- MP3 cutters and audio trimmers compared by how you run them
- Ten audio cutters, A to Z
- A ringtone, a clip from a video, or a batch of recordings?
- Markers, handles or a timeline: setting the cut
- Fades, ringtones and output formats
- Questions to ask before you cut an MP3
- My advice for trimming audio
- Frequently asked questions
The best MP3 cutter is the one that fits the job. For a quick ringtone or clip, a browser cutter lets you drag two handles and save. If the audio belongs to a video project, an audio trimmer on a video-tool site keeps it in one workspace. For batches and long recordings, a desktop editor that cuts, splits and trims is the one to keep.
Cutting an MP3 sounds like one job. Drop the file in, drag two handles, save the bit you want. But the tools that call themselves MP3 cutters are built for quite different jobs, from a ringtone to a long recording you need to split into tracks.
This list covers ten audio cutters and trimmers, using what each maker's own page says, read on 2 Nov 2026 (as of Nov 2026). It's alphabetical and in no particular order, and it sticks to cutting and trimming audio rather than full editing suites.
MP3 cutters and audio trimmers compared by how you run them
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Audacity | Desktop audio editor | Cut, Trim and Split Audio commands |
| Audio Trimmer | Online MP3 cutter | Keep or remove mode, fades and iPhone m4r output |
| Clideo | Audio cutter on a video tool site | Two markers or a typed time |
| Fission | Desktop audio editor from Rogue Amoeba | Smart Split on silence and batch conversion |
| FlexClip | Audio cutter on a video maker site | A slider or a set start and end time |
| Kapwing | Audio trimmer on a video editor site | Split-and-delete for the middle of a clip |
| mp3cut.net | Online MP3 cutter | Ringtones with fades, plus pitch and speed tools |
| VEED | Audio cutter on a video platform | Timeline splits and rearranging clips |
| Vocal Remover Audio Cutter | Browser audio cutter | Cutting out a fragment, with fades |
| WavePad | Desktop audio editing software | Batch editing many files at once |
Ten audio cutters, A to Z
Audacity
Best for: Cutting unwanted sections, trimming to the part you want and splitting audio into clips in a desktop editor you keep.
Audio Trimmer
Best for: Trimming a song online by dragging handles to keep or remove a part, with fade options and an m4r iPhone output.
Clideo
Best for: Setting a cut by moving two markers or typing the time you need, with fade in, fade out and crossfade boxes.
Fission
Best for: Joining files, cropping and trimming audio and splitting up long files, then batch converting them to MP3 and other formats.
FlexClip
Best for: Making a ringtone by cutting or trimming MP3 and other audio files on a video maker's audio cutter page.
Kapwing
Best for: Shortening songs and voice recordings by dragging the clip's edges, then downloading as MP3 or AAC or carrying on editing.
mp3cut.net
Best for: Cutting songs and making ringtones with sliders, beside audio trim, speed and pitch tools on the same site.
VEED
Best for: Splitting audio on a timeline, deleting the parts you don't need and rearranging the clips that are left.
Vocal Remover Audio Cutter
Best for: Removing a fragment from an audio track, or trimming it, with fade in and fade out, in a browser app.
WavePad
Best for: Batch editing many audio files at once in a desktop editor that cuts, copies, splits, joins and trims.
A ringtone, a clip from a video, or a batch of recordings?
Here's the split you won't guess from the search results: MP3 cutter covers three different jobs, and these tools differ more by the job than by the cut itself.
- Browser cutters: a one-off job, such as a ringtone or a short clip, done on a single page with handles or sliders.
- Video-tool sites: an audio trimmer page on a site built for video, where you can carry on editing in the same workspace.
- Desktop editors: software you install and keep for batches and longer recordings, with cut, split and trim commands.
Audio Trimmer says it lets you 'trim your audio files on the fly': you drag handles to pick a part to keep or remove, then fine-tune with your keyboard's arrow keys. mp3cut.net works with sliders and a Cut button, and Vocal Remover Audio Cutter says it can 'trim and/or cut audio tracks' and remove a fragment from the middle.
