ALAC vs FLAC: Which Format Should You Use?
The Short Answer
ALAC and FLAC are both lossless and about the same size. The only real difference is where they play: ALAC is native to Apple Music, iPhone and HomePod; FLAC is the standard everywhere else.
ALAC vs FLAC Side by Side
| ALAC | FLAC | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | ALAC: Apple Lossless Audio Codec | FLAC: Free Lossless Audio Codec |
| File extension | ALAC: .m4a | FLAC: .flac |
| How it stores data | ALAC: Lossless compression | FLAC: Lossless compression |
| File size | ALAC: large (lossless) | FLAC: large (lossless) |
| Created by | ALAC: Apple, 2004 | FLAC: Xiph.Org Foundation, 2001 |
| Best for | ALAC: lossless music in the Apple ecosystem | FLAC: archiving CDs and high-resolution music |
| Watch out | ALAC: little support outside Apple software | FLAC: files are five times larger than MP3, and iTunes does not import it |
| Opens with | ALAC: Apple Music, iTunes, iPhone, VLC | FLAC: VLC, foobar2000, Windows Media Player, Android, recent iPhones (Files app) |
Choose ALAC When
- Lossless music in Apple Music or on an iPhone
Choose FLAC When
- Android, Windows, Linux, network players and long-term archives
Convert Between ALAC and FLAC
More About Each Format
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, ALAC or FLAC?
ALAC and FLAC are both lossless and about the same size. The only real difference is where they play: ALAC is native to Apple Music, iPhone and HomePod; FLAC is the standard everywhere else.
When should I use ALAC?
Lossless music in Apple Music or on an iPhone.
When should I use FLAC?
Android, Windows, Linux, network players and long-term archives.
What is ALAC?
ALAC is Apple's lossless format: like FLAC it halves the size of a WAV without losing anything, but it plays natively in Apple Music, on iPhones and on HomePods.
What is FLAC?
FLAC compresses audio to about half the size of WAV without losing a single bit: decoding it gives back the original recording exactly. It is the standard format for lossless music collections.
Can I convert between ALAC and FLAC?
Yes — free, in batches and without an account. Convert ALAC to FLAC, or Convert FLAC to ALAC with the converter linked on this page.