AVIF vs WebP: Which Image Format Should You Use?

AVIF vs WebP: Which Image Format is Better for Your Website?

Modern image formats exist for a reason: older formats like JPG and PNG were not designed for today’s performance-driven web. Two of the most discussed modern formats are AVIF and WebP.

Both aim to reduce file sizes while preserving quality, but they are not identical. Understanding the differences helps you pick the right format for your website or app.

What is AVIF?

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is an image format based on the AV1 video codec. It is designed to provide extremely high compression efficiency, meaning:

• Smaller files
• Better visual quality at lower bitrates
• Strong support for HDR in certain workflows

AVIF can store:

• Lossy images
• Lossless images
• Transparency
• High dynamic range information in some implementations

Its main strength is quality-per-byte.

What is WebP?

WebP is an image format created by Google that supports:

• Lossy and lossless compression
• Transparency
• Animation

It has been widely adopted and is now supported across most modern browsers.

WebP is generally easier to work with, faster to encode and decode than AVIF, and is already used by many performance-oriented websites.

Compression and quality: AVIF vs WebP

One of the biggest reasons people look at AVIF is its impressive compression.

AVIF

• Provides better compression than WebP in many scenarios
• Can maintain fine detail and gradients even at low file sizes
• Especially effective for photographic images, detailed photos and scenes with smooth color transitions

WebP

• Still delivers excellent compression compared to JPG and PNG
• May not match AVIF in extreme compression tests, but is often “good enough” for practical use
• Encoding and decoding can be faster, depending on tools and settings

In simple terms:

If you want maximum compression and quality, AVIF often wins.

If you want strong compression with good support and speed, WebP remains an excellent choice.

Browser support comparison

Support is a critical factor when picking an image format for real-world websites.

WebP support

• Widely supported in all major modern browsers
• Works on most mobile and desktop environments
• Safe default choice for modern audiences

AVIF support

• Support has improved significantly in recent years
• Supported in most modern browsers, but not as universal as WebP yet
• Some older versions or specific environments may not handle AVIF correctly

Because of this, many developers use a progressive strategy:

• Serve AVIF when supported
• Fall back to WebP or JPG when not

This can be done using the <picture> element or a server-side/content negotiation strategy.

Performance and decoding speed

Compression is not the only concern. Decode speed also matters:

• AVIF can be slower to encode and decode than WebP, especially in certain libraries or older devices.
• WebP is generally faster and more mature in day-to-day usage.

For very image-heavy pages, decode performance might affect how quickly users see content. In these scenarios, using a mix of formats and testing real performance is important.

Use cases where AVIF shines

AVIF is particularly strong when:

• You want maximum compression for large photos
• You deal with image-heavy pages where every kilobyte matters
• High-quality visual appearance is important, but you still need small file sizes
• You can afford to implement fallbacks for older browsers

Good candidates:

• Photography portfolios
• Landing pages with large hero images
• High-resolution product photos
• Image galleries

Use cases where WebP is a great fit

WebP remains a solid format when:

• You want strong optimization without overcomplicating your setup
• You value wide browser support
• You are converting from JPG or PNG and want a reliable, modern format
• You need transparency and animation replacements for GIF/PNG

WebP works very well for:

• Blogs
• Corporate websites
• Web apps and dashboards
• Marketing sites
• E-commerce platforms where performance matters but workflows should stay simple

Should you use both AVIF and WebP?

For many modern websites, the best strategy is not to choose one format forever, but to use both intelligently:

• Primary format: AVIF (for supported browsers)
• Fallback format: WebP or JPG (for older browsers or specific edge cases)

You can implement this using the <picture> element, for example:

<picture>
  <source srcset="/images/photo.avif" type="image/avif" />
  <source srcset="/images/photo.webp" type="image/webp" />
  <img src="/images/photo.jpg" alt="Example image" />
</picture>

AVIF vs WebP: quick summary

1. AVIF

• Pros: Smaller files, high quality, future-oriented
• Cons: Slower to encode/decode in some cases, slightly less universal support

2. WebP

• Pros: Great balance of compression, quality and support; widely adopted
• Cons: Slightly larger files than AVIF in extreme cases

If you want a simple setup:

→ Start with WebP for most images.

If you want maximum performance and don’t mind complexity:

→ Use AVIF + WebP fallback.

Final thoughts

AVIF and WebP are not enemies. They are tools. For many real-world websites, a layered approach works best:

• Use AVIF for top-priority images where saving every kilobyte matters.
• Use WebP more broadly where compatibility and encoding speed are important.

The most important thing is to move away from unoptimized, heavy assets and adopt formats that support faster, more efficient websites.