WebP vs AVIF: Which Image Format Should You Use in 2025?
Choosing the right image format can drastically improve your website’s performance, speed, and SEO rankings. In this post, we break down the key differences between WebP and AVIF — two modern image formats designed for high compression and quality.
🔍 What is WebP?
WebP is an image format developed by Google that provides both lossy and lossless compression. It's widely supported by browsers and balances quality and size efficiently.
🎯 What is AVIF?
AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is a newer format that provides even better compression rates than WebP while maintaining high visual fidelity. It’s based on the AV1 video codec.
📊 Comparison Table (2025)
- Compression: AVIF offers 30–50% smaller file size than WebP
- Browser Support: WebP is supported almost everywhere; AVIF still catching up
- Quality: AVIF often wins at low file sizes
- Speed: WebP loads slightly faster in some cases
🧠 Real-World Use Cases
- Use AVIF for image-heavy blogs, mobile apps, or photo galleries.
- Use WebP for e-commerce product images or when you need wider browser support.
🔧 How to Convert Your Images
You can use tools like:
- CompressFast.in – Lightweight online image compressor
- Squoosh by Google
- ImageMagick (for developers)
Check out this comprehensive guide on optimizing images for the web by Smashing Magazine.