MP4 vs WebM: Which Format Should You Use?
MP4 (H.264) and WebM (VP9) are the two dominant video formats on the web. They serve different needs. Here's which one to pick.
The Short Answer
| Your Goal | Best Format |
|---|---|
| Maximum compatibility | MP4 (H.264) |
| Smallest file size | WebM (VP9) |
| Social media / messaging | MP4 |
| YouTube / Vimeo upload | MP4 |
| Web / self-hosted playback | WebM |
| Professional editing | MP4 (ProRes/MOV) |
MP4 (H.264)
Pros:
- Plays on literally everything — phones, TVs, browsers, game consoles
- The universal standard for video sharing
- Excellent hardware acceleration on all devices
Cons:
- File sizes ~30% larger than VP9 at the same quality
- An older codec — not the most efficient
Best for: Sharing, uploading, anything that needs to "just work"
WebM (VP9)
Pros:
- 20-30% smaller files at the same quality
- Royalty-free (MP4 has licensing costs for commercial products)
- Better at preserving fine details at low bitrates
Cons:
- Not supported on older iPhones and some smart TVs
- Slower to encode (more CPU time)
Best for: Web delivery, reducing bandwidth costs, self-hosted video
How to Convert Between Formats
Need to convert? Just drop your file into our WebM to MP4 or MP4 to MOV converter. Done in seconds, all in your browser.
Our Recommendation
Start with MP4, optimize to WebM later. If you're a content creator sharing on social media, stick with MP4. If you're building a video-heavy website with thousands of views, invest in WebM encoding to cut bandwidth in half.