Modern Image Formats Compared: WebP vs AVIF vs JPEG XL
With the continuous evolution of image formats, choosing the right one for your website can significantly impact performance and user experience. In this article, we compare WebP, AVIF, and JPEG XL to help you make informed decisions.
Introduction to Modern Formats
The traditional JPEG and PNG formats have served us well for decades, but newer formats offer better compression and features. The three main contenders are:
- WebP - Developed by Google, released in 2010
- AVIF - Based on AV1 video codec, released in 2019
- JPEG XL - Backward compatible with JPEG, finalized in 2021
Compression Efficiency
Compression efficiency determines how much you can reduce file size without noticeable quality loss. Our tests show:
| Format | Avg. Savings vs JPEG | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| WebP | 25-35% | General web use |
| AVIF | 50-60% | High quality images |
| JPEG XL | 20-30% | Backward compatibility |
Browser Support
As of 2023, browser support varies significantly:
Current Support
- WebP - Supported by 97% of browsers globally
- AVIF - Supported by 75% of browsers (growing rapidly)
- JPEG XL - Limited experimental support (about 15%)
Feature Comparison
Each format brings unique capabilities to the table:
WebP
- ✓ Lossy & lossless
- ✓ Transparency
- ✓ Animation
- ✗ HDR
AVIF
- ✓ Lossy & lossless
- ✓ Transparency
- ✓ Animation
- ✓ HDR
JPEG XL
- ✓ Lossy & lossless
- ✓ Progressive decoding
- ✓ Backward compatible
- ✓ HDR
Recommendations
Based on current support and capabilities:
For most websites: Use WebP as primary format with JPEG fallback.
For image-heavy sites: Implement AVIF with WebP/JPEG fallbacks.
For archival purposes: Consider JPEG XL once support improves.
Implementation Example
Here's how to implement modern formats with fallbacks:
<picture>
<source srcset="image.avif" type="image/avif">
<source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp">
<img src="image.jpg" alt="Description">
</picture>Conclusion
While WebP currently offers the best balance of compression and support, AVIF is rapidly gaining ground for high-quality images. JPEG XL shows promise for the future with its backward compatibility features. The optimal strategy is to implement progressive enhancement with multiple formats.
Use our Format Converter tool to experiment with these formats and see the file size differences for your specific images.