Web designers and developers are often concerned about smaller and high-quality images. In the past few years, JPG has become a famous image format that works well in structure, compression, image quality, storage, file size, performance, and browser support, among other things.
However, the next-generation file format AVIF has recently joined the digital image arena, promising even smaller file sizes and better quality than JPG, which reminds users of the adage, 'Transformation continually takes over conventionalism.'
The article offers a detailed comparison of AVIF vs. JPG to help users understand and decide which file format is best for a particular situation.
When is JPG better than AVIF?
Nearly all web browsers and devices widely support JPG images, while AVIF is a new image format that is limited in browser support and compatibility with software and systems. JPG's high compatibility with most software and devices makes it a standard choice for sharing images. Thus, the JPG image format is safer for web images than AVIF.
When is AVIF better than JPG?
AVIF images use efficient AV1 video codec compression to create smaller and high-quality images, while JPG images use lossy compression, resulting in a loss of image quality. AVIF is ideal for making smaller, high-quality images, like photography portfolios, websites, blogs, graphic design, and digital art.
The benefits of AVIF images include smaller file sizes and high-quality images, which result in reduced webpage loading times and increased user experience.
AVIF versus JPG Table Comparison
| Element | AVIF | JPG |
| Transparency | Supports transparency | Does not support transparency |
| File Size | Smaller files than JPG. | Larger images than AVIF. |
| Image Quality | Excellent, high-quality upheld even with compression. | Good, though quality is lost with lossy compression. |
| Performance | Loads faster because of smaller file sizes than JPGs. | Loads slowly because of larger file sizes. |
| Structure | Comprises nested boxes: File Type Box (ftyp) container, metadata, and actual image data. | Begins with the binary value '0xFFD8' and ends with '0xFFD9'. |
| Animation | Supports animations | does not support animation |
| Storage | Smaller and needs less storage space than JPG. | Larger and needs more storage space than AVIF. |
| Compression | Support lossless and lossy compression | Supports lossy compression |
| Browser Support | Limited browser and platform support compared to JPG. | Widely supported by all web browsers and platforms. |
Differences and similarities between JPG and AVIF images
Many factors must be considered when comparing the features of AVIF versus JPG. The formats are similar in lossy compression but different in structure, image quality, file size, performance, browser support, lossless compression, storage, animation, and transparency support.
Transparency
JPG images do not support transparency or an alpha channel. Saving a JPG image with transparent areas makes such areas appear filled with solid colors, normally black or white. As such, users can hardly apply transparent backgrounds to the images created.
Like other image formats, including GIF and PNG, AVIF can encode transparent regions inside an image using an alpha channel. The transparent backgrounds in AVIF images support and store transparent data alongside lossy and lossless data. It enables data transparency at different levels and supports object representation in images with well-defined opacities.
File Size
JPG files are larger than AVIF files. AVIF uses advanced and efficient AV1 video codec compression, offering comparatively smaller image sizes than JPG without quality loss. AVIF can compress its images to attain a +50% compression ratio compared to JPG with the same quality.
The maximum image size of a JPG format is 65,535 x 65,535 pixels, which is the same as 4 gigapixels for the characteristic ratio 1:1. In contrast, an AVIF format can store encrypted file blocks via its multiple frames. The AVIF’s coded images can hardly exceed a size limit of 65,536 x 65,536 pixels.
Image Quality
AVIF is deemed a higher-quality image format compared to JPG. It can generate images with highly detailed levels and less distortion than JPG. AVIF supports high dynamic range (HDR) and Wide Color Range (WCR), suitable for high-quality imaging.
AVIF supports higher bit depths and a broader range of colors than JPG. The image format supports multiple color sub-sampling formats, including YUV 444 and YUV 420. Similarly, it supports WCR, ICC profile, Rec 2020, sRGB, Pro Photo RGB, and non-standard and standard color spaces.
JPG uses a lossy compression method that loses image quality as part of the info-rich file is deleted. Although the compression technique is still widely applicable, it is incomparable to the efficient AV1 video codec that AVIF uses to produce smaller, high-quality images.
Performance
AVIFs are characteristically smaller than JPGs. AVIF uses the AV1 video codec to create smaller than lossless JPG files. As a result, AVIF's smaller file size loads faster online consumes fewer bytes, requires minimal storage space or bandwidth, and enhances the online user experience more than JPGs.
