MP4 vs MKV vs MOV: which should you pick?

YouTube Turbo Downloader can save a video as MP4, MKV or MOV. They are three containers for the same kind of picture and sound. Here is how to choose in ten seconds.

The short answer

MP4 if you want it to play everywhere. In this extension it covers up to 1080p at 60 frames per second.
MKV if you want 1440p or 4K. It is a flexible container that VLC and most modern players open.
MOV if you edit in Apple apps such as QuickTime or Final Cut Pro.

MP4: the universal one

MP4 plays on phones, tablets, TVs, game consoles and every browser. If you are not sure, choose MP4. The trade-off in this extension is the resolution ceiling: MP4 goes up to 1080p at 60 fps.

MKV: for the highest resolutions

MKV can hold the codecs YouTube uses for its highest resolutions, which is why the extension offers 1440p and 4K as MKV. Support is excellent on computers (VLC, mpv and others), but some TVs, consoles and phone galleries are pickier.

MOV: made for Apple apps

MOV is Apple's container. If you edit footage on a Mac or play it in QuickTime, MOV avoids an extra conversion step.

Does the container change quality?

No. The container is the box; the picture quality comes from the resolution and codec you choose. A 1080p MP4 and a 1080p MKV of the same video should look very similar. What changes is where the file will play and which resolutions are available.

Questions

Which is best for editing?

MOV on a Mac, MP4 on most other editors. Check what your editing program accepts.

Why can't I pick MP4 for 4K?

In this extension 4K and 1440p are offered as MKV. Choose MKV for those resolutions, or MP4 for up to 1080p.

My TV will not play the MKV. What now?

Try playing the file with VLC on a computer, or download the 1080p MP4 version instead for devices that are strict about formats.

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