BMP is an older image format, while AVIF is a new file format. The choice between these two formats will vary depending on the intended uses. As discussed in this article, BMP vs. AVIF can differ or be identical regarding file size, image quality, structure, performance, compression, storage needs, browser support, transparency, and animation support.
When is AVIF better than BMP?
The AVIF images are smaller and data-rich because they use the advanced and efficient AV1 video codec to compress files, while lossless BMP images are larger and high-quality but support RLE algorithms, which are incomparable to AV1.
The AVIF format is ideal for storage-efficient and highly responsive images and web media. The AVIF file extension supports WCR, HDR, and low-fidelity lossless and lossy compression methods, resulting in smaller, higher-quality images.
When is BMP better than AVIF?
The BMP images are simple sequences of pixels, each with color information stored directly within the file for easy encoding and editing, while AVIF images are complex and use the radical encoding method, which prolongs the encoding period.
BMP file extension is ideal for creating web graphics, web design, and medical imaging. BMP images are detailed, high-quality, and have a simple structure that allows easy editing and resaving without losing quality.
BMP versus AVIF Table Comparison
| Variable/Factor | AVIF | BMP |
| Transparency | Supports transparency | It does not support transparency or alpha channel |
| File Size | Smaller files compared to BMP files. | Relatively larger files than AVIF. |
| Image Quality | Excellent image quality. | Higher quality images |
| Performance | It is smaller and loads faster compared to BMP. | Larger and loads slower than AVIF. |
| Structure | Raster-based with nested boxes: File Type Box (ftyp) container, metadata, and actual image data. | Raster-based, starting with a header, information header, pixel data, and color table. |
| Animation | Supports animations | Does not support animation. |
| Storage | Necessitates less storage space than BMP. | Necessities more storage space than AVIF. |
| Compression | Support lossy and lossless compression with AV1. | Supports lossless compression with RLE. |
| Browser Support | Limited browser support compared to BMP. | Wider browser support compared to AVIF. |
Differences and similarities between AVIF and BMP images
The comparison of BMP versus AVIF formats is based on their technical features. The formats are similar in lossless compression but dissimilar in transparency, animation, lossy compression, performance, image quality, storage needs, file size, web browser support, and structure.
Transparency
AVIF supports transparency, while BMP hardly supports transparency. AVIF images support transparency via its alpha channels. The transparent backgrounds allow transparency data to be stored and supported alongside the lossy and lossless data.
BMPs lack advanced features that enable transparency. Nonetheless, the file format promotes additional color spaces and alpha channels. In contrast, AVIF enables data transparency at varying levels and supports object representation in images with well-defined opacities.
File Size
The BMP file size limit is 32,767×32,767 pixels, with 4GB for every pixel, while the AVIF file size limit is 65,536 x 65,536 pixels. However, BMP file sizes largely depend on the format version. BMP’s dimensional restraints depend on how individual pixels are handled.
Irrespective of the file dimensions, AVIFs are smaller than BMPs. AVIF uses lossy and lossless AV1 compression algorithms that fully minimize file sizes. In contrast, BMPs are very detailed and retain more image data and details through RLE lossless compression, making them larger than AVIF files.
Image Quality
AVIF and BMP are high-quality formats. Nonetheless, BMP supports a higher bit depth than AVIF. For instance, BMP supports simple 1-bit monochrome images and 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, and 24-bit true color per channel images, whereas AVIF supports 8-bit, 10-bit, and 12-bit color depths per channel. BMP only supports RGB, monochrome, and ICC color profiles.
However, AVIF supports more color profiles and uses the more efficient AV1 compression technique to preserve image quality. It also supports YUV 420, YUV 444, WCR, ICC profile, HDR, Rec 2020, sRGB, Pro Photo RGB, and non-standard and standard color spaces.
Performance
The AVIF images are smaller than BMP images. As a result, BMP files load slower on websites and consume more bytes than AVIF files. AVIF files increase website performance and user experience as they optimize search engines.
Structure
AVIF and BMP are bitmapped file types, making their structural components and designs easy to compare. For instance, BMP stores bitmap digital images independently based on display devices like graphics adapters. BMP’s structure starts with a header, information header, and color table and ends with pixel data.
Its header comprises file type, size, and the Device-free bitmap file layout. The BMP data header stipulates the file's color format, compression technique, and dimensions. Its color table has various bitmap elements, including colors, in a single BMP file.
AVIF structure, on the other hand, comprises nested boxes that store metadata and data. It has a File Type Box (ftyp) that is responsible for identifying the file and specifying the format version used at the top-lying container or box.
The ftyp container comprises additional boxes such as The Item Properties Box (iprp), Item Location Box (iloc), and Media Data Box (mdat) with different metadata and real image information. The image metadata in an AVIF file is sequentially stored as compressed frames using AV1 codec encoding.
Animation
AVIF supports animations or lively content, but BMP lacks inherent support for animations. AVIF supports animation and live photos using its multilayer image storage sequence. The AVIF file type is compatible with HIEF, which enables image sequences and elements.
Storage
BMP files preserve all image data with lossless compression, while AVIF uses grander lossy and lossless AV1 algorithms, which efficiently curtail file sizes. Thus, AVIF images are smaller than BMP images, making BMP files require more storage space than AVIFs.
AVIF and BMP files can be stored forever on hard drives, file systems, cloud servers, folders, content delivery networks, and Base64 encoders, depending on the storage conditions, handling processes, and storage mediums.
Compression
BMP uses lossless compression, while AVIF uses both lossy and lossless compression. The BMP’s lossless compression with a run-length encoding (RLE) algorithm compresses 4-bit and 8-bit bitmaps, resulting in larger and higher-quality images. Its lossless compression can be in either an encoded or absolute mode.
In contrast, AVIF’s lossy and lossless compression techniques compress image details sequentially using the AV1 video codec algorithm in a HEIF container format. The lossy AVIF deletes part of the image data, resulting in a slight loss in image quality. Lossless AVIF using the AV1 compression algorithm results in smaller images with all file details preserved, ensuring higher-quality images.
Browser Support
AVIF and BMP file formats are widely supported by Samsung Internet, Discord, Safari, Vivaldi, Chrome, Brave, Opera, Firefox, and Edge, among other older and new web browsers. Besides, all versions of Internet Explorer support BMP images or files, which hardly support AVIF file type.
Convert AVIF to BMP or BMP to AVIF
Use convertjack to convert AVIF to BMP easily. Enjoy larger, info-rich, and precise BMP images that preserve all file details through lossless compression, making the format suitable for medical imaging.
Convertjack is the current and most efficient BMP to AVIF converter. It helps users create smaller, high-quality AVIF files that support transparency and animation, need fewer bytes, and load faster on websites than BMP.