Abstract: To investigate the photosynthesis and quality differences of two commercial red algae Bangia fucscopurpurea and Pyropia haitanensis, a wild strain B. fucscopurpurea CY5 and a wild strain P. haitanensis NSD35 were selected for the study and the key photosynthetic parameters and nutritional composition were measured under the same growth conditions. Results showed that the maximum electron transfer rate, net photosynthetic rate, and phycoerythrin content of B. fucscopurpurea were 29.6%, 96.8% and 60.5% higher than those of P. haitanensis , respectively. The contents of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc were 59.5%, 39.5%, 34.1%, 86.2% and 68.4% higher than those of P. haitanensis , respectively. The essential amino acid and flavor amino acid contents of B. fucscopurpurea were higher than those of P. haitanensis . In addition, there were no significant differences in respiration rate, maximum photochemical efficiency, chlorophyll a, total sugars, total protein and iodine content between the two species. It indicated that, compared with P. haitanensis NSD35, B. fucscopurpurea CY had faster photosynthetic rate, better accumulation of mineral elements and higher contents of essential and flavor amino acids. This study is helpful to understand the photosynthesis and quality characteristics of B. fucscopurpurea andP. haitanensis for data supplements and exploitations of B. fucscopurpurea germplasm resources.