About this tool
FLAC is ideal for archiving music but awkward for phones, car stereos, and streaming uploads. Convert to MP3 at 320 kbps for a copy that sounds identical to nearly everyone at a third of the size.
About the formats: FLAC is lossless compressed audio: identical to the CD or master, at roughly half the size of WAV. Great for archiving, awkward for phones, car stereos, and streaming uploads. MP3 is the universal lossy audio format. Practically every device, car stereo, and app made in the last 25 years plays it, and at 192-320 kbps it is indistinguishable from the original for most listeners.
FLAC and MP3, side by side
| .flac in | .mp3 out | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Typical size | 5 MB per minute | 1 MB per minute at 128 kbps |
| Plays on | Most players; not iTunes | Everything |
| Best for | CD rips, archives | Sharing, players, podcasts |
Rows where the two differ are marked. The full story on each: FLAC files and MP3 files.
How to use it
- Drop your FLAC files into the box above, or click to browse. Nothing is uploaded.
- Adjust the options if you want; the defaults suit most files.
- Click Convert to MP3 and wait a moment.
- Download the results individually or all at once as a ZIP.
Questions
Which bitrate keeps FLAC quality best?
320 kbps is the highest MP3 quality and effectively transparent. 256 kbps is a good balance if space matters.
Are tags (artist, album, cover) kept?
Title, artist, and album metadata are carried over where possible; embedded cover art is not.
Is it free, are files uploaded, which browsers work: the general questions are answered once for the whole site.