AVIF vs. WebP: The Future of Image Formats
Published by ImageCompressor | Updated 2025
Introduction
As websites become increasingly visual, choosing the right image format is essential for performance and user experience. WebP has been the go-to modern format for a while, but now AVIF is gaining traction for even better compression and quality. Let’s explore the differences and find out which format is best for your website or app.
1. What Is WebP?
Developed by Google, WebP supports lossy and lossless compression, transparency (alpha), and animation. It offers smaller file sizes compared to JPEG and PNG, making it ideal for the modern web.
2. What Is AVIF?
AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is based on the AV1 video codec and provides significantly better compression than WebP. It supports HDR, 10-bit color, transparency, and animation — all with smaller file sizes.
3. File Size Comparison
Here’s how they compare with the same image:
- Original JPEG: 900 KB
- WebP: 320 KB
- AVIF: 220 KB
4. Image Quality
AVIF can maintain better quality at lower bitrates. However, some older tools struggle with AVIF artifacts, especially in gradients and shadows. WebP is more predictable across tools and viewers.
5. Browser Support
| Browser | WebP | AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | ✔ | ✔ |
| Firefox | ✔ | ✔ |
| Safari | ✔ | ✔ (v16+) |
| Edge | ✔ | ✔ |
| iOS Safari | ✔ | ✔ (iOS 16+) |
6. Developer and Tooling Support
- WebP: Broad support across CMS platforms, CDNs, and image editing software
- AVIF: Growing support, but not yet universal (Photoshop requires plugins or converters)
7. Use Case Recommendations
- WebP: Great default for general web imagery with broad support
- AVIF: Best for advanced performance in supported environments
- Fallback strategy: Serve AVIF to modern browsers, fallback to WebP or JPEG
Conclusion
WebP remains a safe and solid choice today, but AVIF is the format of the future. If performance matters and your audience uses modern browsers, start using AVIF where possible and set up smart fallbacks. Your users (and your server) will thank you.