FormatDrop
Audio Format

APE

Monkey's Audio

APE is a lossless audio format created by Matthew Ashland and released in 2000 under the brand name 'Monkey's Audio.' It achieves the highest compression ratios among popular lossless codecs — APE files are typically 10–20% smaller than equivalent FLAC files. The trade-off is slow encoding/decoding, limited hardware support, and a non-open-source license. APE is primarily found in older audiophile communities and Eastern European music sharing circles.

What is APE?

Monkey's Audio uses a linear prediction algorithm combined with range coding to achieve exceptional lossless compression. The decoded output is bit-perfect — mathematically identical to the original PCM audio. APE files use the .ape extension and are typically accompanied by a .cue sheet that marks track boundaries within an album rip. The format supports multiple compression levels (Fast, Normal, High, Extra High, Insane) — higher levels achieve smaller files but are exponentially slower to encode and decode.

APE pros and cons

Advantages

  • Highest compression ratio among popular lossless codecs (10–20% smaller than FLAC)
  • Bit-perfect lossless audio — identical to the original recording
  • Widely supported in audiophile software (foobar2000, MusicBee, VLC)
  • APE + CUE rips are common in archive communities for full album rips

Limitations

  • No native mobile support — no iOS, no Android
  • Slow decoding, especially at high compression levels (can skip/stutter)
  • Non-free license — not truly open-source
  • No streaming capability (requires full decode before seeking)
  • Not supported by most portable music players, smart speakers, or car stereos
  • FLAC achieves comparable compression with far better compatibility

When should you convert APE files?

Convert APE to FLAC for virtually all use cases — FLAC is universally supported, faster to decode, and sounds identical. APE's slight size advantage is rarely worth the compatibility headaches. Convert APE + CUE to individual FLAC track files using foobar2000 or FFmpeg. Never convert APE to MP3 or AAC unless you specifically need a portable lossy format — this permanently discards audio data. Keep APE only if you have specific software that uses it or if you're maintaining an APE-format archive and storage space is extremely tight.

Convert APE files

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APE FAQ

How do I play APE files?
Desktop: foobar2000 (Windows, free), VLC (all platforms), MusicBee (Windows), Clementine (cross-platform). Mac: VLC, Vox, or convert to FLAC first using Max or XLD. Linux: VLC, mpv, or install ffmpeg and convert to FLAC. Mobile: no native support on iOS or Android — convert to FLAC or AAC for mobile playback.
How do I convert APE to FLAC?
FFmpeg command: ffmpeg -i input.ape output.flac — this is a lossless conversion (no quality loss). For APE+CUE albums, use foobar2000 (Windows): right-click the CUE file → Convert → FLAC. On Mac, use Max (free) or XLD which handles CUE sheets and splits the APE into individual FLAC tracks with proper tags.
Is APE better quality than FLAC?
No — they're both lossless and decode to identical PCM audio. APE achieves slightly smaller files at the cost of much slower processing. Quality is mathematically identical; there are no perceptual or technical differences in the decoded audio.
What is a CUE file that comes with APE?
A CUE sheet (.cue) is a plain-text file that describes the track listing of a disc image. APE+CUE is a common format for full album rips — the entire album is in one large APE file, and the CUE file tells players where each track starts and ends. Software like foobar2000 and VLC read the CUE file to let you navigate by track without splitting the APE file.

More formats

HEICWebPAVIFEPUBWebMOpusMP3WAVM4AFLACAACMP4AVIMKVMOVJPGPNGGIFSVGTIFFICOBMPEPSARWOGGWMVPPTXPagesPDFDOCXRAWHEVCH.264AIFFM4VWMA3GPDNGRTFPSDOGVTSFLVAIXLSXCSVZIPAPNGMIDIJPEG XLMPG/MPEGVOBM2TSAC3ALACDTSJP2HEIFCBZ3G2SRTDOCPPTXLSODTODSM3URAR7ZM4BAMRTXTMOBITARGZJSONXMLYAMLKEYMTSCR2NEFMXFTGACAFASSVTTDSFRMF4VWVASFRMVBORFRW2EAC-3TTA