Format | Compressed | Lossless | Quality | Approx. Size | Use cases | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OGG | Yes | – | Efficient | 0.9 MB/min | Streaming, gaming | Smaller files with good quality; open-source |
MP3 | Yes | – | Standard | 1 MB/min | Music streaming, portable devices | Popular for balancing file size and quality |
MP4 | Yes | – | High | 1 MB/min | Audio streaming, portable devices | Uses AAC; efficient and widely supported |
AAC | Yes | – | High | 1 MB/min | Streaming services (YouTube, Spotify, etc) | Efficient and high quality; better than MP3 at same bitrate |
FLAC | Yes | Yes | Lossless | 5 MB/min | Professional audio, audiophile listening | Retains original quality with reduced size |
WAV | – | Yes | Lossless | 10 MB/min | Professional recording, high-fidelity | Large file sizes; widely supported |
AIFF | – | Yes | Lossless | 10 MB/min | Professional audio production | Similar to WAV; better supported by Apple |
Each of these formats has its own strengths, and choosing the right one depends on your specific needs, such as audio quality, file size, or compatibility with different devices.