HEIC VS WebP
The ultimate comparison guide. Understanding the technical differences between High Efficiency Image Container and Web Picture Format.
HEIC
heicStandard format on modern Apple devices, highly efficient storage.
Pros
- Half the size of JPG
- 16-bit color
- Live photo support
Cons
- Limited support on Windows/Android
- Licensing issues
WebP
webpModern format providing superior compression for web performance.
Pros
- Superior compression (30% smaller than JPG)
- Supports transparency
- Supports animation
Cons
- Not supported by very old browsers
- Complex encoding
When HEIC wins
Stay with HEIC when you need iphone photography or apple ecosystem. Its strengths center on half the size of jpg and a feature set native to MPEG.
When WebP wins
Choose WebP when your workflow prioritizes modern websites or app assets. It delivers superior compression (30% smaller than jpg) plus modern compression perks.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | HEIC | WebP |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | image/heic | image/webp |
| Developer | MPEG | |
| Release Year | 2015 | 2010 |
| Best For | iPhone photography, Apple ecosystem | Modern websites, App assets, Speed optimization |
Need to switch?
Where HEIC still wins
Keep HEIC when you need half the size of jpg and workflows depend on iphone photography / apple ecosystem. Link those teams directly to the converter above so they can ship WebP deliverables without leaving their browser.
- • Reference the .heic glossary from this page.
- • Embed the conversion CTA in docs, wikis, and onboarding runbooks.
- • Use WebP for modern websites while archiving originals as HEIC.
Keep crawlers in the conversion hub
Link this comparison to the relevant tool, glossary, and documentation pages so every crawl discovers a monetizable route.