FLAC vs WAV: Which Format Should You Use for Your Music?

You just bounced a master, a beat or a folder of stems, and your DAW or converter offers two lossless options: WAV and FLAC. Both keep all of your audio. So which one should you actually use, and does it matter for Spotify, your distributor or your DAW? Here's the clear version, based on what Spotify, Image-Line and Apple say themselves.

Quick answer

• Working in your DAW, bouncing stems or sending files to a mix engineer: WAV. It's the format every DAW opens without any extra steps.
• Archiving finished tracks or sending lots of files: FLAC. Same audio, smaller files, and room for tags and cover art.
• Delivering your release: check what your distributor accepts. Spotify itself prefers FLAC and also accepts WAV, but not every distributor takes FLAC.

What's the difference between FLAC and WAV?

A WAV file stores your audio uncompressed. Nothing is thrown away and nothing is packed, which is why WAV files are big.

FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. It packs the exact same audio into a smaller file, a bit like a ZIP file made specifically for audio. The official FLAC project describes it as compressing audio "without any loss in quality". When a FLAC is played or decoded, you get the original audio back, sample for sample.

That's the big difference with MP3. An MP3 gets small by throwing information away. A FLAC doesn't. Want the MP3 side of the story? Read WAV to MP3: which quality to choose and what you lose.

Does FLAC sound worse than WAV?

No. A FLAC made from a WAV holds the same audio data. Image-Line says it plainly in the FL Studio export manual: FLAC is a bit-perfect copy of the original data, and the compression is about file size, not about the audio.

The same goes for the FLAC compression level, which runs from 0 to 8. According to Image-Line, every level is bit-identical after decompression. A higher level just takes longer to encode for a slightly smaller file. The default level 5 is fine.

So if your WAV and your FLAC of the same song seem to sound different, the format isn't the reason. Check whether both files really come from the same master and play at the same volume.

How much smaller is a FLAC file?

That depends on the audio. Image-Line says FLAC files are typically 20 to 30% smaller than the equivalent WAV. Treat that as a ballpark: some tracks shrink more, some less. For one song it hardly matters, but for a hard drive full of beats, stems and old projects it adds up.

FLAC vs WAV side by side

Audio quality

Identical. Both are lossless. A WAV converted to FLAC and back to WAV gives you the same audio you started with.

Bit depth

In FL Studio you can export WAV as 16-bit, 24-bit or 32-bit float, and FLAC as 16-bit or 24-bit. Need 32-bit float to keep processing a file somewhere else? Use WAV. Not sure which bit depth you need? Read 16-bit vs 24-bit audio.

DAW support

WAV works everywhere. With FLAC it depends on your software. FL Studio exports FLAC and converts a FLAC to WAV when you load it into the Playlist, Edison or Slicex. Apple's list of supported file formats for Logic Pro mentions WAVE, AIFF, MP3, AAC and Apple Lossless, but not FLAC. Working in Logic? Convert your FLAC to WAV first.

Tags and cover art

The FLAC format has dedicated blocks for tags (like title and artist) and for embedded pictures. Handy if you want your own beats and finished tracks neatly labeled in a music library or on your phone.

Playback

According to the FLAC project, FLAC plays in common media players and in many car and home stereos. Still, if you're sending a file to someone and you don't know what they're using, a WAV (or an MP3 for a quick listen) is the safe choice.

FLAC or WAV for Spotify and your distributor?

Spotify's own support page on audio file formats says FLAC is the preferred format and WAV is also accepted, as long as it meets the same technical requirements:

• Stereo, with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz or higher.
• 24-bit if your master is 24-bit. 16-bit only if no higher bit depth master exists.
• One stereo master per track, at its native resolution.

Spotify also says it converts WAV files to FLAC itself, without loss. So there's no need to convert your WAV to FLAC just for Spotify.

You don't upload straight to Spotify, though. You go through a distributor, and they each have their own rules. A few examples:

• AWAL accepts WAV, FLAC and Apple Lossless, and prefers 24-bit WAV at 48 kHz.
• Ditto Music asks for WAV or MP3, at least 16-bit and 44.1 kHz, and doesn't mention FLAC.

Every distributor we checked accepted WAV. So if you're not sure, WAV is the safest bet. Always check the help page of your own distributor before you upload.

Two mistakes to avoid:

• Don't make a WAV or FLAC from an MP3. What the MP3 threw away doesn't come back. AWAL even says files created from a compressed format like MP3 should not be uploaded.
• Don't downgrade your master. Spotify asks you not to make a 16-bit version of a 24-bit master. Deliver the best version you have. Want to know which sample rate to keep? Read 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz.

When to choose WAV

• You're still producing, mixing or editing the audio.
• You're sending stems or vocals to a mix or mastering engineer.
• You work in Logic Pro or other software that doesn't open FLAC.
• You need 32-bit float.
• Your distributor doesn't accept FLAC, or you're not sure.

When to choose FLAC

• You want to archive finished masters and beats without filling your drive.
• You're sending a lot of lossless files through the cloud or email and want them smaller.
• You want title, artist and cover art inside the file.
• Your distributor accepts FLAC and you want a smaller upload.

How to convert FLAC to WAV (and WAV to FLAC)

With the free NameOnTheBeat Audio Converter you do it right in your browser. Your audio isn't uploaded and you don't need an account.

1. Open the Audio Converter and drop your FLAC file in the box (up to 150 MB per file).
2. Choose WAV as the format.
3. Keep the sample rate the same as your file, usually 44.1 kHz.
4. Click Convert. Your WAV downloads right away.

Good to know: the free version makes 16-bit WAV files. Is your FLAC a 24-bit master you want to deliver or keep working on? Then you want a 24-bit WAV, so you don't lose bit depth.

Going the other way, from WAV to FLAC, or converting a whole folder at once? Audio Converter Pro adds FLAC and 24-bit WAV, converts multiple files into one ZIP and writes tags and cover art into your files. It's a one-time purchase, no subscription.

In FL Studio you can also export FLAC straight from the export window. Before you send your master anywhere, it's worth checking loudness and true peak with the free Master Checker.

FAQ

Is FLAC really lossless?

Yes. FLAC compresses the file, not the sound. When it's decoded you get the original audio back, which is exactly what Image-Line means by a bit-perfect copy.

Can I upload FLAC to Spotify?

Spotify prefers FLAC, but you upload through a distributor. Whether you can use FLAC depends on that distributor. If it only lists WAV, upload a WAV. Spotify converts it to FLAC without loss.

Can Logic Pro open FLAC files?

Apple's list of supported file formats for Logic Pro doesn't include FLAC. Convert the file to WAV first and you're good to go.

Does converting MP3 to FLAC or WAV improve the quality?

No. You get a bigger file that sounds exactly like the MP3. Always go back to your original WAV or FLAC if you still have it.

Is it safe to convert WAV to FLAC and back?

Yes, as long as you keep the same bit depth and sample rate. FLAC is lossless, so converting back and forth doesn't cost you any audio.

Looking for more free tools for your tracks, like a BPM and key finder, chord generator or slowed + reverb maker? Check out all our free music tools.