AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is a lossy audio format that is the successor to MP3. It offers better sound quality than MP3 at the same bitrate.
AAC files are much smaller than FLAC and are natively supported on Apple devices, iPhones, and iTunes. It is a good choice for mobile listening.
At 256 kbps AAC, the difference from lossless FLAC is very hard to detect for most listeners.
Yes. AAC is natively supported on all Android devices and is the default format for many streaming services.
Yes. AAC supports gapless playback, which is important for albums where tracks flow into each other.
AAC-LC (Low Complexity) is the standard profile used for music. AAC-HE (High Efficiency) uses spectral band replication for better quality at very low bitrates, used in streaming and radio.
Yes. AAC is natively supported in all Apple software including iMovie, Final Cut Pro, and GarageBand.