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MP3 vs FLAC

Comparing MPEG Audio Layer III and Free Lossless Audio Codec - which format should you use?

	MP3	FLAC
Full Name	MPEG Audio Layer III	Free Lossless Audio Codec
Extension	.mp3	.flac
MIME Type	audio/mpeg	audio/flac
Category	audio	audio

MP3 Pros

+Universal compatibility
+Good compression with acceptable quality
+Small file sizes
+Supported by virtually every device and app

MP3 Cons

-Lossy - quality lost during compression
-Inferior quality to FLAC, AAC at same bitrate
-Patent issues (expired 2017)
-No support for high-resolution audio

FLAC Pros

+Lossless - zero quality degradation
+50-70% compression vs uncompressed
+Free and open source
+Wide device and software support
+Supports metadata and album art

FLAC Cons

-Larger than lossy formats (MP3, AAC, OGG)
-Not supported by all portable devices
-No DRM support
-Streaming can be bandwidth-intensive

Use MP3 when...

-Music distribution and streaming
-Podcasts
-Audiobooks
-Voice recordings

Use FLAC when...

-Music archival and preservation
-Audiophile listening
-Music production masters
-CD ripping for highest quality

Learn more about MP3 Learn more about FLAC