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LAME vs qaac: catalog facts
LAME	qaac
Free Free and open source under the LGPL.	Free Free to download, with source published on GitHub.
Windows, Command line	Windows, Command line
High MP3 quality at mid to high bitrates and VBR Long development history and still actively released	Uses Apple's AAC encoder on Windows Encodes both AAC and ALAC
Encodes MP3 only No graphical interface of its own	Command line only, no graphical interface Windows only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: LGPL	License: Public Domain
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 October 2, 2026

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