MP3 or MP4: the short answer
- Choose MP3 audio if you only want to listen.
- Choose MP4 video if you want to watch the music video.
- Choose MP4 audio if your player prefers MP4 files; it is sound only.
- Use Wi-Fi for MP4 video if your mobile data is limited.
MP3 audio is usually the practical choice on mobile data. MP4 video is larger because it includes the picture.
On this page5 sections
Search Tubidy for songs, artists or music videos
Audio vs Video
MP3 is an audio format: it stores sound only and plays in almost every music player, car stereo and phone. MP4 is a container that can hold video and audio. On Tubidy, MP4 video contains the music video with its sound, and MP4 audio contains sound only in an MP4 file.
Quality and File Size
In our checks each format came in one quality, so there is no menu to pick a bitrate or resolution. File size tells you how much data a download uses and how much space it takes on your phone, and MP4 video is usually much larger than the MP3 audio of the same song.
As a general rule, audio file size depends on bitrate and length. A four-minute track at 128 kbps is roughly 3.8 MB and at 320 kbps roughly 9.6 MB, before any file overhead. These are theoretical figures, not options on Tubidy.
A higher bitrate or a bigger file cannot add quality that the original recording does not have. Choose the format for what you want to do, not for a bigger number.
Choose for Your Device
| Situation | Good choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Listening on a phone with limited data | MP3 audio | Sound only, usually the smaller file |
| Watching the music video | MP4 video | The only option with the picture |
| A player that only opens MP4 files | MP4 audio | Sound only, in an MP4 container |
| Saving storage space | MP3 audio | Smaller than video for the same song |
Once saved, files play offline without using data again. The data-saving guide covers storage and mobile data in more detail.
Common Format Questions
Is MP3 better quality than MP4?
They do different jobs. MP3 audio is sound only; MP4 video adds the picture. For listening, MP3 audio is usually enough and uses less data.
Can I choose 320 kbps on Tubidy?
In our checks each format came in one quality, so there was no bitrate menu.
What is MP4 audio?
It is sound only, stored in an MP4 file. It is usually about the same size as the MP3 and suits players that prefer MP4 files.
