color correction, and an audio extractor. It also has a library of background music and sound effects. 

Bottom Line

MiniTool Movie Maker is a quick and fun way to edit MP4 videos for beginners. However, it won’t grow with you as your editing skills advance. And while we were pleased that the free version exports videos in 1080p with no watermark, any videos made after the first 3 are limited to 2 minutes and under. If you would like to get better at editing we suggest PowerDirector, a free MP4 editor for beginners that is filled with advanced features. 

9. Avidemux - Best Video Converter

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Capterra Rating: 4.2/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3/5

Price: Free  

Key Features:

• Denoise Tool: Sharpen and upscale video
• Fades: Fade video into next clip or fade to black 
• Automated Tasks: Set up a job queue and walk away 

Who It’s For

Avidemux is another open-source, free MP4 editor. It natively supports a long list of video and audio formats, including MP4 and TrueHD audio. With Avidemux, you can convert, save, and export videos into a wide range of file formats and encode or decode even multi-threaded videos. We found it to be a good free MP4 editor if you need to complete quick edits, or even better if you are looking for a free video converter.   

Why We Picked It

Edit MP4 videos with all the basics, such as joining, cutting, copying, and deleting clips, and tweaking audio. You can also add subtitles and change the brightness, hue, and gamma using simple sliders. 

Bottom Line

Avidemux is a quick (and free) way for beginners to edit MP4 videos and convert video files. However, it contains no creative features like stickers and video overlay, or exciting transitions and colorful filters. The tools that make free MP4 editors like PowerDirector so fun to use. It’ll do great if you need to convert files for a home theater setup, but if you want to edit MP4 videos into cinematic films or exciting posts, look elsewhere. 

10. Clipchamp - Best for Short Videos

Compatibility: Windows, Web Browser

PC Mag Rating: 3.5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5

Price: Free
*Premium version available for $11.99/month

Key Features:

• Subscribe Buttons: Boost engagement with a library of animated subscribe panels
• AI Voiceover: Choose from 170 lifelike voices in 70 languages and adjust speed and pitch
• Screen Recorder & Webcam Capture: Record your screen or webcam footage directly into the app 

Who It’s For 

The rise in popularity of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts means we are seeing a rise in video editors created for quick video content. ClipChamp is one such editor. It’s a template-based MP4 video editor aimed solely at social media video creation. It has short, customizable templates for any type of social media video or ad. New content creators with no editing experience should give this free MP4 editor a try. 

Why We Picked It

This free MP4 editor was purchased by Microsoft and Windows 11 users will find it built-in. Windows 10 users can download it from the Microsoft Store, and non-Windows users can use the online version. We were impressed by the free version of the app. The free MP4 editor allows unlimited, watermark-free exports in the same resolution as the paid version. It comes with free stock images, audio, and video, as well as some filters and effects. The premium version adds premium stock and effects, plus brand kits and content backup. 

Bottom Line 

Clipchamp was brought in to edge out Windows Video Editor, but in our research, we found most users and critics think the latter has more functionality. While neither is appropriate for feature film editing, Video Editor has more editing tools for home videos, while ChlipChamp is best for marketing videos or Reels under 60 seconds. 

11. EaseUS Video Editor - Best for First-Time Users

Compatibility: Windows

TechRadar Rating:4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3/5

Price: Free  
*Premium subscriptions available for $29.95/month, $49.95/year, or $79.95 for a lifetime license

Key Features:

• Video Overlay: Stylize your video’s look with one click 
• Text-to-Speech Exchange: Add speech automatically with no VO required
• Audio Detach: Remove background noise from videos

Who It’s For

EaseUS Video Editor is a simple free MP4 editor for those with zero editing experience. It has a pared-down set of tools, a clean interface, and large icons which help explain each feature. As the name suggests, this Windows software will allow you to convert and edit MP4 videos with incredible ease. 

Why We Picked It

Split, zoom, rotate, cut, merge, crop, and edit MP4 videos, then add trendy effects and transitions. You can play your completed videos on any device, upload them directly to popular social media platforms, or burn them to DVD. 

Bottom Line

The best things about EaseUS Video Editor are the effects and transitions, but they are not available in the free version. We think the free version is too basic for any serious editing. The monthly price for premium features is extremely high, even more so than most professional video editing software. It feels like they are pushing you toward the annual subscription, which is much more affordable. However, if you plan on doing a lot of editing over the next year, you may outgrow this MP4 video editor before the year is up. 

12. Icecream Video Editor - Best for Slideshows

Compatibility: Windows

Capterra Rating: 4.4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 2.5/5

Price: Free
*Pro version is available for $29.95

Key Features:

• Filters and Stickers: To add a unique flair to your videos
• Effects and Transitions: 10 motion effects and over 20 cool transitions to choose from 
• Titles: Use a style preset, customize, and add motion 

Who It’s For 

Icecream Video Editor is a free MP4 editor for beginners to create videos and slideshows quickly. Merge video, audio, and images on a single timeline for a mixed-media presentation. You can also utilize the Random feature, which takes your static images and automatically turns them into a video slideshow, complete with motion and transitions.

Why We Picked It

This free MP4 editor is lightweight and works without any issues on outdated PCs. Icecream Video Editor has a storyboard-style timeline preferred by newcomers to video editing. You can edit MP4 videos with all the basic tools, such as crop, flip, resize, and rotate. 

Bottom Line 

Icecream Video Editor has most of its tools available in the free version, and there’s no watermark as long as your video is under 5 minutes and 10 scenes. Even though the premium version is pretty affordable, it still doesn’t seem worth the cost. Use this MP4 video editor if you need a free tool for a quick Reel or TikTok video, but if you are looking to pay for a professional tool, this is not it. VSDC Pro offers more advanced tools and costs less. 

Best Free MP4 Editors Comparison Chart

Download the Best MP4 Video Editor for Free

Using a free MP4 editor, you can easily edit MP4 videos into professional-looking video content. We recommend PowerDirector as the best way to edit MP4 videos because of its support for most file types, user-friendliness, vast selection of features, built-in stock libraries, and overall comprehensive editing suite of tools. 

PowerDirector is the best free MP4 editor because it successfully bridges the gap between amateur and professional video editing. Even beginners can easily edit MP4 videos into works of art with advanced tools like masks, motion controls, compositing effects, frame-by-frame motion tracking, and chroma key.

Download the best MP4 video editor for free today by clicking the link below and see why PC Mag thinks PowerDirector is the #1 Best Video Editing Software for 2023.