WebP vs GIF
How do WebP and GIFcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
.webp
Full guide →Web Picture Format
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google that provides superior compression for images on the web. It supports both lossy and lossless compression, transparency, and animation — all in one format.
.gif
Full guide →Graphics Interchange Format
GIF is a widely recognized format best known for animated images and short loops. While limited to 256 colors, GIF's animation support and universal compatibility make it a staple of web culture.
| Specification | WebP | GIF |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Web Picture Format | Graphics Interchange Format |
| Extension | .webp | .gif |
| MIME type | image/webp | image/gif |
| Category | Image | Image |
| Developer | CompuServe | |
| Year introduced | 2010 | 1987 |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
WebP advantages
- 25-35% smaller than JPG at equivalent quality
- Supports transparency like PNG
- Supports animation like GIF
- Both lossy and lossless modes available
WebP limitations
- Not supported by some older browsers
- Limited support in desktop editing software
- Less universal than JPG or PNG
- Maximum dimension of 16383x16383 pixels
GIF advantages
- Animation support — multiple frames in one file
- Universal browser and platform support
- Small file sizes for simple graphics
- Supports basic transparency
GIF limitations
- Limited to 256 colors per frame
- Poor quality for photographs
- Large file sizes for animations compared to video
- Binary transparency only (no partial transparency)
Which should you use?
Both WebP and GIF have their strengths. WebP excels at website optimization and performance, while GIF is better for animated images and memes.
Best uses for WebP
Best uses for GIF
Convert between WebP and GIF
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.