WebM VS 3GP
The ultimate comparison guide. Understanding the technical differences between Web Media and 3GPP Multimedia.
WebM
webmOpen media file format optimized for the web.
Pros
- Open source (royalty-free)
- Optimized for HTML5
- Good transparency support
Cons
- Less support on mobile/legacy devices than MP4
3GP
3gpLightweight container for early 3G phones prioritizing tiny file sizes.
Pros
- Extremely small files
- Optimized for low bandwidth
- Easy MMS sharing
Cons
- Low resolution
- Poor audio fidelity
- Outdated on modern hardware
When WebM wins
Stay with WebM when you need html5 video or web background videos. Its strengths center on open source (royalty-free) and a feature set native to Google.
When 3GP wins
Choose 3GP when your workflow prioritizes legacy mobile devices or feature phone archives. It delivers extremely small files plus modern compression perks.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | WebM | 3GP |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | video/webm | video/3gpp |
| Developer | 3rd Generation Partnership Project | |
| Release Year | 2010 | 2001 |
| Best For | HTML5 video, Web background videos | Legacy mobile devices, Feature phone archives |
Need to switch?
Where WebM still wins
Keep WebM when you need open source (royalty-free) and workflows depend on html5 video / web background videos. Link those teams directly to the converter above so they can ship 3GP deliverables without leaving their browser.
- • Reference the .webm glossary from this page.
- • Embed the conversion CTA in docs, wikis, and onboarding runbooks.
- • Use 3GP for legacy mobile devices while archiving originals as WebM.
Keep crawlers in the conversion hub
Link this comparison to the relevant tool, glossary, and documentation pages so every crawl discovers a monetizable route.