M4A vs MP3
M4A (AAC audio) sounds a little better than MP3 at the same bitrate and is the default for iPhones and iTunes. MP3 is older and slightly less efficient, but every car stereo, speaker and player ever made can play it.
MPEG-4 Audio
Choose M4A when
- Apple devices and apps
- Best quality at lower bitrates
- Voice memos and podcasts from an iPhone
MPEG-1 Audio Layer III
Choose MP3 when
- Older car stereos, MP3 players and speakers
- Maximum compatibility
- Uploading to services that ask for MP3
Side by side
| Property | M4A | MP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | MPEG-4 Audio | MPEG-1 Audio Layer III |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Audio | — | — |
| Typical quality | 128–256 kbps AAC | 128–320 kbps |
| Typical size | About 1 MB a minute at 128 kbps | About 1 MB a minute at 128 kbps, 2.4 MB at 320 kbps |
| Support | Almost everywhere | Opens everywhere |
| Opens on | Apple devices, Android, browsers and most players; some older car stereos, Windows apps and forms refuse it | Every phone, computer, car stereo, speaker and app |
| Best for | Good-sounding audio at small sizes | Music and voice that has to play on anything |
| Introduced | 2003 | 1993 |
Watch out with M4A
An .m4a can also hold lossless ALAC audio, several times larger; the extension alone doesn’t tell you which.
Watch out with MP3
Converting a low-bitrate MP3 to 320 kbps makes it bigger without making it sound any better; what was thrown away is gone.
Need to switch?
Convert in your browser in a few seconds. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no size limit.
Questions
Is M4A better than MP3?
M4A (AAC audio) sounds a little better than MP3 at the same bitrate and is the default for iPhones and iTunes. MP3 is older and slightly less efficient, but every car stereo, speaker and player ever made can play it.
Which is smaller, M4A or MP3?
M4A is usually smaller for the same content. M4A: About 1 MB a minute at 128 kbps. MP3: About 1 MB a minute at 128 kbps, 2.4 MB at 320 kbps.
How do I convert M4A to MP3?
Use the free M4A to MP3 converter. It runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded.
How do I convert MP3 to M4A?
Use the free MP3 to M4A converter. It works the same way, entirely on your device.