AVIF vs WebP: Which Image Format Is Better in 2026?
AVIF and WebP are the two leading modern image formats, and both outperform JPG and PNG by significant margins. Choosing between them comes down to a tradeoff: AVIF compresses harder, WebP compresses faster.
AVIF and WebP at a Glance
Both formats emerged from video codecs. Google built WebP on VP8 in 2010. The Alliance for Open Media released AVIF in 2019, based on the newer AV1 codec. That six-year gap in codec technology gives AVIF a measurable compression advantage, but WebP's maturity shows in its tooling, speed, and ecosystem support.
| Feature | AVIF | WebP | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression ratio | ~50% smaller than JPG | ~30% smaller than JPG | AVIF |
| Browser support | 95% (Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, Safari 16.4+, Edge 121+) | 97% (Chrome 32+, Firefox 65+, Safari 14+, Edge 18+) | WebP |
| Encoding speed | ~1200ms per image | ~300ms per image | WebP |
| Decoding speed | Moderate (~22ms for 350KB) | Fast (~15ms for 500KB) | WebP |
| Color depth | 12-bit (4,096 shades per channel) | 8-bit (256 shades per channel) | AVIF |
| HDR support | Yes (wide color gamut) | No | AVIF |
| Transparency | Yes (alpha channel) | Yes (alpha channel) | Tie |
| Animation | Yes (but limited tooling) | Yes (mature, widely used) | WebP |
| Max dimensions | 65,536 x 65,536 px | 16,383 x 16,383 px | AVIF |
File Size: AVIF Wins by 20-30%
In benchmark tests with mixed content (photographs, graphics, and text overlays), a 500KB JPG baseline compresses to roughly 250KB as AVIF and 350KB as WebP at quality 80. That 100KB gap adds up across a full page of images.
A site serving 10GB of JPG images per month would transfer about 5GB with AVIF or 7GB with WebP. The bandwidth savings translate directly to faster load times and lower CDN costs.
AVIF also maintains sharper detail at aggressive compression. SSIM quality scores (a measure of structural similarity to the original) run 2-4% higher for AVIF than WebP at identical file sizes. Gradients and fine textures show the difference most clearly.
Speed: WebP Encodes 4x Faster
AVIF's compression advantage comes at a cost: encoding time. Converting a batch of 1,000 photos to AVIF takes roughly four times longer than converting the same batch to WebP. For a single image, the difference is about 1,200ms vs 300ms.
This matters for two scenarios: real-time image processing (where users upload and expect instant results) and high-volume build pipelines. For static sites that pre-build images during deployment, the extra encoding time is a one-time cost that pays off in smaller served files.
Decoding speed, what your visitors experience, is closer between the two. A 350KB AVIF file decodes in about 22ms, while a 500KB WebP takes about 15ms. But the AVIF file downloads 120ms faster on a typical 4G connection because it is smaller, so the total load time still favors AVIF.
Browser Support: Both Are Production-Ready
January 2024 marked one full year since every major browser supported AVIF. As of early 2026, the gap between the two formats is small:
- WebP: 97% global support. Chrome (2014), Firefox (2019), Safari (2020), Edge (2018)
- AVIF: 95% global support. Chrome (2020), Firefox (2021), Safari (2023, still images only on macOS 13+), Edge (2024)
The 2% difference comes from older Safari versions and some mobile browsers. Using the <picture> element with both formats eliminates this concern entirely.
How to Serve AVIF with WebP Fallback
- Identify images for conversion. Review your image inventory and prioritize the largest assets. Hero images, product photos, and background graphics offer the biggest savings when converted to modern formats.
- Compress originals with LighterImage. Upload your JPG or PNG files to optimize them first. Starting from a compressed source produces smaller AVIF and WebP output.
- Generate AVIF and WebP versions. Use a build tool like Sharp, Squoosh, or your CDN's auto-conversion feature to create both AVIF and WebP copies from your compressed source file.
- Implement the picture element. List the AVIF source first, then WebP, with the original JPG as the
<img>fallback. The browser automatically selects the best supported format.
<picture>
<source srcset="photo.avif" type="image/avif">
<source srcset="photo.webp" type="image/webp">
<img src="photo.jpg" alt="Description" loading="lazy">
</picture>Most CDNs (Cloudflare, Fastly, AWS CloudFront) can also handle format negotiation automatically via the Accept header, so you upload one source file and the CDN serves the optimal format per visitor.
Choosing Between AVIF and WebP for Production
Use AVIF when...
- You are building a photography-heavy site where every kilobyte of bandwidth matters
- Your images include HDR content or wide color gamut photography
- You pre-build images at deploy time (static sites, CDN pipelines) and encoding speed is not a constraint
- Maximum image quality at minimum file size is the priority
Use WebP when...
- You process images in real time (user uploads, dynamic resizing)
- You need animated image support as a GIF replacement
- Your build pipeline already uses WebP and the 20-30% extra savings of AVIF does not justify the migration
- You need the broadest possible compatibility without implementing fallbacks
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AVIF better than WebP for website images?
AVIF produces 20-30% smaller files than WebP at equivalent visual quality, making it the better choice for compression. However, WebP encodes 4x faster and has slightly broader browser support (97% vs 95%). For most websites, serving AVIF with a WebP fallback via the HTML picture element gives the best results.
Do all browsers support AVIF in 2026?
AVIF has 95% global browser support as of January 2026. Chrome (85+), Firefox (93+), Safari (16.4+), and Edge (121+) all render AVIF images. The remaining 5% consists of older browser versions and some niche mobile browsers. Using the picture element with a WebP or JPG fallback covers those edge cases.
Why is AVIF encoding so slow compared to WebP?
AVIF is based on the AV1 video codec, which uses more complex compression algorithms than WebP's VP8 foundation. Encoding a batch of images takes roughly 4x longer with AVIF. This only matters during build time or upload processing, not for end users. Visitors downloading and decoding AVIF images experience no meaningful delay.
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