AVIF vs WebP vs JPG: Which Image Format Should You Use?

Quick Summary: When to Use Each Format

Understanding the Three Formats

JPG (JPEG) - The Universal Standard

JPG has been the dominant image format since 1992. It uses lossy compression, meaning some image data is discarded to reduce file size. Despite being over 30 years old, JPG remains the most widely supported format across all devices, browsers, and software.

Best for: Photography, printing, email attachments, and situations requiring maximum compatibility. Every device, browser, and application can open JPG files without any issues.

WebP - Google's Modern Alternative

WebP was developed by Google in 2010 as a modern replacement for JPG and PNG. It offers both lossy and lossless compression, typically achieving 25-34% smaller file sizes than JPG at equivalent quality. WebP also supports transparency (like PNG) and animation (like GIF).

Best for: Web images where you need a good balance between file size and compatibility. WebP is now supported by all major browsers, making it an excellent choice for websites and web applications.

AVIF - The Cutting Edge

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is the newest format, based on the AV1 video codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media. It offers the best compression of the three formats, typically 50% smaller than JPG at the same quality level, and 20% smaller than WebP.

Best for: Modern web applications where minimizing file size is critical, and when targeting recent browsers. AVIF also supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) and wide color gamut, making it excellent for high-end displays.

Detailed Comparison

Browser Support in 2026

JPG Support

JPG has 100% browser support. Every web browser ever created can display JPG images. This includes ancient browsers like Internet Explorer 6, mobile browsers, and any embedded browser in applications. There is no compatibility concern with JPG.

WebP Support

WebP now has excellent browser support at approximately 97% global coverage. All modern browsers support WebP:

• Chrome (since version 23)
• Firefox (since version 65)
• Safari (since version 14)
• Edge (all versions)
• Opera (since version 12.1)

The only browsers lacking WebP support are Internet Explorer (all versions) and Safari versions before 14 (released in 2020). For most websites, WebP is now safe to use as the primary format.

AVIF Support

AVIF support is growing rapidly but is still behind WebP at approximately 93% global coverage:

• Chrome (since version 85)
• Firefox (since version 93)
• Safari (since version 16.1)
• Edge (since version 121)
• Opera (since version 71)

Notably, Safari only added AVIF support in late 2022, meaning older iOS devices and Macs may not display AVIF images. For websites targeting a global audience, providing fallback formats is recommended.

Quality vs File Size Comparison

Real-World Test Results

Based on extensive testing with various image types, here are typical file size reductions compared to JPG at equivalent visual quality:

Photographs (complex images, many colors)

• WebP: 25-30% smaller than JPG
• AVIF: 45-50% smaller than JPG

Graphics and Screenshots (solid colors, text)

• WebP: 30-40% smaller than JPG
• AVIF: 50-60% smaller than JPG

Mixed Content (photos with text overlays)

• WebP: 25-35% smaller than JPG
• AVIF: 40-55% smaller than JPG

Visual Quality at Low File Sizes

The real advantage of newer formats becomes apparent at aggressive compression levels. When you need to squeeze images into very small file sizes (under 50KB for a full-size image), AVIF maintains noticeably better quality than WebP, which in turn beats JPG.

JPG tends to show visible blocking artifacts and color banding at high compression. WebP handles this better with smoother gradients but can show blurring. AVIF preserves detail and texture best, even at very low bitrates.

Performance Considerations

Encoding (Creating Images)

The newer the format, the more computationally expensive it is to encode:

• JPG: Very fast encoding, instant on modern hardware
• WebP: 2-3x slower than JPG, still fast for most uses
• AVIF: 10-20x slower than JPG, can take several seconds for large images

For websites with user-uploaded content that needs real-time conversion, WebP may be more practical than AVIF due to encoding speed. However, for pre-processed content (like product images), AVIF's slower encoding is acceptable since it only happens once.