On the video-tool sites, the audio trimmer is one page among many. Kapwing says to drag the edges of the clip to choose where it starts and ends, and to split around a section in the middle to delete it. VEED uses a timeline: move the slider, hit Split, delete what you don't need, and drag the clips into a new order. FlexClip lets you drag a slider or set the start and end time, and its page says a mobile version of the tool is coming soon, so it's a computer browser job for now.
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Then there are the editors you keep. Audacity's features page lists a Cut Audio command to 'cut unwanted sections from audio', a Trim Audio command on Ctrl+T, and Split Audio, which it calls non-destructive. WavePad lists 'cut, copy, split, join, trim and more', plus batch editing of many files at once. Fission, from Rogue Amoeba, calls itself 'fast & lossless audio editing' on its own page and adds Smart Split, which splits files based on silence.
Markers, handles or a timeline: setting the cut
Clideo's cutter gives you two ways in: you can 'select the length by moving two markers', or type the time you need. Typing helps when a cut has to land on an exact moment, such as the start of a chorus. Two other pages on this list also offer typed start and end points alongside the draggable handles or slider, so you're not stuck nudging a marker by eye.
Fades, ringtones and output formats
Fades turn up on several cutter pages here, from a simple fade in and fade out to a crossfade on one. For ringtones, three tools name the iPhone's m4r format or an iPhone ringtone save option, and one says it saves an iPhone ringtone 40 seconds long. If you're cutting for an Android phone, one page says its ringtone output works on both iPhone and Android.
Output formats vary too. Some cutters let you change the format on export, and the desktop editors list long runs of supported formats. If you need a particular format at the end, check the export options before you start cutting.
Questions to ask before you cut an MP3
- Is this a one-off clip or ringtone, or a regular job?
- Is the audio on its own, or part of a video project?
- Do I need to remove a section from the middle, not just the ends?
- Do I want to drag handles, or type exact start and end times?
- Do I need a fade in, a fade out or a crossfade?
- Which format, such as MP3 or m4r, do I need at the end?
Do you make an MP3 or audio cutter? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice for trimming audio
Match the tool to the job. For a quick ringtone or a short clip, a browser cutter with handles and a fade option is all you need. If the sound belongs to a video, trim it on the video-tool site you're already using so you're not downloading and re-uploading files between tools. And if you cut audio every week, such as podcast episodes or long recordings, keep a desktop editor with split and batch tools. The cut itself is simple everywhere: it's the job around it that decides the tool.
Got a noisy recording to tidy before you cut it? See where to clean up audio with AI for free. If you're trimming a podcast intro, my guide on where to find podcast intro music is a good next stop. And for video clips, see my list of video trimmers.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cut the middle out of an MP3?
Select the section and remove it. One browser cutter here has a remove mode as well as a keep mode, and two video-tool sites say to split the audio on either side of the unwanted part and delete it. One desktop editor's Cut command removes unwanted sections.
Can I make an iPhone ringtone with an audio cutter?
Yes, several here say so. Two browser cutters save in the iPhone's m4r format, one desktop editor has a Save as iPhone Ringtone option, and one online cutter says its ringtones work on both iPhone and Android.
Can I cut audio out of a video file?
Some cutters say you can. Two pages on this list say you can upload a video and extract the audio part from it, and the video-tool sites let you work on audio and video in the same workspace.
Which of these run in a browser and which need installing?
Seven run in the browser: the online cutters and the audio trimmer pages on video-tool sites. Three are desktop editors you download and install, and they're the ones with batch and split tools for longer jobs.
Can I add a fade when I trim audio?
On several tools here, yes. Browser cutters on this list offer fade in and fade out, one adds a crossfade, and one video-tool site suggests a fade to soften abrupt cuts.
Can I cut lots of files at once?
One desktop editor here says it can batch edit many audio files at once, and another can split long files automatically based on silence and batch convert files to MP3. For a single clip, a browser cutter is enough.
