In one recent test, AV1 made the smallest file—but that does not prove it is always the smallest or that it preserved the same quality. The result depended on the source clip, encoder implementation and settings. To find a meaningful winner, compare codecs at matched visual quality and account for encoding cost and playback support.
What the measured comparison found
Rendobar encoded the same five-second, 1280 × 720 clip once in each listed format, removing audio. Its API measurements, dated August 20, 2026, reported these output sizes:
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| Format and encoder | Settings used | File size |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 (libx264) | CRF 23 | 433.0 KB |
| HEVC (libx265) | CRF 28 | 233.0 KB |
| VP9 (libvpx-vp9) | CRF 32 | 346.6 KB |
| AV1 (libsvtav1) | CRF 35, preset 8 | 224.4 KB |
| AV1 (libaom-av1) | CRF 35, cpu-used 8 | 146.5 KB |
In this particular set of runs, libaom-av1 produced the smallest file. The result also shows why a codec label alone is not enough: the two AV1 implementations produced different sizes at the listed settings. The test included HEVC as well as the H.264, VP9 and AV1 formats in the headline.
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Why the smallest file is not necessarily the best result
The comparison used different CRF settings for different encoders, and the page warns that those settings do not produce equal visual quality. A smaller file could therefore reflect a lower quality target rather than a more efficient codec. CRF values are not directly comparable across codecs; even a shared CRF number does not establish equal quality between two AV1 encoders.
The VP9 run also lacked row multithreading and faster CPU-used/deadline settings. Rendobar’s author says the result is narrow and did not rerun VP9 with those flags. Each format was encoded in a single job, so the table is not a broad benchmark across clips, settings or repeated trials. It establishes file sizes for those specific runs, not a universal ranking or a reliable encode-time comparison.
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How to compare codecs fairly
For the question “which codec gives a smaller file at the same quality?”, compare output sizes at a quality target held constant—not at arbitrary settings that happen to be customary for each encoder. A useful comparison should also state the encoder implementation and version, the settings, and the source material. Video content, resolution and frame rate all shape the result.
- Same quality, different sizes: Encode each option to the same visual-quality target, then compare file sizes.
- Same size, different quality: Set a common size or bitrate and compare visual quality. A separate Rendobar comparison reportedly held the codecs to 150 KB and assessed quality with VMAF; it is a different experiment and not a broad, multi-content result. View the matched-size comparison.
- Practical cost: Compare encode speed and compute needs, then check whether the target devices can decode the result efficiently.
These are different tests. A codec can win on size at one quality target and lose on speed, playback support or quality at a fixed bitrate.
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What published comparisons add—and what they do not
Meta’s 2018 Facebook-video study
Meta Engineering described selecting 400 popular public Facebook videos and encoding them with a snapshot of the AOM AV1 reference software, FFmpeg 3.3.3 with libx264, and libvpx-vp9. Its method used CRF/QP sweeps followed by two-pass average-bitrate encodes to compare quality and rate ranges. Meta concluded that AV1 could deliver better quality at the same bitrate, or reduce buffering at comparable quality, in its service context. This is useful evidence of a more systematic comparison approach, but the encoders are old and the conclusion belongs to Meta’s test conditions. Read Meta Engineering’s 2018 report.
Meta’s 2025 AV1 compression claim
Meta’s 2025 AV1 white paper says the codec offers “up to 30% better compression than VP9.” That is Meta’s stated upper bound, not a result from the single-clip table above or a guarantee for every file. The paper also notes that the efficiency gain comes with greater computational complexity and that playback can challenge low- and mid-tier phones with limited compute resources. Read Meta’s AV1 white paper.
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Meta’s 2024 real-time communications experience
In its mobile real-time communications implementation, Meta says a hybrid encoder can switch between AV1 and H.264 based on CPU use, battery level or encoding time. It reports that AV1 used more memory in that implementation, so Meta disabled it on low-memory devices. Meta also says QP is not comparable between AV1 and H.264, and reports a 2 dB AV1 improvement using its locally developed PSNR framework. Those findings concern Meta’s real-time communications system, not general-purpose file encoding. Read Meta Engineering’s RTC account.
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Playback support can change the choice
A smaller encode is useful only if the intended devices can play it acceptably. Platform support does not guarantee that every device has the same profiles, hardware acceleration or performance.
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Android’s support table lists VP9 decoding from Android 4.4 and AV1 decoding from Android 10. It says AV1 encoder and decoder support are mandatory beginning with Android 14. These are Android platform statements; device capabilities and other operating systems may differ. Check Android’s supported media formats.
For web and mobile video on demand, Google recommends constrained-quality mode for VP9, with bitrate limits around a target. Its examples include 1,024 kbps for 720p at 24–30 frames per second and 1,800 kbps for 1080p at 24–30 fps. These are recommendations for Google’s stated use case, not a promise of a particular visual quality or proof of how VP9 compares with another codec. Google also notes that tiling can speed encoding with a slight quality reduction. Read Google’s VP9 VOD settings guidance.
Quick Recap
Which should you choose?
- Choose based on size only after matching quality. The smallest row in an unmatched test may simply have lower visual quality.
- Consider AV1 when smaller files matter and your workflow can handle its encoding and playback demands. The measured run favors one AV1 implementation at its chosen settings, but does not establish a general matched-quality win.
- Check compatibility before distributing AV1 widely. Confirm support on the actual devices and apps your viewers use; platform minimums alone do not describe every device’s playback performance.
- Include speed, memory and battery in real-time or mobile use. Smaller output is only one part of the trade-off, as Meta’s RTC experience illustrates.
- Specify the encoder, not just the codec. The different AV1 sizes in the measured table demonstrate that implementations and settings matter.
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