Decoding (Viewing Images)

Decoding performance matters for user experience, especially on mobile devices:

• JPG: Hardware-accelerated decoding on all devices
• WebP: Fast software decoding, some hardware acceleration
• AVIF: Slower decoding, limited hardware acceleration

In practice, the smaller file sizes of AVIF and WebP often offset their decoding overhead, especially on slow network connections. The time saved downloading smaller files exceeds the extra decoding time.

Use Case Recommendations

Email and Document Attachments

For email attachments and documents embedded in Word, PDF, or PowerPoint, JPG remains the safest choice. Many email clients and office applications don't yet support WebP or AVIF, leading to broken images or forced downloads.

If you need to send images via email or embed them in documents:

• Always use JPG for maximum compatibility
• Compress to reduce attachment size
• Keep files under 1MB for reliable delivery

Social Media Formats

Social media platforms typically re-encode uploaded images regardless of input format. However, starting with a high-quality source produces better results:

• Instagram, Facebook: Accept JPG, PNG, WebP. Upload high-quality JPG or PNG.
• Twitter/X: Supports JPG, PNG, WebP. WebP is recommended.
• LinkedIn: JPG or PNG recommended. WebP support varies.

Most platforms don't yet support AVIF uploads, but this is changing. Check current platform documentation for the latest supported formats.

Implementing Format Selection for Websites

HTML Picture Element

The best way to serve modern formats with fallbacks is using the HTML picture element:

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

The browser will try each source in order, using the first supported format. This ensures AVIF for Chrome/Firefox, WebP for older Safari, and JPG for legacy browsers.

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

Many CDNs offer automatic format conversion based on browser capabilities:

• Cloudflare: Automatic WebP/AVIF conversion with Polish
• Cloudinary: Format auto-selection with f_auto parameter
• imgix: Automatic format negotiation
• Vercel: Built-in image optimization

Using CDN-based format conversion simplifies implementation - you upload one image and the CDN serves the optimal format automatically.

Future of Image Formats

The trend is clear: newer codecs offer better compression at higher quality. AVIF adoption is accelerating, and it may eventually replace WebP as the default web image format. However, JPG will remain relevant for years due to its universal compatibility.

Looking ahead, JPEG XL is another emerging format that offers even better compression than AVIF with faster encoding. However, browser support remains limited (Chrome removed its experimental support). The image format landscape continues to evolve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AVIF better than WebP?

In terms of compression efficiency, yes - AVIF typically produces smaller files at the same quality. However, WebP has broader browser support and faster encoding. For most websites in 2026, WebP offers the best balance of size savings and compatibility.

Should I convert all my JPG images to AVIF?

Not necessarily. Converting from one lossy format to another loses quality. If you have the original source files, convert from those. For existing JPGs, the conversion only makes sense if you need smaller files and accept some quality loss.

Why are my AVIF images taking so long to save?

AVIF encoding is computationally intensive. Unlike JPG which encodes almost instantly, AVIF can take several seconds per image. This is the trade-off for better compression. Consider using faster encoding presets if speed is more important than maximum compression.

Can I use AVIF for all images on my website?

You can, but you should provide fallbacks for users with older browsers. About 7% of global users still use browsers without AVIF support. Using the picture element with WebP and JPG fallbacks ensures everyone sees your images.

Which format is best for transparent images?

For web use with transparency, WebP is the most practical choice in 2026. It offers much better compression than PNG and has near-universal support. AVIF also supports transparency but with less compatibility. PNG remains the safest choice when maximum compatibility is needed.

Conclusion

Choosing between AVIF, WebP, and JPG depends on your specific needs:

• Maximum compression (smallest files): Use AVIF with fallbacks
• Best balance of size and compatibility: Use WebP
• Universal compatibility: Use JPG

For most websites in 2026, the optimal strategy is serving AVIF to supporting browsers with WebP and JPG fallbacks. This approach maximizes performance for modern users while ensuring everyone can view your images.

Remember that format choice is just one aspect of image optimization. Regardless of format, ensure your images are properly sized for their display context and compressed appropriately for their intended use.