Difference Between Synchronous and Asynchronous Counter

 

Basis for Comparison	Synchronous Counter	Asynchronous Counter
Also called	Parallel Counter	Serial Counter
Principle of operation	Each flip flop is triggered with same clock signal at the same time.	Each flip flop is triggered with different clock signal at different instant of time.
Decoding errors	Not produced	Produced
Operating speed	Fast	Comparatively slow
Design	Complex	Simple
Delay in signal propagation	Very Low	Comparatively high
Count sequence	Not Fixed	Fixed
Response to clock signal	Each flip-flop changes its state simultaneously.	There is no simultaneous change in the state of all flip flops with change in clock input.
Overall settling time	Maximum settling time out of the settling time of each flip flop in the configuration.	Summation of settling time of each individual flip-flop.
Flip-flop direct interconnection	Not Exist	Exist
Applications	In moving machine controlling, alarms clocks, multiplexing circuits, etc.	In ring and johnson counters, frequency dividers, etc.