Which Free Tools Can Crop Videos Without a Watermark? (Including URL-Based Cropping)

Video cropping is a common task, whether you’re reframing mobile footage, removing background clutter, or creating platform-specific aspect ratios. But finding a free tool that lets you crop videos without leaving a watermark is harder than it should be. Let’s compare the best options and look at how to crop videos programmatically, watermark-free, using Cloudinary.

Hey everyone,

I’ve been editing short videos for social media and product pages, and I need to crop some of them (e.g., from 16:9 to 1:1). I tried a few free online tools, but almost all of them add a watermark or lock features behind a paywall.

So my question is: Which free tools can crop videos without a watermark? Ideally:

• No watermark or branding.
• Works for simple aspect ratio crops (1:1, 4:5, 9:16, etc.).
• Doesn’t require downloading clunky software.
• Bonus if I can crop videos dynamically or through an API.

Would love recommendations for free tools, especially dev-friendly ones.

Great question, and yeah, it’s surprisingly frustrating how many “free” video editors slap a watermark on your cropped videos unless you upgrade.

The good news? You can crop videos without watermarks using a few trustworthy tools and even dynamically via URL if you’re a developer or site owner.

Best for: Developers or site builders who want to crop videos dynamically, with no watermark, no install, and full control. Cloudinary offers a generous free tier and lets you crop videos on-the-fly using URL-based transformations or via API.

HTML
<video controls width="100%" 

src="https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/video/upload/c_crop,g_center,w_500,h_500/sample.mp4">

</video>Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

• c_crop → Crop mode
• g_center → Gravity (focus area)
• w_500,h_500 → Output dimensions

This means:

• No watermark
• No software needed
• Works instantly
• Auto-optimized for web

Check the Cloudinary Documentation

Best for: Offline cropping with full control and no watermark.

• Free, open source
• Supports custom crop rectangles
• Exports clean videos with no branding
• Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux

Best for: Advanced users or automation workflows.

Example CLI crop command:

Shell
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -filter:v "crop=500:500:100:50" -c:a copy output.mp4Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

• No watermark
• Total control over crop location
• Works via scripts or CI pipelines
• Significantly more difficult for those who aren’t tech-savvy.

Best for: Quick web-based cropping (with limits).

• Free plan supports basic cropping
• BUT: Watermark is removed only if you sign in
• Includes GUI aspect ratio presets (e.g., Instagram, TikTok)

If you’re already delivering videos via the web for an eCommerce site, user profiles, or a content gallery, cropping via Cloudinary’s video transformation URL is fast, scalable, and watermark-free.

HTML
<video controls width="100%" 

src="https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/video/upload/c_crop,g_face,w_300,h_300/sample.mp4">

</video>Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

• g_face → Smart cropping around a detected face
• g_auto → AI-based subject-aware gravity

You can also automate cropping via API, or batch-transform video assets in your media library.

Try it live with Cloudinary’s Media Explorer

Tool	Watermark?	Platform	Best For
Cloudinary	❌ No	Web/API	Developers, dynamic cropping
Shotcut	❌ No	Desktop	Manual precision cropping
FFmpeg	❌ No	CLI	Scripted video workflows
Kapwing	⚠️ Only if you don’t have an account	Web	Basic drag-and-drop cropping

If you want to crop videos online, dynamically, and watermark-free, Cloudinary is the fastest, most scalable option.

• Video Cropping Docs (Cloudinary)
• Transform Video with Gravity

Dive into effortless video handling and see the difference Cloudinary makes. Sign up today and discover the ease of managing your video content with Cloudinary.