AVIF vs WebP: Which Next-Gen Image Format Wins?
Updated May 21, 2026
The short answer
AVIF usually produces smaller files than WebP at the same visual quality, sometimes much smaller. WebP encodes faster, has been supported a little longer, and is the lower-risk default. For most websites, either is a fine choice — pick AVIF for maximum compression, WebP for the safe, fast option.
How they compare
| AVIF | WebP | |
|---|---|---|
| Based on | AV1 video codec | VP8 video codec |
| Typical file size | Smallest | Small |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | Yes | Yes |
| Color and HDR | Wide gamut, HDR, up to 12-bit | Standard 8-bit |
| Encoding speed | Slow | Fast |
| Browser support | All current browsers | All current browsers |
Compression
AVIF is the newer format, built on the AV1 video codec, and it generally compresses better than WebP — especially at low and medium quality settings, where it can be 20% smaller or more. It also handles gradients and flat-color areas with fewer of the blocky artifacts older formats produce.
WebP still compresses very well and comfortably beats JPEG and PNG. The gap to AVIF is real, but not enormous, for typical web photos at a high-quality setting.
Color and detail
AVIF supports wide color gamuts and HDR, and it can store up to 12 bits per color channel. If you publish high-end photography or work with HDR content, AVIF preserves it; WebP is limited to standard 8-bit color. For everyday graphics and photos, this rarely matters.
The catch: encoding speed
AVIF is noticeably slower to encode than WebP. Compressing a large batch of images to AVIF takes longer, which matters if you process images often. WebP encodes quickly. Decoding — what a visitor's browser does to display the image — is fast for both, so this only affects you, not your visitors.
Browser support
Both are supported by every current browser. AVIF simply arrived later: Chrome added it in 2020, Firefox in 2021, and Safari in 2022 (Safari 16). WebP has been universally supported a little longer, so if you must support old browser versions, WebP carries marginally less risk.
Which should you use?
- Maximum compression, and you can spare encoding time: AVIF.
- A fast, safe default for a typical website: WebP.
- Wide-gamut or HDR photography: AVIF.
If something cannot open an AVIF file, convert it in your browser: AVIF to WebP, AVIF to PNG, or AVIF to JPG. Nothing is uploaded.
For where these formats sit among the rest, see image formats explained and the best image format for the web.