BMP and HEIC are image formats that have laid a strong foundation for adopting digital images or files. While their online adoption and usage are subject to built-in capabilities and features, graphic designers and web developers recognize that each file type has immeasurable strengths and weaknesses.
The article compares BMP vs. HEIC, including structure, file size, storage demands, web browser support, compression, web performance, image quality, transparency, and animation support.
When is HEIC better than BMP?
HEIC images are smaller and high-quality, and they support transparency and animations, while BMP images are larger and relatively lower quality than HEIC and do not support transparent backgrounds and animations. HEIC file type is ideal for creating web imagery, animations, and live photos. Its functionality captures different high-quality actions of objects in motion with a click.
When is BMP better than HEIC?
BMP images are extensively supported by nearly all legacy and new web browsers, while HEIC images are only supported by Google Marketplace, Google Marketplace, and Apple Safari. The BMP file type suits medical imaging, website designs, and web graphics.
BMP versus HEIC Comparison Table
| Aspect/Factor | HEIC | BMP |
| Transparency | Supports transparency. | Does not support transparency. |
| File Size | Smaller files than BMP files. | Relatively larger files than HEIC files. |
| Image Quality | Excellent image quality compared to BMP images. | Higher quality images. |
| Performance | Smaller and loads faster online than BMP. | Larger and loads slower than HEIC. |
| Structure | Raster graphic: Has comments and tags, image series, and EXIF/TIF files stored via indicators for display. | Raster-based: Has a file header, information header, pixel data, and color table. |
| Animation | Supports animations. | Does not support animation. |
| Storage | Less storage space demand than BMP. | More storage space demand than HEIC. |
| Compression | Supports lossy and lossless compressions. | Supports lossless compression with RLE. |
| Browser Support | Limited browser support compared to BMP. | Broader browser support compared to HEIC. |
Differences and similarities between HEIC and BMP images
BMP is an old image format, whereas HEIC is a modern file type. However, the BMP versus HEIC comparison table above shows that the formats are raster graphics, each supporting lossless compression. They differ in web browser support, storage needs, animation, transparency, file size, image quality, lossy compression, performance, and structure.
Transparency
The HEIC file extension supports transparency, while BMP does not. HEIC supports transparency by allowing images such as logos, graphics, or artworks to fuse perfectly with the prevailing webpage background. HEIC also supports discretionary alpha masks or plane transparency information. On the other hand, the BMP image format does not have the innovative features or support layers that allow transparency.
File Size
HEIC and BMP formats store detailed metadata and data. Both formats support lossless, retaining all image information. However, HEIC uses advanced, Highly Efficient Video Coding compression that significantly minimizes lossless file sizes compared to BMP. Lossy HEIC also supports HEVC algorithms but deletes specific image data, resulting in smaller files than BMP files.
Image Quality
HEIC formats offer excellent image quality compared to BMP format. HEIC supports 10-bit and 16-bit color modules and files packed as 48-bit per color channel by default. HEIC further supports advanced image features such as High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Color Range (WCR). Unlike BMP, HEIC’s more color profiles, especially HDR and WCR, make its images sparkling, sharp, and visually appealing, increasing its adoption or usage across most platforms compared to BMP images.
Performance
The HEIC format uses highly efficient video coding (HEVC) compression algorithms, resulting in much smaller and higher-quality files than BMP files compressed using run-length encoding algorithms. Therefore, HEIC files perform better over low-bandwidth networks than BMPs. HEIC file type demands less storage expenses, increases online user experience, and boosts search engine optimization since it is highly web-responsive compared to the larger BMP files.
Structure
BMP and HEIC file extensions are raster graphics, which can easily be compared. HEIC files specify how image sequences, specific images, and metadata are stored in a container file based on the ISO Base Media File Format rules. It has the Exif metadata with tags and comments supported by TIFF and EXIF.
HEIC has embedded TIFF files without image data but keeps specific image files called items. All HEICs have many labeled items. HEIC allows image series "tracks" to be compressed and stored in TIFF/EXIF files. Finally, its indicator shows how HEIC files should be displayed: colonnades or animations.
In contrast, BMP files have headers, data headers, color tables, and pixel data. The BMP header has the file type, size, and device-free bitmap file layout. The data header defines the color format, compression method, and dimensions. The color table defines the color profiles, while pixel data describes the bit depths and bytes.
The pixel data is described using endless scan lines and rows. Every scan line has constant bytes defining the row pixels in a left-to-right order. Its system maps the pixels from the bottom row and ends with the top row or scan line. Each BMP scan line is zero-padded to the closest 4-byte boundary.
Animation
The HEIC file extension supports still animation or image sequences, whereas the BMP file extension does not. HEIC stores multiple metadata and images in one file, making it possible to create short animations. HEIC further stores image sequences that are playable as lively content or slideshows.
Storage
BMP files are larger than HEIC files. HEIC uses the innovative and efficient HEVC compression method to minimize file sizes compared to lossless BMP using Run Length Encoding (RLE). HEIC files require less storage space than BMP files, but data from both formats can last forever with proper processing and storage.
BMP and HEIC files can be stored in File Systems, including ISO Base Media Files and Base64 Encoding, the Cloud, Hard Drives, Content Delivery Networks, Floppy Drives, and DVDs. Users should prefer HEIC over BMP format because the former demands less memory space on storage mediums.
Compression
BMP supports lossless compression with Run Length Encoding (RLE), while HEIC supports lossless and lossy compression with HEVC algorithms. BMP files compress 4-bit and 8-bit bitmaps using RLE, ensuring that all file data and details are conserved and resulting files are of higher quality.
BMP compression can be encoded or absolute. The encoded compression starts with the initial byte that defines the number of next pixels to be drawn using the color index enclosed in the second byte. In the absolute mode, the primary byte is zero, and the following must be a value between 03H and FFH.
Browser Support
BMP is a legacy file type compared to the next-generation format HEIC. With over four decades of existence, BMP enjoys wider browser and platform support than HEIC, which is only compatible with or supported by Safari, Google Marketplace, or Google Workspace.
The HEIC file type has yet to be supported in most legacy and new email and web browsers such as Chrome, Samsung Internet, Internet Explorer, Opera, Brave, Discord, Firefox, Edge, and Vivaldi. All these browsers support BMP files and images, except Internet Explorer 6, which added features for browser compatibility.
Convert HEIC to BMP or BMP to HEIC
Use Convertjack to convert HEIC to BMP quickly and efficiently. The BMP format enjoys universal web browser support, is detailed and data-rich, and preserves all image data with Run Length Encoding lossless compression, increasing its worldwide adoption in online advertisement and medical imaging.
Convertjack is the dominant BMP to HEIC converter. The HEIC format uses the most advanced and efficient HEVC compression, resulting in smaller, high-quality images with enough storage space, support for transparency and animations, and seamless web performance compared to the BMP format.