CSV vs JSON

Compare CSV and JSON for tabular data, APIs and spreadsheets, and learn when to convert between them.

CSV and JSON are both common for exchanging data, but CSV is tabular and spreadsheet-friendly while JSON is nested and universal on the web.

CSV ↔ JSON Converter

  • A flat, tabular format that spreadsheets and data tools import natively.
  • Compact for large homogeneous datasets with a fixed column layout.
  • No standard for nesting, data types or quoting beyond basic conventions.
Open CSV ↔ JSON Converter

JSON Formatter

  • Nested, self-describing structure that maps directly to programming language objects.
  • The default for web APIs and JavaScript, with native support in browsers.
  • More verbose than CSV for flat data, and requires a schema to be useful for tabular tooling.
Open JSON Formatter

Verdict

Use CSV for spreadsheets and flat tabular data, and JSON for nested, API-oriented data. Converting between them is lossless only when the data is flat.