AV1 and HEVC are both modern codecs built to deliver the same picture at much smaller sizes than older H.264. They differ in licensing, device support, and how long they take to encode. This is a practical comparison to help you choose.
The Short Answer
- Pick HEVC (H.265) when you need wide hardware support today and fast encoding: phones, TVs, cameras, and most editing workflows.
- Pick AV1 when you want the best compression, royalty-free licensing, and your audience’s devices and browsers can play it, as with web streaming.
- Pick neither when you need to play on very old devices; use H.264 then.
Background on all three is in AV1 vs H.264 vs H.265.
Side-by-Side
| AV1 | HEVC (H.265) | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2013 |
| Licensing | Royalty-free (Alliance for Open Media) | Patent pools; royalties apply to many users of the technology |
| Compression efficiency | Generally the better of the two, at equal quality | Strong, clearly better than H.264 |
| Encoding speed | Slower, especially without hardware acceleration | Faster on most hardware |
| Hardware decoding | Newer chips only | Very common in phones, TVs, and GPUs |
| Browser support | Broad in current major browsers | Patchy; depends on the browser and the hardware |
Exact savings depend on the content and encoder settings, so treat any single “X% smaller” figure with caution.
Compression and Quality
Both codecs can reach a given quality at a lower bitrate than H.264. AV1 usually gets a bit more out of the same bitrate, and the advantage tends to show most at lower bitrates and higher resolutions. What bitrate means matters here: bitrate decides file size, and a more efficient codec lets you lower it without visible loss.
In practice, good encoder settings matter as much as the codec choice. A badly tuned AV1 file can look worse than a well-tuned HEVC one.
Device and Software Support
This is where the choice is usually made:
- HEVC is baked into most phones, cameras, smart TVs, and graphics cards from the last several years. Many iPhones record in it by default.
- AV1 hardware decoding appeared in newer GPUs, phones, and TVs. On older hardware it plays by using the CPU, which can stutter or drain battery.
- Browsers: current major browsers handle AV1 well; HEVC support in browsers often depends on the operating system and hardware.
If you don’t control the player, HEVC is the safer pick; if you do (your own site or app), AV1 is more attractive.
Licensing
HEVC involves multiple patent pools, which has been a headache for software makers and a reason some platforms avoid it. AV1 was designed to be royalty-free. For an individual creating videos for personal use, this rarely matters directly. It matters for companies distributing software or streaming at scale.
Encoding Time
AV1 encoding is notably slower than HEVC, particularly with software encoders. Newer GPUs add hardware AV1 encoding that speeds this up, with some quality trade-off. For a quick edit-and-export turnaround, HEVC is usually less painful.
Which to Choose
| Your situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Archiving your own footage | HEVC for compatibility, AV1 if your hardware supports it and you’ll play it on modern devices |
| Uploading to a video platform | Upload the highest quality source; the platform re-encodes it |
| Hosting video on your own site | AV1 (with an H.264 fallback) |
| Sharing with friends on mixed devices | HEVC or H.264 |
| Phone or camera recording | Whatever your device records natively |
If a file won’t play on a device, convert it with the AllMediaTools video converter to a more compatible format. For the previous generation, see H.264 vs H.265.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AV1 better than HEVC?
Usually in compression efficiency and licensing, but HEVC wins on device support and encoding speed today.
Will AV1 replace HEVC?
It’s gaining ground, especially in streaming, but HEVC remains entrenched in cameras, phones, and TVs.
Why won’t my AV1 video play?
Your device or player may lack AV1 support. Update the software or convert to a more compatible format.
Does AV1 look better than HEVC at the same file size?
Often slightly, but encoder settings and content type change the result.
Is HEVC free to use?
Playing it on your own devices is generally free to you, but the technology carries patent licensing for companies that ship it.
Should I re-encode my old videos to AV1?
Only if storage is tight and you’ll play them on modern devices. Re-encoding a lossy file loses some quality, so keep the originals.