H.264 vs H.265 vs AV1
Newer codecs make smaller files for the same quality, but only help if the other person can play them. Here's how they compare, and what your browser supports right now.
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Codec comparison
| Codec | Released | Efficiency vs H.264 | Plays on | Encoding speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.264 (AVC) | 2003 | Baseline | Everything made in the last 15 years | Fast; hardware almost everywhere | Sharing anywhere, Discord, email |
| H.265 (HEVC) | 2013 | ~25–50% less bitrate | Apple devices, most new phones/TVs; patchy in browsers and older PCs | Fast with hardware, slow without | iPhone clips, archiving |
| VP9 | 2013 | Similar to H.265 | All major browsers, Android | Slowish in software | Web video, WebM |
| AV1 | 2018 | A little better than H.265 | Recent browsers and devices with AV1 decode | Slow without hardware | Smallest files, if the viewer can play it |
Efficiency ranges reflect published comparisons (e.g. ITU/MPEG verification tests and the Alliance for Open Media); real savings depend on footage and encoder settings.
So which should you pick?
Sending it to someone? H.264. It's the one format you never have to think about.
Keeping it for yourself on Apple devices? H.265 saves space and plays natively.
Want the smallest file and know the viewer has a recent browser? AV1 if your browser can encode it here, VP9 otherwise.
SqueezeVideos only offers codecs your browser reports it can encode, and falls back to H.264 via FFmpeg when WebCodecs isn't available. Open the compressor.
Questions people ask
Is H.265 better than H.264?
H.265 (HEVC) typically reaches similar visual quality at roughly 25–50% lower bitrate than H.264, depending on content and encoder. The trade-off is compatibility: some browsers and older devices can't play it, and encoding it is slower without hardware support.
AV1 vs H.265: which is better?
AV1 is royalty-free and usually a little more efficient than H.265. It's supported by recent Chrome, Edge, Firefox and newer Apple devices with AV1 hardware, but older phones may struggle to decode it smoothly. H.265 has wider hardware support on Apple devices and TVs.
Which codec should I use for Discord?
H.264 in an MP4. Every Discord client can embed and play it. H.265 or AV1 may upload fine but not preview inline for everyone.
Why can't my browser encode H.265?
Browsers expose the encoders that the operating system and hardware provide. HEVC encoding in WebCodecs is available on some Chrome, Edge and Safari setups and absent on others. The table above tests your browser live.
What about VP9?
VP9 is Google's royalty-free codec, used heavily by YouTube. It's roughly on par with H.265 in efficiency and plays in all major browsers, usually inside a WebM file.