MP3 vs OGG
Comparing MPEG Audio Layer III and Ogg Vorbis — which format should you use?
| MP3 | OGG | |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | MPEG Audio Layer III | Ogg Vorbis |
| Extension | .mp3 | .ogg |
| MIME Type | audio/mpeg | audio/ogg |
| 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
OGG Pros
- +Free and open source (no patents)
- +Quality comparable to AAC
- +Good streaming support
- +Native browser support (Chrome, Firefox)
OGG Cons
- -Limited hardware support (no iPhone native)
- -Less universal than MP3
- -Not supported by Safari (use MP3 fallback)
- -Less ecosystem support
Use MP3 when...
- -Music distribution and streaming
- -Podcasts
- -Audiobooks
- -Voice recordings
Use OGG when...
- -Video game audio
- -Web audio (HTML5)
- -Open-source applications
- -Podcast hosting