AVI vs 3GP
How do AVI and 3GPcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
.avi
Full guide →Audio Video Interleave
AVI is one of the oldest and most recognized video formats. While it has been largely superseded by MP4 and MKV, AVI files are still commonly found in legacy video libraries and older applications.
.3gp
Full guide →3rd Generation Partnership Project
3GP is a video format designed for 3G mobile phones. While modern smartphones use MP4, 3GP is still used in feature phones and developing markets where bandwidth and storage are limited.
| Specification | AVI | 3GP |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Audio Video Interleave | 3rd Generation Partnership Project |
| Extension | .avi | .3gp |
| MIME type | video/x-msvideo | video/3gpp |
| Category | Video | Video |
| Developer | Microsoft | 3rd Generation Partnership Project |
| Year introduced | 1992 | 2003 |
AVI advantages
- Wide compatibility
- Simple container format
- No compression overhead
- Good for uncompressed video
AVI limitations
- Large file sizes
- Limited codec support compared to MKV
- No native streaming support
- Outdated format
3GP advantages
- Very small file sizes
- Designed for mobile devices
- Low bandwidth requirements
- Plays on feature phones
3GP limitations
- Very low quality
- Outdated format
- Limited resolution support
- Not suitable for modern use
Which should you use?
AVI and 3GP target different use cases. AVI is ideal for legacy video archives, while 3GP works best for feature phone video playback.
Best uses for AVI
Best uses for 3GP
Convert between AVI and 3GP
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.