Apple Lossless vs FLAC: Which Is Better Lossless Audio Format?

When it comes to playing music, we both want to look or aim for the best audio quality there are as well as formats that can be possibly recognized and played to our devices so that we can enjoy music anytime and anywhere. Among these formats that we are sharing in this article is Apple Lossless vs FLAC.

What do Apple lossless and FLAC mean? Is Apple Lossless as good as FLAC? Though these audio file formats may look the same, they still have a distinct difference. So, if you want to find out more about Apple Lossless and FLAC and for you to finally decide which one to choose, Then, just keep reading this post because I will give you a clear insight about Apple Lossless and FLAC. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s begin!

Contents Guide Part 1. ALAC vs FLAC: OverviewPart 2. ALAC vs FLAC: What's the Difference?Part 3. Bonus Tip: Convert Apple Lossless to FLACTo Sum Everything Up

Part 1. ALAC vs FLAC: Overview

Before comparing Apple Lossless vs FLAC, we will discuss what exactly they are.

Developed by Apple, Apple Lossless is also known as ALAC or Apple Lossless Audio Codec, which is a compression format for digital music. It compresses audio files but does not extend the sound quality is affected. There is no big difference from the original sound recording. Lossless music via ALAC was added to Apple Music in June 2021, at no additional cost for all subscribers. ALAC also does not use any digital rights management (DRM) scheme. It means that this format can be played by other media players (such as non-Apple devices).

Tips: For more details, check our explanation about What Is Apple Lossless And How It Works.

Developed by the Xiph.Org Foundation, FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec), is an audio coding format for lossless compression of digital audio. FLAC is also lossless audio, meaning that these files offer the same audio quality as the original source while are generally smaller than uncompressed audio files. FLAC is an open format with royalty-free licensing, which means that FLAC music file is not restricted and can be used on any device or software that supports it.

Part 2. ALAC vs FLAC: What's the Difference?

Between Apple Lossless and FLAC, which is the best lossless audio format? Learn the major differences between these two formats here.

ALAC vs FLAC: File Extension and File Size

The file extension of Apple Lossless is .alac or .m4a. The downloaded songs, audiobooks, and podcasts from the iTunes Store or Apple Music are ALAC files with the .m4a file extension. On the other hand, the file extension of FLAC is .flac.

Apple Lossless vs FLAC, which can result the smaller file sizes? As we mentioned earlier, ALAC and FLAC audio files are in a lossless compressed format which means that they can compress audio to a lower file size. The compressed files of Apple Lossless are about 40% to 60% the size of the originals depending on the kind of music. So ALAC is smaller than uncompressed files like AIFF and WAV. Digital audio compressed by FLAC's algorithm can typically be reduced to between 50% and 70% of its original size. FLAC files are smaller than uncompressed files and slightly smaller than ALAC files.

Verdict: To download more music on your device to stream offline, you can try downloading music in FLAC format if your device has limited storage space, especially for mobile phone.

ALAC vs FLAC: Audio Quality

Apple Lossless vs FLAC, is Apple Lossless better than FLAC in sound quality? Both of these file types are the same when it comes to maintaining the original quality of the song even after the compression process because they are lossless compressed audio. FLAC files are generally encoded at a bit depth of 16 or 24 bits and a sampling rate of up to 96 kHz, which is suitable for preserving audio collections as CD quality. ALAC files are in resolutions between 16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD quality) and 24-bit/192 kHz. However, normal users will not hear their sound quality difference on basic earphones or ordinary sound systems.

Verdict: ALAC and FLAC can both provide the best audio quality for you.

ALAC vs FLAC: Compatibility

Because there is no difference in regards to the audio quality between Apple Lossless vs FLAC, the one thing that you may consider with choosing between the two is if they are readily accessible to your device or programs that you use.

Since Apple Lossless was created by Apple, it can 100% work with Apple devices easily, such as iTunes, iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Though in late 2011 Apple made the ALAC available open source and royalty-free, support for ALAC may be limited outside of the Apple ecosystem.

On the other hand, FLAC enjoys wide compatibility across different devices and operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Android. It is supported by numerous media players, software applications, and devices. FLAC support is included by default in Windows 10, Android, BlackBerry 10, and Jolla devices. But compared to formats such as MP3, FLAC playback support in portable audio devices and dedicated audio systems is limited.

Verdict: If you are using Apple devices or services then the best option for you is to use ALAC format because it is easy to access. But if you are using a PC, non-Apple devices, or programs then FLAC is the right for you.

Part 3. Bonus Tip: Convert Apple Lossless to FLAC

Apple lossless vs FLAC, which is better for you? We have just conducted a comprehensive comparison between ALAC and FLAC. The choice between Apple Lossless and FLAC ultimately depends on your specific needs, operating system preferences, and device compatibility. If you would like to play Apple Music files on devices besides Apple devices, you can also convert Apple Lossless to FLAC. For you to convert ALAC to FLAC, all you need is to download software that will make it possible and the one I would recommend is the AMusicSoft Apple Music Converter.

AMusicSoft can effortlessly remove DRM protection from Apple Music and iTunes while keeping lossless audio quality. Without DRM, you can transfer them to any device for backup or listening to Apple Music songs offline. AMusicSoft Apple Music Converter can also work at a fast speed of 5X to convert your audio files on Apple Music to various formats, including MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, M4A, and M4B. All of these formats can easily be accessed and kept on any device, so playing them anytime and anywhere you want wouldn’t be that much concern on device compatibility. Most importantly, it saves ID3 tags and metadata after conversion for convenient song management.

Get FLAC File from Apple Music with AMusicSoft

Click download button to get AMusicSoft Apple Music Converter on your Windows/Mac for free. Maintaining the 100% quality of the original file, AMusicSoft can finish the conversion in few minutes with easy operation.

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Step 1. Open the converter and add the Apple Music songs by selecting them from your music collection. Just simply drag and drop the song to the plus icon. You can choose a whole playlist or a whole album so that you can convert your files efficiently.

Step 2. After selecting the songs that you want to convert, simply choose FLAC as the output format to use. We are suggesting inputting an output folder as well for easy access after the conversion process.

Step 3. If everything is all set, you can now begin the conversion process by clicking the “Convert” button. The status of your conversion is also visible on the main interface so you will never lose track of the progress. You can also see the downloaded FLAC files in the “Finished” section. You can also use the same method above in converting other audio formats so you can also transfer and listen to it to any programs or devices that you have.ction.

To Sum Everything Up

In this guide, you have known the difference between FLAC and ALAC. Now, you may wonder Apple lossless vs FLAC: which one is better? There is not much difference between Apple Lossless and FLAC, the quality of the songs is the same even after compression and both don’t consume much space. I think the criteria for choosing between the two is the program or device that you are going to use these audio formats.

If you are an Apple user then ALAC will be your choice but for devices that don’t support ALAC files then you can convert them to FLAC, either of which both produce the same audio quality. If you need to convert your audio file to FLAC, you ought to try AMusicSoft Apple Music Converter. The converter has audio-related features that allow you to convert audio format from one to another. Are you ready to get the FLAC file using AMusicSoft Apple Music Converter?

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