| Method | Platform | Install | Ease | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browser tool | Any | ✓ None | ✓ Drop → crop → download | Free |
| iMovie | Mac only | Pre-installed | ~Project setup required | Free (Mac) |
| QuickTime | Mac only | Pre-installed | ✗ Trim only, no spatial crop | Free (Mac) |
| Windows Photos | Windows | Pre-installed | ✗ No crop feature for video | Free |
| Premiere Pro | Mac/Win | 3GB+ | ~Timeline required | $22.99/mo |
| DaVinci Resolve | Mac/Win/Linux | 2GB+ | ~Inspector → crop controls | Free (limited) |
Mac tips: Chrome gives better performance than Safari for large video files. M1/M2/M3 Macs crop very fast — typically under 30 seconds even for long videos.
Windows reality: There is no built-in video cropper on Windows. The Photos app can trim video length but cannot crop the frame. Microsoft's Clipchamp requires an account. The browser tool fills this gap with zero friction.
Video tools that work the same way — open in browser, drop file, process, download:
Crop your video — any desktop, any browser, free.
Open Crop Tool