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LAME vs fre:ac: catalog facts
LAME	fre:ac
Free Free and open source under the LGPL.	Free Free to use; the project accepts donations.
Windows, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux
High MP3 quality at mid to high bitrates and VBR Long development history and still actively released	Wide range of input and output formats Converts whole libraries and keeps folder structure
Encodes MP3 only No graphical interface of its own	Releases are infrequent Interface is functional rather than modern
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: LGPL	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.