FLAC vs ALAC — Two Lossless Formats, One Real Difference
Compare FLAC and ALAC lossless audio formats. File sizes, quality, device support, and whether it actually matters which one you use.
They Sound Identical. Literally.
FLAC and ALAC are both lossless audio codecs. They both preserve 100% of the original audio data. A WAV file encoded as FLAC and the same WAV encoded as ALAC decode to the exact same bitstream — sample for sample, bit for bit.
There is zero quality difference. None. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
So why do two identical-quality formats exist? Politics, ecosystems, and Apple being Apple.
The Technical Comparison
| Feature | FLAC | ALAC |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Xiph.Org Foundation | Apple |
| Year | 2001 | 2004, open-sourced 2011 |
| Compression ratio | 50-60% of WAV | 50-60% of WAV |
| Maximum bit depth | 32-bit | 32-bit |
| Maximum sample rate | 655 kHz | 384 kHz |
| Metadata | Vorbis comments + cover art | iTunes-style tags + cover art |
| Container | .flac (native), .ogg, .mkv | .m4a (MPEG-4) |
| Open source | Yes (always was) | Yes (since 2011) |
| Streaming support | Limited | Apple Music lossless |
The One Real Difference: Ecosystem
FLAC's Territory
- Android phones (native support)
- Windows (native support since Windows 10)
- Linux (native everywhere)
- Most portable audio players (FiiO, Sony Walkman, Astell&Kern)
- Plex, Jellyfin, Kodi
- Bandcamp, Qobuz, Tidal (downloads)
- Car stereo USB playback (most support FLAC)
ALAC's Territory
- iPhone and iPad
- Apple Music (lossless streaming)
- iTunes / Apple Music app (desktop)
- Apple HomePod
- AirPlay
- Logic Pro
Both Work On
- VLC (plays everything)
- Most modern DAWs
- Foobar2000 (Windows music player)
- MusicBee, JRiver
The Practical Decision
You use Apple everything? ALAC. Your iPhone, HomePod, Apple Music, and AirPlay all work natively. FLAC requires third-party apps on iOS. You use Android or mixed devices? FLAC. It's the more universally supported format outside Apple's ecosystem. You're archiving a music library? FLAC. It's the de facto standard for lossless music archival. More tools, more platform support, larger community. You don't care and just want lossless? Pick one and stick with it. Converting between FLAC and ALAC is lossless in both directions — you can always switch later without quality loss.Converting Between Them
Since both are lossless, converting FLAC → ALAC or ALAC → FLAC loses zero quality. The conversion just repackages the same audio data.
MyPDF's Audio Converter handles the conversion. For bulk conversion of a music library, fre:ac (free, desktop) processes entire folders quickly.The Apple Music Lossless Wrinkle
Apple Music's lossless tier streams in ALAC. If you download lossless tracks from Apple Music for offline listening, they're stored as ALAC. This is fine on Apple devices but means you can't easily play downloaded Apple Music lossless tracks on Android or Windows without conversion (plus DRM complications).
If you buy lossless music from stores like Bandcamp or Qobuz, you get DRM-free FLAC files that play on everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can iPhones play FLAC?
Not natively through the Music app. But VLC for iOS (free) and other third-party players handle FLAC. Apple prefers ALAC for obvious reasons.Is one format better for archiving?
FLAC, due to wider tool support and the ReplayGain standard for volume normalization. But ALAC works fine too — this is a preference, not a technical requirement.Does Bluetooth support lossless audio?
Standard Bluetooth (SBC, AAC, aptX) does not — they're lossy. LDAC gets close but isn't truly lossless. Apple's AirPlay protocol does transmit lossless ALAC. For true lossless listening, use wired headphones.Related Tools
- Convert Audio — Convert between FLAC, ALAC, and other formats
- FLAC to MP3 — Lossy conversion for portable use
- Audio Trim — Trim lossless audio
- Audio Merge — Combine audio tracks