AVIF vs WebP: Comparing Next-Gen Image Formats
Web performance is a constantly moving target. Just as WebP has established itself as the successor to JPEG and PNG, a new challenger has emerged: AVIF (AV1 Image File Format).
Let's compare AVIF and WebP to see which one you should be using.
What is AVIF?
AVIF is an open, royalty-free image format derived from the key frames of the AV1 video codec. Developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), it is designed to offer even better compression efficiency than WebP and JPEG.
File Size and Compression Comparison
How do AVIF and WebP stack up against each other and older formats?
- AVIF vs. JPEG: AVIF files are typically 50% smaller than JPEGs at similar visual quality.
- AVIF vs. WebP: AVIF can achieve 20% to 30% smaller file sizes than WebP, especially at lower quality levels.
- WebP vs. JPEG: WebP files are roughly 30% smaller than JPEGs.
At very high compression levels, AVIF maintains clear details and sharp edges where WebP and JPEG start showing blocky compression artifacts or blurring.
Browser Support and Adoption
While AVIF has superior compression, WebP currently wins in terms of compatibility and performance:
- WebP Support: Fully supported by over 98% of modern browsers, including older Safari versions.
- AVIF Support: Supported by modern versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera (around 93% browser coverage).
- Encoding Speed: AVIF takes significantly longer to encode (compress) than WebP, which can slow down real-time image transformation servers.
Conclusion: Which Should You Choose?
WebP remains the safest default next-gen format due to universal compatibility and fast encoding. However, using the HTML <picture> tag allows you to serve AVIF to compatible browsers, with WebP as a fallback.