All formats
FLAC vs WAV
Both are lossless and hold identical audio. FLAC is about half the size and carries tags and cover art; WAV has no compression and weak tagging, but is the format audio software and hardware accept without question. Store FLAC, work in WAV.
Side by side
| Spec | FLAC | WAV |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Audio | Audio |
| Extensions | .flac | .wav |
| Introduced | 2001 | 1991 |
| Compression | Lossless | Uncompressed |
| MIME type | audio/flac | audio/wav |
| Use it when | Archiving audio where quality must be preserved exactly but size still matters. | Recording, editing and mastering, or handing audio to someone who will process it further. |
| Avoid it when | Streaming or distributing to a general audience, where a lossy format is far more practical. | Sending audio to listeners or over a network. Export MP3, AAC or FLAC. |
Where the usual answer breaks
Some DAWs and older hardware samplers cannot import FLAC at all, which forces WAV in the studio.
FLAC
- Lossless, so it decodes bit-for-bit identical to the source
- Roughly half the size of the equivalent WAV
- Strong metadata and embedded cover art support
- Still much larger than MP3 or AAC
- Not supported by some older or more restrictive hardware players
WAV
- Completely lossless and uncompressed, ideal for editing
- No decode overhead, so it is fast to process
- Universally supported by audio software
- Very large files, around 10 MB per stereo minute at CD quality
- Metadata support is weak compared with MP3 or FLAC
- The classic format has a 4 GB file size ceiling
Convert between FLAC and WAV
Other comparisons
Last updated 2026-08-03