MP4 vs MOV
How do MP4 and MOVcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
.mp4
Full guide →MPEG-4 Part 14
MP4 is the most widely used video format in the world. It's the default for everything from YouTube to TikTok, smartphones to streaming services. If you need one video format that works everywhere, MP4 is it.
.mov
Full guide →QuickTime Movie
MOV is Apple's video format, native to macOS and iOS. iPhones record video in MOV format by default. It supports high quality and professional features but works best within the Apple ecosystem.
| Specification | MP4 | MOV |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | MPEG-4 Part 14 | QuickTime Movie |
| Extension | .mp4 | .mov |
| MIME type | video/mp4 | video/quicktime |
| Category | Video | Video |
| Developer | ISO / Moving Picture Experts Group | Apple |
| Year introduced | 2001 | 1991 |
MP4 advantages
- Universal compatibility
- Excellent compression with H.264/H.265
- Supports subtitles and multiple audio tracks
- Streaming-friendly with progressive download
MP4 limitations
- Lossy compression
- Patent-encumbered codecs
- Quality varies greatly by encoding settings
- Large files at high quality
MOV advantages
- High quality video support
- Native Apple ecosystem format
- Professional-grade features
- Supports ProRes codec
MOV limitations
- Large file sizes
- Less compatible outside Apple
- Requires QuickTime on Windows
- Not ideal for web streaming
Which should you use?
MP4 is the universal standard — it works everywhere. MOV has its niche: iphone and ipad video recording. When in doubt, convert to MP4 for maximum compatibility.
Best uses for MP4
Best uses for MOV
Convert between MP4 and MOV
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.