GIF vs WebP: Which Format Should You Use?
The Short Answer
For animations WebP does everything GIF does at a fraction of the size, with full colour and real transparency. GIF's only advantage is that it plays absolutely everywhere, including old chat apps and email clients.
GIF vs WebP Side by Side
| GIF | WebP | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | GIF: Graphics Interchange Format | WebP: WebP |
| File extension | GIF: .gif | WebP: .webp |
| How it stores data | GIF: Lossless, limited to 256 colours | WebP: Lossy or lossless compression |
| File size | GIF: depends on what is inside | WebP: small (lossy) |
| Created by | GIF: CompuServe, 1987 | WebP: Google, 2010 |
| Best for | GIF: short animations, simple graphics with few colours | WebP: website images, where smaller files mean faster pages |
| Watch out | GIF: photographs look banded, and animations are far larger than the same clip as video | WebP: older software, some email clients and many upload forms still reject it |
| Opens with | GIF: every browser, phone, chat app and image viewer | WebP: all current browsers; recent versions of Windows Photos, Preview, Photoshop and GIMP |
Choose GIF When
- Animations for email and old chat apps
- Places that only accept .gif
Choose WebP When
- Animations on websites
- Animations with more than 256 colours or soft edges
Convert Between GIF and WebP
More About Each Format
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, GIF or WebP?
For animations WebP does everything GIF does at a fraction of the size, with full colour and real transparency. GIF's only advantage is that it plays absolutely everywhere, including old chat apps and email clients.
When should I use GIF?
Animations for email and old chat apps. Places that only accept .gif.
When should I use WebP?
Animations on websites. Animations with more than 256 colours or soft edges.
What is GIF?
GIF stores images with a palette of at most 256 colours and can hold several frames, which is why it became the format of short looping animations. It plays everywhere without a video player.
What is WebP?
WebP is a web image format from Google that is typically 25–35 % smaller than JPG at the same visual quality, and it supports transparency and animation. All current browsers display it.
Can I convert between GIF and WebP?
Yes — free, in batches and without an account. Convert GIF to WebP, or Convert WebP to GIF with the converter linked on this page.