What is the difference between FLAC and MP3?

FLAC compresses audio losslessly to roughly half the size of WAV, with the original samples fully recoverable. It supports proper metadata tagging, making it the standard choice for archival ripping and audiophile libraries. MP3 is a lossy audio format that discards detail the ear is least likely to notice, producing files roughly a tenth the size of WAV. Newer codecs are more efficient, but nothing matches MP3 for sheer playback compatibility.

Will I lose anything converting FLAC to MP3?

Yes — MP3 is lossy, so some detail is discarded permanently in exchange for a much smaller file. A FLAC is already about half the size of the equivalent WAV, so expect roughly a fivefold reduction from here. At sensible bitrates most people cannot hear the difference on ordinary playback equipment. Keep your FLAC original as the master, because you cannot get back what the encoder throws away.

Anything to watch out for with MP3?

192kbps is the practical sweet spot for music; 128kbps is fine for speech; below 96kbps artefacts become audible on most material. MP3 cannot represent true gapless playback without encoder-specific padding metadata, which is why some albums click between tracks.

What bitrate should I use?

For music, 192kbps MP3 or 128kbps Opus is the point where most people stop hearing a difference from the source. For speech and podcasts you can go much lower — 96kbps MP3 or 64kbps Opus is transparent for voice. Going above 256kbps on a lossy codec mostly just makes the file bigger.

What should I know about starting from FLAC?

FLAC is losslessly compressed, so everything in the original recording is still present and can be re-encoded any number of times without compounding loss. More broadly: FLAC compresses audio losslessly — typically to 50-60% of the WAV size — with the original samples recoverable bit-for-bit. It is the standard format for archival ripping, audiophile distribution and anywhere a master needs to survive future re-encoding without generational loss.

When is MP3 the right choice?

MP3 suits: maximum compatibility — anything with a speaker plays MP3; podcasts, audiobooks and spoken word; sharing where you cannot control the recipient's player. It is the wrong choice when archival, since the discarded detail cannot be recovered.

Is there a file size limit?

No hard limit — the constraint is your browser's memory. Files under 50MB convert in a few seconds. Larger files work but take longer, and a browser tab typically has 250-500MB to play with, so very large batches are better split into smaller groups.

Does this work on mobile?

Yes. The drop zone falls back to your phone's file picker, and the conversion runs on-device exactly as it does on desktop. Large files are slower on a phone because there is less CPU and memory available, but nothing about the workflow changes.

Convert FLAC to MP3

Convert a lossless FLAC library to MP3 for phones, cars and anything short on storage. Keep the FLAC as your master. Free, in your browser, no upload.

Drop audio files to convert

WAV, MP3, M4A (AAC), AAC, OGG, Opus, FLAC

Files stay on your device. Open DevTools' Network tab to verify.

Bitrate192 kbps

MP3/AAC/Opus and decoding compressed input use browser WebCodecs; available in modern browsers only.

Overview

Why convert FLAC to MP3

FLAC is already compressed — losslessly, to roughly half the size of WAV — so this is not about saving space in the abstract. It is about fitting a library onto a phone, or feeding a player that will not take FLAC. Converting to MP3 discards detail permanently, so keep the FLAC: it is your master, and you can re-encode from it any number of times without compounding loss.

Comparison

FLAC vs MP3: what actually differs

FLAC compared with MP3 across encoding, fidelity, file size and support.
Attribute	FLAC	MP3
Full name	Free Lossless Audio Codec	MPEG-1 Audio Layer III
Encoding	Binary	Binary
Fidelity	Lossless — bit-for-bit identical to the source on decode	Lossy — detail is permanently discarded
Typical size	Roughly 50-60% of the equivalent WAV	About 1MB per minute at 128kbps; 1.5MB at 192kbps
Support	All modern browsers and players; Apple added support in iOS 11.	Universal, including hardware too old for anything newer.

How to

How to convert FLAC to MP3

01
Drop your FLAC file
Drag one or more FLAC files onto the drop zone above, or click to browse. Files stay on your device — there is no upload step.
02
Convert to MP3
convert.now parses the FLAC and writes it out as MP3 in a Web Worker, so the page stays responsive even on large files. Nothing is sent anywhere.
03
Download the result
Download the MP3 file, or a zip of all of them for a batch. Filenames are preserved, with the extension changed to .mp3.

Why here

Why convert.now

Private
Files stay in your browser. No upload step. Nothing for anyone to see.
Fast
No queue, no upload wait. Conversion starts the moment you drop a file.
Free
No ads. No file-count limit. No sign-up wall. Just the converter.

FAQ

FLAC to MP3: common questions

No. The FLAC to MP3 conversion runs entirely in your browser. Files never leave your device, and there is no server involved in the conversion at all. Open DevTools' Network tab and run a conversion if you want to confirm it — you will see the page and its code load, and no request carrying your file.

Related FLAC converters

Last updated 27 August 2026

Why convert FLAC to MP3

FLAC vs MP3: what actually differs

How to convert FLAC to MP3

Drop your FLAC file

Convert to MP3

Download the result

Why convert.now

FLAC to MP3: common questions

Related FLAC converters