How do FLAC and AIFFcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
Free Lossless Audio Codec
FLAC is the leading open-source lossless audio format. It compresses audio files to about 50-60% of their original size without any quality loss — perfect for audiophiles and music archival.
Audio Interchange File Format
AIFF is Apple's uncompressed audio format, the macOS equivalent of WAV. It stores full-quality audio data and is commonly used in professional audio production on Apple systems.
| Specification | FLAC | AIFF |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Free Lossless Audio Codec | Audio Interchange File Format |
| Extension | .flac | .aiff |
| MIME type | audio/flac | audio/aiff |
| Category | Audio | Audio |
| Developer | Xiph.Org Foundation | Apple |
| Year introduced | 2001 | 1988 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
Both are excellent audio formats. FLAC is preferred for hi-fi music collections, while AIFF shines at professional audio on macos.
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.