WebP and AVIF are next-generation image formats that reduce weight by 50 to 70% compared to JPEG/PNG. Discover which one to choose for your e-commerce store and how the Lexiik CDN handles them automatically.
Typical savings
WebP → AVIF migration: -20 to -30% additional
The Problem with Traditional Formats
JPEG, PNG, GIF: Obsolete in 2026
These formats were created in the 1990s-2000s, at a time when Internet connections were slow and screens were low resolution. They are no longer suited for the modern web.
| Format | Year | Compression | Main issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPEG | 1992 | Lossy | Excessive weight, no transparency |
| PNG | 1996 | Lossless | Huge weight (3-10x JPEG) |
| GIF | 1987 | Lossless | Limited to 256 colors, heavy animations |
Concrete example: A typical e-commerce product photo (1200x1200px, 85% quality):
- JPEG: 480 KB
- PNG-24: 1.8 MB (4x heavier)
- WebP: 160 KB (3x lighter than JPEG)
- AVIF: 95 KB (5x lighter than JPEG)
WebP: The Modern Standard
Developed by Google
WebP was created by Google in 2010 and integrated into Chrome as early as 2011. It combines the advantages of JPEG (lossy compression) and PNG (transparency, lossless).
WebP Advantages
Strengths
- ✓ -30 to -50% weight vs JPEG at equal quality
- ✓ Transparency support (alpha channel)
- ✓ Animation support (replaces GIF)
- ✓ 96% browser support (2026)
- ✓ Lossy AND lossless compression
Limitations
- ⚠ Not supported by Safari <14 (2020)
- ⚠ IE 11 does not support it
- ⚠ AVIF outperforms in compression
- ⚠ EXIF metadata sometimes lost
Browser Support
AVIF: The Next-Generation Format
An Open Standard
AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is based on the AV1 video codec, created by the Alliance for Open Media (Google, Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Mozilla...). Launched in 2019, it is the most performant format in 2026.
Why AVIF Is Superior
-50%
vs JPEG at equal quality
-20%
vs WebP at equal quality
10bit
Color depth (HDR)
Detailed Comparison
| Criterion | WebP | AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Good | Excellent (-20%) |
| Browser support | 96% | 88% |
| Encoding time | Fast (50ms) | Slow (200ms) |
| Color depth | 8-bit | 10-bit (HDR) |
| Transparency | ✅ | ✅ |
| Animation | ✅ | ✅ |
AVIF Browser Support
Warning
What Strategy to Adopt?
Recommendations by Use Case
🏆 Option 1: AVIF + WebP + JPEG (Optimal)
Serve AVIF to modern browsers, WebP as fallback, JPEG for legacy.
<source srcset="image.avif" type="image/avif" />
<source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp" />
<img src="image.jpg" alt="Description" />
</picture>
✅ Best performance • ✅ 100% support • ⚠️ Complex to manage
🥈 Option 2: WebP + JPEG (Balanced)
WebP for 96% of visitors, JPEG for the remaining 4%.
<source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp" />
<img src="image.jpg" alt="Description" />
</picture>
✅ Good compromise • ✅ Simple • ✅ 96% coverage
🥉 Option 3: Optimized JPEG (Minimum)
If you cannot use WebP/AVIF, at least optimize your JPEGs.
• Exact dimensions (no CSS resizing)
• Progressive JPEG for gradual loading
⚠️ Limited gains • ✅ 100% compatible • ⚠️ Weight 2-3x higher than WebP
Lexiik Handles Everything Automatically
The Lexiik CDN implements Option 1 (AVIF + WebP + JPEG) automatically, with no code to write:
- 1Browser detection
The CDN analyzes the User-Agent and Accept headers
- 2Dynamic conversion
Chrome/Edge → AVIF | Safari/Firefox → WebP | IE → JPEG
- 3Edge cache
Each variant is cached for 1 year
- 4Ultra-fast delivery
From the nearest datacenter (<50ms)
Measuring the Impact
Real Example: Fashion Store (3,200 products)
Before (JPEG only)
After (AVIF + WebP + CDN)
📊 Business Impact
Conclusion and Next Steps
In 2026, WebP is the minimum requirement for any serious e-commerce store. AVIF is the near future and provides significant additional gains. The Lexiik CDN gives you both automatically.
Activate the Lexiik CDN
3-click activation guide to benefit from automatic WebP/AVIF.
Green SEO
Reduce carbon footprint with optimized images.