SS 304 vs SS 316 Stainless Steel: Difference, Composition, Corrosion & Which to Choose (India)

SS 304 and SS 316 both belong to the 18/8 austenitic family, but one contains an ingredient the other doesn't: molybdenum. SS 316 carries 2-3% of it, along with a touch more nickel, and that's the whole story behind why it shrugs off chlorides, salt spray and pitting so much better than SS 304 does. The tradeoff is cost. You pay more for that resistance.

SS 304 handles the everyday jobs. Kitchens, architectural trim, general fabrication work, it's the workhorse grade most shops reach for by default. SS 316 comes into play once salt or harsh chemicals enter the picture, which is why it's the standard choice for marine hardware and chemical processing equipment. Strip away everything else and that one molybdenum line is really what decides the matchup in almost any 304 vs 316 comparison.

Jindal Stainless (JSL) makes both grades covered on this page. That's genuine JSL flat product, not Jindal SAW, not JSPL or JSW pipe, and not carbon-steel material. This guide covers ss 304 vs ss 316 (also written ss304 vs ss316 and 304 vs 316 ss) as sheet, plate and coil. It answers the common jindal ss 304 vs 316 / jindal 304 vs 316 buying question directly: which grade should you actually order, and where.

By the Relinox Technical Team, Jindal Stainless MoU Partner, working out of Ajmeri Gate, one of Delhi's biggest stainless steel markets.

What's the difference between SS 304 and SS 316?

SS 304 and 316 both fall under the austenitic 300-series family, built on a chromium-nickel base, so both hold up well against rust in ordinary air, water and food contact. The real split comes down to one alloying element. 316 adds 2–3% molybdenum and packs in more nickel besides. That molybdenum is the piece that shields the passive film from chloride attack: salt spray, coastal air, de-icing salt, pool water, process chemicals. It's not that one grade rusts and the other doesn't. The difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel is really about where each one holds its corrosion resistance.

Put plainly, the difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel (in Hindi-market terms, 304 aur 316 me antar) is this:

• SS 304, no molybdenum, ~18% Cr / 8–10.5% Ni, the general-purpose "18/8" grade.
• SS 316, 2–3% Mo, ~16–18% Cr / 10–14% Ni, the chloride-resistant "marine grade".
• Everything else, density, strength, temperature limit, weldability, is near-identical.

SS 304 vs SS 316: side-by-side comparison table

For the full owned specification of each grade, see full SS 304 composition & properties and the SS 316 grade specification.

Chemical composition compared: 304 vs 316 composition

Chromium, nickel and molybdenum are the three elements that separate 304 from 316, and here they're bolded to make the point. The figures below come straight from the published ranges in ASTM A240, mirrored by IS 6911. The real story is molybdenum: 304 carries none, 316 does, and that gap in moly content is what the rest of this comparison turns on.

Jindal's 304 gets the nickname 18/8 for a reason: roughly 18% chromium, 8% nickel. 316 picks up the 18/10 + Mo tag instead. So if you've run across the shorthand 18/8 vs 18/10 stainless steel before, it's the same comparison at work, 316 just carries more nickel and throws molybdenum into the mix. The figures given are standard specification limits, not measured values. For the actual heat analysis, check the mill test certificate (MTC) that ships with each Jindal coil.

Corrosion resistance: where 316 wins

If you're asking whether 304 or 316 resists corrosion better, the answer is 316. But that only matters in certain conditions. In ordinary atmosphere, fresh water and food contact, 304 already holds up fine, and there's no real reason to pay more for 316. Chlorides change the picture. Molybdenum pushes up 316's pitting-resistance number (PREN, roughly ~24-28 for 316 versus ~18-20 for 304), which lets it keep its passive film intact in conditions where 304 would start pitting.

Saltwater, coastal work, marine hardware, that's 316 territory. Salt spray on seafront railings, jetty fittings, anything brackish water touches: this is where the tradeoff between 304 vs 316 for marine environments tips firmly toward 316. Swimming-pool fixtures and chloride-heavy process streams call for it too. Inland, away from chlorides, 304 holds up just fine.

Magnetism, strength & temperature

On the common question 304 vs 316 magnetic, and is 316 magnetic vs 304, both grades are austenitic. That means they're essentially non-magnetic when annealed. Heavy cold-working, deep drawing or hard bending, can make either one mildly magnetic. A fridge magnet won't reliably tell 304 from 316. Don't use magnetism to grade-check between them.

Strength, hardness and temperature. Strength, hardness and general mechanical properties barely differ between 304 and 316. Temperature behavior tracks the same way: both grades handle continuous service up to roughly 870 °C, with similar oxidation resistance, so heat resistance rarely settles the choice between them. As for welding, both take to standard TIG or MIG practice without fuss, using matching filler (308L for 304, 316L for 316). 316 isn't any harder to fabricate.

