Format comparison
RTF vs HTML
How do RTF and HTMLcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
.rtf
Full guide →Rich Text Format
RTF is a cross-platform document format that supports basic formatting like bold, italic, fonts, and colors. It's a universal middle ground between plain text and full document formats.
.html
Full guide →HyperText Markup Language
HTML is the standard markup language for creating web pages. While primarily a web technology, HTML files are also used as a portable document format with rich formatting and multimedia support.
| Specification | RTF | HTML |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rich Text Format | HyperText Markup Language |
| Extension | .rtf | .html |
| MIME type | application/rtf | text/html |
| Category | Document | Document |
| Developer | Microsoft | W3C / WHATWG |
| Year introduced | 1987 | 1993 |
RTF advantages
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Basic formatting support
- No macros — safer than DOC/DOCX
- Human-readable markup
RTF limitations
- Limited advanced formatting
- Larger than plain text
- No modern features like tables or charts
- Inconsistent rendering across editors
HTML advantages
- Viewable in any web browser
- Rich formatting and multimedia
- Accessible and searchable text
- Can include interactive elements
HTML limitations
- Not a fixed-layout format
- Rendering varies between browsers
- External resources may break links
- Not ideal for print or signing
Which should you use?
RTF and HTML serve different purposes. RTF is ideal for cross-platform document sharing, while HTML excels at web pages and email newsletters.
Best uses for RTF
Cross-platform document sharing
Simple formatted documents
Email-safe document attachments
Clipboard data exchange
Best uses for HTML
Web pages and email newsletters
Online documentation
E-book content (EPUB basis)
Report generation
Convert between RTF and HTML
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.