MP4 Vs FLV | Difference | Comparison

MP4 and FLV are two file formats that are sued in storing and streaming videos. Here this article gives the difference between MP4 and FLV to better understand this topic.

MP4 Vs FLV | Difference between MP4 and FLV

  1. Used: MP4 can be used on any device and platform, including desktop and mobile. FLV is compatible with web browsers but not with mobile browsers.
  2. Popular: MP4 is more popular in portable devices, and FLV is more popular in video streaming.
  3. File extension: The file extension of MP4 is .mp4 and the File extension of FLV is .flv.
  4. A plug-in is not necessary for the MP4 format whereas it is needed for the FLV file format.
  5. Format: The MIME type of MP4 format is video only, MIME type of FLV format is video and x-flv.
  6. Battery: MP4 files use less battery than FLV files.
  7. Developed: MP4 is developed by the moving picture expert group, And FLV is developed by adobe systems.
  8. Support: Mp4 support subtitle, whereas FLV does not support subtitle.
  9. Size: MP4 size is smaller, FLV size is larger
  10. Platform: Most platforms have dedicated MP4 decoding hardware, therefore MP4 playback is smooth on all platforms. FLV is the best streaming video on the internet, it does not play smoothly on mobile devices.
  11. System: An international organization for standardization develops the MP4 format. Whereas the FLV format is developed by adobe systems.
  12. Special features: MP4 is supports chapters, subtitles, menus, and metadata, on the other hand, FLV supports progressive download for streaming.
  13. Compatibility: MP4 is fully compatible with H.264 while FLV isn't compatible with H.264.
  14. Security: MP4 is more secure with encryption option available, on the other hand Potential security vulnerabilities due to flash players in FLV.
  15. Streaming and Downloading: MP4 is ideal for streaming and downloading video of any length, but FLV is suitable for short online videos due to smaller size. 
  16. Editing and Manipulation: MP4 is widely supported by various video editing tools, FLV is limited editing tools available in specific software.
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