Mechanical values stay within the standard limits per ASTM A240. Density runs about 8.0 g/cm³ for both grades, so a 304 sheet and a 316 sheet of the same size come out at the same weight. Check either one on our sheet weight calculator.

Cost & price difference: is 316 more expensive than 304?

Indicative Delhi market ranges (CR 2B sheet): SS 304 trades around ₹185–250/kg; SS 316/316L around ₹280–360/kg, the molybdenum premium is roughly ₹95–110/kg. Band tables: 304 price · 316 price. Indicative Delhi market ranges, reviewed October 2026, rates move daily with nickel; confirm today's exact rate on RFQ.

304 vs 316 price difference: yes, 316 costs more than 304. Simple as that.

The extra molybdenum and the higher nickel content both track LME pricing, and together they push 316 above 304. That gap doesn't sit still, though. It stretches or shrinks with the alloy market rather than holding at some fixed number. So call the 304 vs 316 cost premium real, but don't expect it to stay put.

We don't print a fixed rate here because it changes daily. For the 304 vs 316 rate today and the current rate per kg, check our dated indicative price lists, today's SS 304 sheet rate per kg and today's SS 316 sheet rate per kg. Or just send your requirement through the RFQ form, and we'll confirm the price today for your size and quantity.

Applications: which grade for which job in India

Match the grade to the job, not to some vague notion of "better" or "worse." The table below covers the usual 304 vs 316 questions for kitchen, food and utensils work, plus 304 vs 316 for outdoor, architectural and railing jobs, along with the chloride-heavy cases where 316 earns its premium. This is also where the marine grade vs food grade stainless steel split comes in: 304 is the standard food-grade sheet, and 316 is the marine grade.

For pharma and dairy CIP lines, engineers often specify low-carbon 316L instead of plain 316, see 316 vs 316L, the carbon difference and the SS 316L grade page. For deeper dives by application, check out kitchen equipment and pharma & dairy equipment.

How to tell 304 and 316 apart

The reliable ways to check SS 304 and 316 don't rely on a magnet. Testing 304 vs 316 comes down to a few methods:

• Molybdenum spot test, a chemical drop test that reacts to the Mo present only in 316.
• Mill test certificate (MTC), read the heat analysis; 316 shows 2–3% Mo, 304 shows none.
• PMI / spectrometer, an XRF or optical analyser reads the alloy directly.

For the full step-by-step method, including how to spot re-rolled bazaar stock, see how to test genuine 304/316 stainless.

Which should you choose? 304 or 316

Ask which is better, 304 or 316, and the honest answer is: it depends. There's no universal winner here; the right pick comes down to the environment the metal will actually work in:

• Choose SS 304 for kitchens, utensils, furniture, cladding, railings inland, water tanks and general fabrication. It's the default, and it's the cheaper option.
• Choose SS 316 when chlorides come into play, coastal or marine exposure, swimming pools, pharma/dairy CIP, chemical process work, or salt-laden air. Step up to 316L where thicker welded sections call for low carbon.

Rule of thumb: default to 304. Upgrade to 316 the moment salt or chemicals enter the picture.

Buy genuine Jindal 304 & 316 from Relinox

Relinox Stainless holds status as a Jindal Stainless MoU partner, which makes it an authorized channel for genuine JSL-melted material rather than re-rolled bazaar stock. We operate as a stainless 304 vs 316 stainless steel dealer and distributor, and we work just as actively as a ss 304 316 supplier, stockist and trader. Both grades sit in our stock as verified Jindal flat product. Buyers searching for a 304 316 sheet dealer in delhi, or those sending in a price today enquiry, can order either grade in:

• ss 304 vs 316 sheet and coil, see 304 & 316 sheet.
• 304 vs 316 plate, see stainless steel plates.
• Patta-patti, circles and cut-to-size, all on genuine Jindal base.

Jindal Stainless produces every batch we ship, and each dispatch carries a mill test certificate (MTC) confirming conformance to ASTM A240 / IS 6911. We're a distributor and stockist based at Ajmeri Gate, one of Delhi's main stainless steel markets. Dispatch covers all of India.

Send your requirement via the RFQ form for a quote with MTC, or open a dealer pricing enquiry if you resell. More on the partnership: Jindal Stainless MoU partnership and our quality & mill test certificates.

Related comparisons & resources

• 316 vs 316L difference, the carbon story, covers 304 vs 316L and picking between 316 and 316L.
• Which stainless is food grade, 304 or 316, answers the food grade stainless steel 304 or 316 question in full.
• Other grade comparisons: 202 vs 304, 201 vs 304, 304 vs 430.
• Standards: ASTM A240 · IS 6911. Grades hub: all stainless grades. Guides hub: all guides.
• Tools: calculate sheet weight in kg · SS sheet weight chart.

Frequently asked questions