MP3 vs AAC (M4A) vs WAV vs FLAC vs OGG vs Opus: which audio format?
Lossy or lossless, compatibility, file size and quality: a clear comparison of the six main audio formats to choose the right one for your needs.
MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, OGG, Opus… When you extract the sound from a video, the format you pick decides where the file will play, how big it will be and how much quality is kept. This guide compares them in plain language.
Lossy vs lossless: the key difference
Lossy formats (MP3, AAC, Vorbis, Opus) shrink files by removing sound details the ear is unlikely to notice. They are 5 to 15 times smaller than the original. Lossless formats keep every bit: WAV stores the audio raw, while FLAC compresses it like a ZIP file without losing anything. Lossless files are bigger but can be edited and re-encoded endlessly without degradation.
Quick comparison table
| Format | Type | 1 min (stereo) | Compatibility | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MP3 | Lossy | 1–2.4 MB | Universal | Everything, especially older devices and cars |
| M4A (AAC) | Lossy | 1–1.9 MB | Excellent | iPhone, Apple Music, Android, YouTube |
| WAV | Uncompressed | ≈ 10 MB | Excellent | Editing, DAWs, CDs, transcription |
| FLAC | Lossless | 5–7 MB | Good | Archiving, hi-fi listening |
| OGG (Vorbis) | Lossy | 1–1.9 MB | Medium | Games, Linux, open source |
| Opus | Lossy | 0.5–1.2 MB | Medium | Voice, podcasts, web, small files |
MP3: the universal format
Created in the early 1990s by the Fraunhofer Institute, MP3 is supported by literally every device that plays audio. Its patents expired in 2017, so it is now free to use. Its compression is less efficient than modern codecs, but at 192 kbps and above it is transparent for most listeners. Choose MP3 when you do not know where the file will be played. → MP4 to MP3 converter
M4A (AAC): the modern standard
AAC was designed as MP3’s successor. It is the audio inside nearly every MP4 video, the format of Apple Music and iTunes downloads and the audio of YouTube. AAC at 128 kbps sounds about as good as MP3 at 160–192 kbps. M4A files play natively on iPhone, Mac, Android, Windows 10/11 and most cars made after 2012. → Video to M4A converter
WAV: raw and uncompressed
WAV stores PCM audio exactly as it was digitized: about 10 MB per minute in CD quality. There is no compression to undo, which makes it the most practical format for editing in Audacity, Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, Logic or Ableton, and many transcription services prefer it. Its only drawback is size. → Video to WAV converter
FLAC: lossless and compact
FLAC offers the same quality as WAV in 40–60 % of the space and supports full metadata (title, artist, cover art). It is the reference format for music archives and hi-res downloads. Phones, computers and hi-fi players support it, though some car stereos and older Apple software do not. → Video to FLAC converter
OGG Vorbis: free and open
Vorbis is a royalty-free lossy codec usually stored in an OGG file. Its quality is slightly better than MP3 at the same bitrate. It is widely used in video games and on Linux, and was long used by Spotify. Support on iPhone and in cars is limited. → Video to OGG converter
Opus: the most efficient codec
Opus, standardised in 2012, is the codec of WhatsApp voice notes, Discord, Zoom and WebRTC. It switches intelligently between speech and music modes and delivers excellent quality at very low bitrates: 32–64 kbps for speech, 96–128 kbps for music. It is ideal when space matters, but some older players cannot read it.
Our recommendations
- “I just want it to work everywhere”: MP3 at 192 kbps.
- “I use an iPhone and Apple Music”: M4A at 192 or 256 kbps.
- “I am going to edit the audio”: WAV (or FLAC to save space).
- “I want to archive a concert or recording”: FLAC.
- “I need tiny files of speech”: Opus at 64–96 kbps or MP3 at 96–128 kbps.
A common mistake: lossy to lossless
Converting an MP3 or a video’s AAC track to FLAC or WAV does not bring back what was removed: you get a bigger file with exactly the same sound. Lossless output makes sense to avoid further loss when you will edit and re-export the audio, not to “upgrade” it.
Questions & answers
Which is better, MP3 or M4A?
At the same bitrate M4A (AAC) sounds slightly better, especially at 128 kbps. MP3 remains more compatible with old devices and some car stereos.
Is FLAC better than WAV?
The sound is identical. FLAC is smaller and supports metadata; WAV is slightly more compatible with editing software and hardware.
Which format do iPhones support?
MP3, M4A/AAC, WAV and ALAC natively. FLAC plays in the Files app and VLC; Opus and OGG need a third-party app.
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