FLV VS MOV
The ultimate comparison guide. Understanding the technical differences between Flash Video and QuickTime Movie.
FLV
flvLegacy streaming container widely used before HTML5 video adoption.
Pros
- Small file sizes
- Progressive playback
- Easy to embed in legacy players
Cons
- Deprecated technology
- No iOS/Android support
- Must be converted for modern browsers
MOV
movMultimedia framework developed by Apple, common in editing.
Pros
- Professional editing standard
- Alpha channel support (ProRes)
- High quality
Cons
- Large file sizes
- Compatibility issues on Windows
When FLV wins
Stay with FLV when you need legacy archives or intranet training portals. Its strengths center on small file sizes and a feature set native to Macromedia.
When MOV wins
Choose MOV when your workflow prioritizes video editing or apple devices. It delivers professional editing standard plus modern compression perks.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | FLV | MOV |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | video/x-flv | video/quicktime |
| Developer | Macromedia | Apple |
| Release Year | 2002 | 1991 |
| Best For | Legacy archives, Intranet training portals | Video editing, Apple devices, Post-production |
Need to switch?
Where FLV still wins
Keep FLV when you need small file sizes and workflows depend on legacy archives / intranet training portals. Link those teams directly to the converter above so they can ship MOV deliverables without leaving their browser.
- • Reference the .flv glossary from this page.
- • Embed the conversion CTA in docs, wikis, and onboarding runbooks.
- • Use MOV for video editing while archiving originals as FLV.
Keep crawlers in the conversion hub
Link this comparison to the relevant tool, glossary, and documentation pages so every crawl discovers a monetizable route.