How do MP4 and WebMcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
MPEG-4 Part 14
MP4 is the most widely used video format in the world. It's the default for everything from YouTube to TikTok, smartphones to streaming services. If you need one video format that works everywhere, MP4 is it.
Web Media
WebM is Google's open-source video format designed specifically for the web. It offers excellent compression and quality, especially with the VP9 and AV1 codecs, and is royalty-free.
| Specification | MP4 | WebM |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | MPEG-4 Part 14 | Web Media |
| Extension | .mp4 | .webm |
| MIME type | video/mp4 | video/webm |
| Category | Video | Video |
| Developer | ISO / Moving Picture Experts Group | |
| Year introduced | 2001 | 2010 |
MP4 is the universal standard — it works everywhere. WebM has its niche: html5 web video. When in doubt, convert to MP4 for maximum compatibility.
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.