---
title: "Blue whale vs humpback whale — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Blue whale is 4.3× humpback whale on weight. Compared on 3 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/blue-whale-vs-humpback-whale/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Blue whale vs Humpback whale

**Blue whale vs humpback whale: Blue whale is larger on weight**

Blue whale is 4.3× humpback whale on weight.

A blue whale and a humpback whale can be compared on 3 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | Blue whale | Humpback whale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 50–190 t | 25–40 t |
| Length | 21–33.6 m | 12–17 m |
| Typical lifespan | 70–90 yr | 45–100 yr |

## What the numbers say

- Blue whale is 4.3× humpback whale on weight.
- Blue whale is 1.8× humpback whale on length.
- Blue whale is 1.6× humpback whale on typical lifespan.

*Weight compared.*

- Blue whale: 50–190 t
- Humpback whale: 25–40 t

## Blue whale

The largest animal known to have lived, heavier than any dinosaur and audible to other whales hundreds of kilometres away.

## Humpback whale

A baleen whale known for breaching, long complex songs, and pectoral fins a third of its body length.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, blue whale or humpback whale?

Blue whale is 4.3× humpback whale on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do blue whales and humpback whales compare on length?

Blue whale: 21–33.6 m. Humpback whale: 12–17 m. Blue whale is 1.8× humpback whale on length.

### How do blue whales and humpback whales compare on typical lifespan?

Blue whale: 70–90 yr. Humpback whale: 45–100 yr. Blue whale is 1.6× humpback whale on typical lifespan.

## Related pages

- [Humpback whale vs sperm whale](https://atoneplace.net/vs/humpback-whale-vs-sperm-whale/)
- [Blue whale vs fin whale](https://atoneplace.net/vs/blue-whale-vs-fin-whale/)
- [Blue whale vs sperm whale](https://atoneplace.net/vs/blue-whale-vs-sperm-whale/)
- [Humpback whale vs whale shark](https://atoneplace.net/vs/humpback-whale-vs-whale-shark/)
- [African elephant vs blue whale](https://atoneplace.net/vs/african-elephant-vs-blue-whale/)
- [Fin whale vs humpback whale](https://atoneplace.net/vs/fin-whale-vs-humpback-whale/)
- [Humpback whale vs lion's mane jellyfish](https://atoneplace.net/vs/humpback-whale-vs-lions-mane-jellyfish/)

## Sources

- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA (https://www.noaa.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]