MiniFiles.io
All articles
Guide6 min13 April 2026

AVIF vs WebP in 2026: Which Image Format Should You Use?

WebP was Google's answer to JPEG — released in 2010, now supported by every modern browser. AVIF is the newer challenger, based on the AV1 video codec, offering even better compression than WebP at the same quality. In 2026, both formats are viable. But they have different strengths, different encoding speeds, different browser support levels, and different use cases. This guide gives you a practical, up-to-date comparison so you can choose the right format for your project.

What Is WebP and Who Should Use It?

WebP was developed by Google and launched in 2010. It supports both lossy and lossless compression, transparency (alpha channel), and animation. WebP lossy compression typically produces files 25–35% smaller than JPEG at equivalent visual quality. WebP lossless is typically 26% smaller than PNG. Browser support in 2026: effectively universal — Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari (since 2020), and all major mobile browsers. WebP is the safe, stable choice for web images in 2026. If you're replacing JPEG files on a website and want guaranteed compatibility across all browsers including slightly older versions, WebP is the right choice. Encoding speed is fast — converting a large batch of JPEGs to WebP takes seconds.

What Is AVIF and Who Should Use It?

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is based on AV1 video codec frames extracted as still images. It was standardised in 2019 and introduced to browsers progressively. AVIF lossy compression typically produces files 50% smaller than JPEG and 20–30% smaller than WebP at equivalent visual quality — making it the most efficient format available in 2026 for photos and complex images. Browser support in 2026: Chrome (85+), Firefox (93+), Edge (121+), Safari (16.4+). This covers approximately 95%+ of web traffic in 2026. AVIF is the best choice when file size is the priority and you're targeting modern browsers. The trade-off: AVIF encoding is significantly slower than WebP or JPEG — especially for large images.

Compression Ratio Comparison: JPEG vs WebP vs AVIF

Using a representative 5 MP photo (compressed from a 12 MP smartphone original) as a benchmark. JPEG at quality 80%: 350 KB. WebP at equivalent quality: 240 KB (31% smaller than JPEG). AVIF at equivalent quality: 170 KB (51% smaller than JPEG, 29% smaller than WebP). These are representative averages — results vary by image. Photos with flat areas (sky, walls) compress more efficiently than detailed scenes (forests, crowd photos). Text screenshots and graphics show even larger differences: AVIF can be 5–10× smaller than JPEG for screenshots with mixed text and images.

When to Choose WebP

Choose WebP when: (1) You need broad browser compatibility with no exceptions. (2) You're using a CMS (WordPress, Squarespace) that has built-in WebP support or plugins. (3) Encoding speed matters — for automated pipelines processing thousands of images. (4) You need animation support in a web-compatible format (WebP supports animated images). (5) You're targeting mixed audiences including users on slightly older devices (AVIF support below Safari 16.4 and Firefox 93 is absent). (6) Simplicity matters — WebP is widely understood, well-documented, and has mature tooling.

When to Choose AVIF

Choose AVIF when: (1) Minimising file size is the highest priority (mobile performance, bandwidth costs, Core Web Vitals). (2) You're serving a modern-browser audience (2023+ devices and browsers). (3) You're building a new web project and can use the <picture> element with AVIF as primary and WebP or JPEG as fallback. (4) You need excellent compression for HDR or wide-colour-gamut images — AVIF supports 12-bit colour depth and HDR, WebP does not. (5) You're working with screenshots or mixed-content images — AVIF's efficiency advantage is largest here.

Practical Workflow: Using Both Formats Together

The modern best-practice approach is to serve AVIF to browsers that support it, with WebP or JPEG as fallback. In HTML: use the <picture> element with an AVIF <source> as the first option, WebP as the second, and JPEG as the ultimate fallback. This delivers the smallest possible file to modern browsers while maintaining compatibility. Example: <picture><source srcset='image.avif' type='image/avif'><source srcset='image.webp' type='image/webp'><img src='image.jpg' alt='description'></picture>. MiniFiles converts images to WebP for free, locally in your browser without uploading files to any server; it does not export AVIF. For the full workflow — sizing, compression levels and serving images for Core Web Vitals — see how to compress images for website speed.

Key takeaways

  • WebP: 25–35% smaller than JPEG, universal browser support in 2026, fast encoding, supports transparency and animation.
  • AVIF: 50% smaller than JPEG, 20–30% smaller than WebP, supported in Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, Safari 16.4+.
  • Use WebP for broad compatibility and automated pipelines; use AVIF when file size is top priority on modern browsers.
  • Best practice: serve AVIF to supporting browsers with WebP/JPEG fallback using HTML <picture> element.
  • MiniFiles converts to WebP locally in the browser for free but does not produce AVIF; Squoosh encodes both locally.
  • AVIF encoding is slower than WebP; for large batches, WebP is faster to process but AVIF saves more bandwidth.

Frequently asked questions

Is AVIF better than WebP in 2026?

For compression efficiency, yes — AVIF produces 20–30% smaller files than WebP at equivalent quality. For compatibility and encoding speed, WebP is more practical. For new projects targeting modern browsers, AVIF is the better primary format with WebP fallback.

Does Safari support AVIF in 2026?

Yes. Safari has supported AVIF since version 16.4 (released March 2023). In 2026, virtually all actively-used Safari versions (on iOS 16.4+ and macOS Ventura+) support AVIF.

Should I convert my website images from JPEG to AVIF?

For a new website or when rebuilding assets, yes — AVIF offers significant file size savings. For an existing large image library, converting to WebP first is more practical due to faster encoding. Use the <picture> element to serve format-appropriate versions.

What tool can convert to AVIF and WebP without uploading?

Squoosh (squoosh.app) encodes both AVIF and WebP entirely in your browser. MiniFiles can convert images to WebP locally for free, but it does not produce AVIF files.

Try it now — free

Compress PNG, JPEG, and PDF files in your browser. No upload, no installation.

Compress images