FLAC vs WAV
FLAC and WAV sound identical, bit for bit. FLAC is compressed without loss to about half the size and carries proper tags and artwork; WAV is uncompressed and opens in every audio editor.
Free Lossless Audio Codec
Choose FLAC when
- Storing a music library
- You want tags and album art
- Saving space without losing quality
Waveform Audio File
Choose WAV when
- Editing in any DAW or audio tool
- Broadcast and production workflows
- Software that doesn’t read FLAC
Side by side
| Property | FLAC | WAV |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Free Lossless Audio Codec | Waveform Audio File |
| Compression | Lossless | Uncompressed |
| Audio | — | — |
| Typical quality | lossless, 16 or 24-bit | 16-bit PCM, 44.1 or 48 kHz |
| Typical size | About 5–7 MB a minute for music | About 10 MB a minute at CD quality |
| Support | Almost everywhere | Opens everywhere |
| Opens on | Most modern players, Android and recent iPhones; some car stereos and older apps don’t | Every computer, audio editor and DAW, and most phones |
| Best for | Archiving music and recordings without losing anything | Editing, mastering and software that insists on WAV |
| Introduced | 2001 | 1991 |
Watch out with FLAC
FLAC made from an MP3 is lossless only in name: it perfectly preserves an already lossy recording, at five times the size.
Watch out with WAV
A WAV made from an MP3 is ten times bigger but sounds exactly like the MP3; the lost detail doesn’t come back.
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Questions
Is FLAC better than WAV?
FLAC and WAV sound identical, bit for bit. FLAC is compressed without loss to about half the size and carries proper tags and artwork; WAV is uncompressed and opens in every audio editor.
Which is smaller, FLAC or WAV?
FLAC is usually smaller for the same content. FLAC: About 5–7 MB a minute for music. WAV: About 10 MB a minute at CD quality.
How do I convert FLAC to WAV?
Use the free FLAC to WAV converter. It runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded.
How do I convert WAV to FLAC?
Use the free WAV to FLAC converter. It works the same way, entirely on your device.