Format comparison
AVIF vs WEBP
By Suprabhat Updated How we write these
The short answer
AVIF usually produces the smallest file of any image format at the same quality, especially for photos, but it is slower to encode and slightly less widely supported. WebP is the practical middle ground: small, fast and supported everywhere modern.
AV1 Image File Format
Choose AVIF when
- Every kilobyte counts, such as hero images
- Photos with smooth gradients or HDR
- Your audience uses current browsers
WebP
Choose WEBP when
- You convert many images and speed matters
- You need broad support in apps as well as browsers
- Animated images
Side by side
| Property | AVIF | WEBP |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | AV1 Image File Format | WebP |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossy or lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | Yes | Yes |
| Typical size | Often around half the size of the equivalent JPG | Typically 25–35% smaller than the same JPG |
| Support | Current browsers and apps | Current browsers and apps |
| Opens on | Current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, but few editors, chat apps or upload forms | Every current browser, but plenty of desktop apps, print shops and upload forms still refuse it |
| Best for | The smallest possible photos on a modern website | Images on websites, where smaller files load faster |
| Introduced | 2019 | 2010 |
Watch out with AVIF
AVIF’s savings are real, but encoding is slow, so a batch that takes seconds as JPG can take minutes as AVIF.
Watch out with WEBP
Images saved from websites arrive as WEBP even when the page looked like it showed a JPG, and then a document editor or upload form refuses them.
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Questions
Is AVIF better than WEBP?
AVIF usually produces the smallest file of any image format at the same quality, especially for photos, but it is slower to encode and slightly less widely supported. WebP is the practical middle ground: small, fast and supported everywhere modern.
Which is smaller, AVIF or WEBP?
AVIF is usually smaller for the same content. AVIF: Often around half the size of the equivalent JPG. WEBP: Typically 25–35% smaller than the same JPG.
How do I convert AVIF to WEBP?
Use the free AVIF to WEBP converter. It runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded.
How do I convert WEBP to AVIF?
Use the free WEBP to AVIF converter. It works the same way, entirely on your device.
More format comparisons
- Format comparison
PNG vs JPG: which should you use?
Use JPG for photographs and PNG for everything with sharp edges: screenshots, logos, diagrams and text. PNG never loses detail but makes photos several times larger; JPG keeps photos small but smudges lines and can’t be transparent. - Format comparison
WEBP vs PNG: which should you use?
For images on a website, WebP does everything PNG does, transparency included, in a noticeably smaller file. PNG is still the safer choice for files you send to other people or open in older software. - Format comparison
WEBP vs JPG: which should you use?
WebP makes photos about a quarter to a third smaller than JPG at the same visible quality, and every current browser shows it. JPG remains the format every upload form, printer and email client accepts without question. - Format comparison
HEIC vs JPG: which should you use?
HEIC stores iPhone photos in about half the space of JPG with the same quality, which is why Apple uses it. The catch is compatibility: Windows, Android apps and most upload forms still expect JPG, so convert when a photo leaves your Apple devices.