| MP4 | MOV | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Metadata | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open / royalty-free | - | - |
| Defined by | MPEG / ISO | Apple |
| Since | 2001 | - |
| Best for | sharing video with anyone, anywhere | editing on a Mac |
MP4
H.264 video and AAC audio. Plays on absolutely everything.
MOV
Apple's QuickTime container. What iPhones and Macs record by default.
Questions
MP4 or MOV: which is smaller?
It depends on the content; see our measured benchmarks on the conversion pages.
Can I convert MP4 to MOV?
Yes, in your browser, nothing uploaded.
And MOV to MP4?
Yes, as well.