Because Seth MacFarlane created both Family Guy and American Dad, it's practically impossible for people not to compare the two shows. He also plays a significant main role in both shows — the eponymous character in both cases: Peter Griffin, the titular family guy of Family Guy, and Stan Smith, the titular American dad of American Dad.

The animation style is essentially exactly the same, and the titles indicate that the shows are even similar in premise. However, in many ways, American Dad is significantly better than Family Guy. In fact, Family Guy 's poor reputation has only served to push people away from American Dad when it is arguably one of the best animated shows on television right now, if not one of the best shows on television right now.

10/10 The Humor On American Dad Is More Intelligent

Ricky Spanish on American Dad

Each of the jokes on American Dad is constructed with tact and elegance that is rarely found on television. While Family Guy tends to go for the obvious joke, and often the crudest one, American Dad is much the opposite. Episodes like "The Hand That Rocks The Rogu" have intelligent jokes with practically perfect execution.

After Billy snaps the curly fry he and Snot had been holding, he time-travels backwards and says he lost his flip-flops over the Indian Ocean. Snot says, "Not the red Havaianas," which sees Billy looking down with grief; Snot replies, then, "It was the red Havaianas." So many jokes in American Dad are perfectly constructed and delivered, just like this one.

9/10 The Smith Family Members Actually Like Each Other

The Smith family having a BBQ

Unlike the Griffin family members on Family Guy, the main characters of American Dad, the Smith family, actually like one another. They even grow to like one another more and more over the course of the show.

On the flip side, the Griffin family members actively seem to either hate each other or lust after each other, all of which ends up being incredibly messy and weak character-wise. The Smith family members not only actually like each other, but they work well together and improve together over the course of the show.

8/10 American Dad Is More Respectful Of Its Characters

Barry's family eats with the Smiths

One of Family Guy 's biggest problems is playing into hurtful "humor" and relatively unfunny and malicious jokes towards one another. The way that characters like Lois and Meg are treated is painfully indicative more of prejudice towards women than actual good writing or humorous jokes.

In fact, the way that Family Guy treats its female characters, queer characters, and other minority characters is so unnecessarily brutal. A generation of men started speaking to women like characters on Family Guy speak to Meg as if it was okay and funny, when it was only ever the opposite. American Dad, in fact, is also the opposite — it treats its characters with immense respect, and is always very tactful when handling more sensitive subjects.

7/10 Everything About American Dad Is More Tactful Than Family Guy

Francine and Stan from American Dad at a bar

While Family Guy is often cruel and derogatory in its "humor" regarding minorities, frequently punching down, American Dad almost always does the opposite. The jokes made on American Dad are always made with respect and tact. When they have to deal with sensitive subjects, like queer characters or female characters, they're actually treated with respect.

Francine and Hayley are not treated poorly because they're women, and the other characters in the show and in their family actually like them. There are gay characters, trans characters, disabled characters, characters of color, and other minorities that are treated with significantly more tact in a single episode of American Dad than in the entirety of Family Guy.

6/10 The Supporting Cast Of American Dad Is Far More Likable

Steve and Snot from American Dad

While Family Guy tried to spin off into The Cleveland Show, neither show was relatively successful with its ensemble cast or its supporting characters. That show doesn't properly utilize many of its supporting characters, nor are they particularly well-developed.

However, the supporting cast of American Dad is absolutely spectacular. Not only are long-standing favorites like Tuttle, Deputy Director Bullock, and Principal Lewis well-used, but even newer supporting characters like Rogu and Billy are arguably even better.

5/10 American Dad Is A More Creative Show With Better Episode Concepts

Roger meets Sydney Huffman

Over the years, episodes of Family Guy have stopped showing significant originality or experimental concepts. Every episode is pretty much the same as one that already exists with little variation, and the show very rarely takes chances with its plots. However, American Dad is on the opposite end of the spectrum, and attempts as many experimental niche episode concepts as it possibly can.

Not only that, but American Dad pulls off many of these concepts. Episodes like "Rabbit Ears," "Lost in Space," and "Cheek to Cheek: A Stripper's Story" are some truly phenomenal episodes of television, and nothing Family Guy has produced will ever come close to touching them.

4/10 Family Guy Is The Worst Of Seth MacFarlane While American Dad Is The Best

Family Guy and American Dad casts together

Seth MacFarlane may have created both Family Guy and American Dad, and they may look visually similar, but they couldn't be more different, in many ways. Over the years, Family Guy has come to represent the absolute worst of Seth MacFarlane. The show grabs for the lowest-hanging fruit, the crudest jokes, and the least kind thing it could possibly say.

However, American Dad strives to be intelligent, tactful, and hilarious with every joke. Not only that, but the characters grow and develop, the plots are increasingly well-written, and the show is honestly just all-around better. It represents the absolute best of what Seth MacFarlane is capable of creating, in the end.

3/10 American Dad Has Only Gotten Better Over The Years

Stan in the American Dad episode rapture's delight

American Dad has been on the air since 2005, and has only just begun its sixteenth season. For many shows, running into the sixteenth season would be an indicator that the show is inevitably getting worse,  but American Dad is one of those rare shows that has actually gotten better and better over the years.

By comparison, Family Guy has been on the air since 1999 (barring cancellation time), and is currently wrapping up its nineteenth season. Over the years, Family Guy has only gotten worse.

2/10 The Voice Cast For American Dad Is Much Stronger

Klaus from American Dad

The voice cast on Family Guy is a pretty good voice cast, and arguably one of the best parts of the show. Unfortunately for Family Guy, the voice cast for American Dad is probably one of the best on television. The main cast features Seth MacFarlane as both Stan and Roger, both of which he nails; Wendy Schaal as Francine, who gets better with every episode; and Scott Grimes as Steve, who both is hilarious and has a beautiful voice.

There is also Rachael MacFarlane as Hayley, who can pull off some of the best effects ever; Jeff Fischer as Jeff, who is one of the best additions to the cast ever; and Dee Bradley Baker as Klaus, which is one of many voices Dee Bradley Baker does that prove he's one of the best voice actors in the industry.

1/10 American Dad Came Back Stronger Than Family Guy Ever Did

Stelio Kontos from American Dad

Early on in its run, Family Guy was actually cancelled. Fans were distraught and fought hard enough that the show was actually revived and brought back. However, it was arguably worse when it came back, and it has only gotten worse since then. On the flip side, American Dad moved networks from Fox to TBS partway through its run, and only improved after that move happened.

American Dad was already great, but it became truly incredible after that moment and has only gotten better since. The opposite, unfortunately, is true for Family Guy, proving once and for all that American Dad is better than Family Guy.

NEXT: American Dad: 10 Times Roger Went Too Far