WebP vs AVIF: which image format to ship

WebP vs AVIF: which image format to ship

Both shrink images well and both help LCP (Largest Contentful Paint — when the biggest thing on screen finishes loading). AVIF squeezes a bit smaller, often 20-30% under WebP. But AVIF takes longer to create and a few old browsers can't read it.

Think of WebP as the reliable family car and AVIF as the sportier model with a couple quirks.

When to pick each:
— Hero image where every kilobyte counts: AVIF, with WebP as a fallback.
— Bulk site images where you just want easy and safe: WebP alone is plenty.

Try this: use the HTML <picture> tag to offer AVIF first and WebP second. Browsers grab whichever they understand. You get the savings without leaving anyone behind. Easier than choosing just one.