AVIF vs JPG: Is AVIF Worth Switching To?
AVIF files are up to 50% smaller than JPEG at matched visual quality, with significantly fewer compression artefacts. The trade-off is slower encoding and less complete software support.
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JPEG celebrated its 30th birthday in 2022, and it's still the most widely used image format on the web. AVIF, released in 2019, promises to cut image file sizes nearly in half while delivering better quality. The question for any web developer or content manager in 2025 is: is AVIF ready to replace JPEG, and what does the migration actually involve?
Quick Answer
AVIF is 40–50% smaller than JPEG at equivalent visual quality for photographic content. It's ready for production websites if you use a <picture> fallback. Encoding is slow — plan your image pipeline accordingly.
AVIF vs JPG Overview
JPEG (JPG) uses the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) algorithm, which divides an image into 8×8 pixel blocks and compresses each block independently. This creates the familiar blocking and ringing artefacts at high compression. JPEG was revolutionary in 1992 but the algorithm's age shows in modern quality comparisons.
AVIF uses the AV1 video codec's intra-frame compression, which analyses much larger and more varied block sizes (up to 128×128 pixels), applies more sophisticated prediction, and uses a modern entropy coder. The result: dramatically better quality per byte, with fewer visible artefacts.
Compression Quality Comparison
Netflix published a seminal comparison showing AVIF achieving equivalent SSIM (Structural Similarity Index) to JPEG at roughly half the file size. Independent testing by Cloudinary confirms 50% reduction for photographic content. The difference is particularly stark at high compression ratios — a heavily-compressed JPEG shows obvious blocking, while an equivalent-sized AVIF looks almost artifact-free.
AVIF vs JPG: file sizes at equivalent visual quality (SSIM-matched)
| Image Type | JPEG Size | AVIF Size | AVIF Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait photo (1200×900) | 185 KB | 88 KB | 52% |
| Product photo (800×800) | 95 KB | 48 KB | 49% |
| Landscape (1920×1080) | 220 KB | 108 KB | 51% |
| Food photography (1000×750) | 130 KB | 68 KB | 48% |
| UI screenshot with photos | 160 KB | 95 KB | 41% |
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Side-by-Side Comparison Table
AVIF vs JPG: full feature comparison
| Feature | JPG (JPEG) | AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| Compression type | Lossy (DCT) | Lossy and lossless (AV1) |
| Typical size saving vs JPEG | Baseline | 40–50% smaller |
| Transparency | No | Yes (alpha channel) |
| Animation | No | Yes (image sequences) |
| HDR support | No | Yes (10–12 bit) |
| Wide colour gamut | No | Yes (P3, Rec. 2020) |
| Encoding speed | Fast | Slow (5–100× JPEG) |
| Browser support | 100% universal | ~90% modern browsers |
| Photoshop support | Native (1990s) | CC 2022 + plugin |
| Best use case | Universal sharing | Web delivery, photography |
Browser Support in 2025
AVIF reached all major browsers by late 2022, including the critical Safari 16 update. As of 2025, approximately 90% of web browsers globally support AVIF. The remaining ~10% are older devices, browsers, or enterprise environments still on legacy software. Always implement a fallback for AVIF.
- Chrome 85+ (August 2020): Full AVIF support
- Firefox 93+ (October 2021): Full AVIF support
- Safari 16+ (September 2022): Full AVIF support
- Edge 90+ (April 2021): Full AVIF support
- Samsung Internet 14+ (2021): Full AVIF support
- iOS Safari 16+ (September 2022): Full AVIF support
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AVIF Advantages Over JPG
- 40–50% smaller file sizes at the same visual quality — major bandwidth and storage savings
- Significantly fewer compression artefacts — no blocking, less ringing around sharp edges
- Supports transparency (alpha channel) — JPEG has none
- Supports HDR and 10/12-bit colour for premium photography and future displays
- Supports animation — JPEG has none
- Open and royalty-free format — no licensing costs
JPG Advantages Over AVIF
- Universal support — every browser, OS, app, and device from 1992 onwards
- Fast encoding — JPEG encodes in milliseconds; AVIF can take seconds per image
- Complete software ecosystem — every image editor, camera, and scanner produces JPEG
- Full EXIF metadata support — camera data, GPS, copyright all preserved reliably
- Email and document compatibility — all mail clients and office apps display JPEG
When to Switch to AVIF
- High-traffic e-commerce stores where bandwidth costs are significant
- Photography portfolios and media sites with hundreds or thousands of images
- Pages where Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is failing and image weight is the cause
- Progressive enhancement: serve AVIF to supported browsers, JPEG to the rest via <picture>
- New web projects without a legacy image library — start with AVIF from day one
How to Migrate From JPG to AVIF
- Audit your existing image library — identify highest-traffic pages and most-loaded images
- Set up your image pipeline to generate AVIF versions alongside existing JPEGs
- Implement the HTML <picture> element with AVIF first, then WebP, then JPEG as fallback
- Verify with browser DevTools that AVIF is being served to Chrome/Firefox/Safari
- Monitor Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console for LCP improvement
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is AVIF better than JPEG?
For web delivery, yes. AVIF is 40–50% smaller than JPEG at equivalent visual quality, with significantly fewer compression artefacts. JPEG wins on universal compatibility and encoding speed.
Can I replace all my JPEGs with AVIF?
On your website, yes — with a JPEG fallback for older browsers. For archiving, email, and sharing outside web contexts, keep JPEG. AVIF isn't universally supported outside modern browsers.
How do I test if my browser supports AVIF?
Visit an AVIF test page, or open Chrome/Firefox DevTools, go to Network, and check if AVIF images return a 200 status. Chrome 85+ and Firefox 93+ have supported AVIF since 2020–2021.
Why is AVIF encoding so slow?
AVIF uses the AV1 codec's compression algorithms, which are far more complex than JPEG's DCT. The encoder analyses large block patterns and tries many prediction modes — this computation takes time. Faster AVIF encoders (rav1e, libaom with speed settings) trade some compression efficiency for speed.
Does AVIF work on iPhone?
Yes, since iOS 16 (September 2022). iPhones running iOS 15 or earlier do not support AVIF. Always include a WebP or JPEG fallback for older iOS devices.
Is AVIF free to use?
Yes. AVIF is an open, royalty-free format created by the Alliance for Open Media. There are no licensing fees for using or distributing AVIF images.
What's the best quality setting for AVIF?
For photographic web images, quality 60–70 (on a 0–100 scale) in most encoders produces excellent results that look virtually identical to JPEG at quality 85–90. Start at 65 and adjust based on visual inspection.