AVIF compression method ensures image quality and smaller files than lossy JPGs, which encounter compression artifacts. Hence, when considering loading speed and image quality for a website, AVIF is the best choice over JPG as it uses modern technology to boast responsiveness and user experience.
Structure
JPG and AVIF are distinct image formats that cannot be compared in structure. AVIF’s structure is classified as nested boxes storing metadata and data. AVIF’s file extension has a File Type Box (ftyp) responsible for categorizing the file and stating the format version used at the top-lying container or box.
The ftyp container has extra boxes, including the Media Data Box (mdat), Item Location Box (iloc), and the Item Properties Box (iprp), each with varying metadata and correct image info. The image metadata is serially stored as compressed frames using AV1 video codec encoding.
The AVIF frames contain a storage box (ispe) with a decoder plan record to offer the coded variables used in a frame. AVIF stores multiple images using the modular structure, in addition to additional metadata, including Exif, XMP, and ICC profiles, which render image information and the development process.
In contrast, the JPG file extension comprises a series of segments starting with a marker and several binary OxFFXX data. The first marker has a binary value of 'OxFFD8' and ends with a binary value of 'OxFFD9'. The makers designate the time of the JPG information or data.
A 0x00 byte is inserted in entropy-compressed data after any 0xFF byte before the next byte. This prevents framing errors since there will be no markers where they are not intended to be. Decoders tend to skip the 0x00 byte. As such, the different structural components make it difficult to compare AVIF and JPG.
Animation
JPG does not have inherent support for animations or lively content, while AVIF does. AVIF files have multilayer image storage sequences that integrally support animation and lively images. The image format is compatible with HIEF, which enables image sequences and elements. The HEIF (High-Efficiency Image Format) file’s structure allows AVIF to compress images, manipulate, store, and display them in an animated form.
Storage
JPG images are significantly larger than AVIF images. AVIF uses more advanced and efficient lossy and lossless AV1 video codec compression to create smaller files that consume fewer bytes and need minimal bandwidth or storage space. In contrast, JPG’s lossy compression deletes excessive file details but still results in larger files that consume more bytes and require more storage than AVIF.
AVIF and JPG images can be stored on Floppy Drives, Cloud storage, File Systems, Hard Drives, Content Delivery Networks, CDs, and DVDs. The file transfer, loading, or downloading speeds depend on the size. Thus, AVIF files download and load faster online, making them easier and quicker to share than JPG files.
Compression
An AVIF image format uses grander, lossless, and low-fidelity lossy compression techniques to create high-quality, small images. In contrast, the JPG image format uses lossy compression to reduce the image size by allowing some data to be deleted.
The JPG’s lossy compression method assumes a block-based compression. The subsampling color information reduces the original file data through re-order and coding (Huffman Coding) and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) coefficients.
In contrast, AVIF’s lossy method compresses image data sequentially using the AV1 codec algorithm in a HEIF container format. The technique allows part of the image data to be deleted, leading to a slight loss in image quality and significantly smaller AVIF files.
On the other hand, AVIF's lossless compression technique sequentially compresses image info using the AV1 compression algorithm in a HEIF format. Nevertheless, the algorithm creates smaller image sizes while preserving all image information, ensuring no loss of image quality.
Browser Support
JPG is widely supported by nearly all browsers and devices, such as Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera Mini, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, Brave, and Discord. It is also supported by all versions of Internet Explorer except IE6.
In contrast, AVIF is slowly gaining prominence and traction but has limited web browser support. Web browsers such as Opera, Edge, Chrome, Safari, and Firefox partially support the image format. Internet Explorer, Brave, and Discord need additional extensions to support AVIFs fully.
Converting JPG to AVIF or AVIF to JPG
You can easily convert JPG to AVIF using an online image converter such as convertjack. Users prefer AVIF to JPG because AVIF images are smaller and high-quality, ensuring they load faster online and increase user experience.
Otherwise, the AVIF to JPG converter known as Convertjack hardly requires sign-in to convert AVIF to JPG, making it the easiest tool for your conversion. Users like JPG images because they are widely supported and compatible with most programs, software, and web browsers.