You might have blamed your internet provider for the videos that failed to load or kept buffering. But do you know that it’s not only the internet speed that prevents it from downloading the video? Another technology silently helps the video run smoothly on your devices. It is this technology that allows for faster video downloads without losing quality.

Introducing Video Codecs!!!

They are the hidden heroes of streaming. Videos need to be compressed so they can load faster without using heavy data and without compromising on quality. Video codecs conduct this noble task, making it easy to view HD or 4K content online.

VP9 vs AV1 are the most popular codecs. Both are open-source and royalty-free. It means you can use them for free. Leave aside your doubts about free products, as major tech companies back both codecs.

Let’s explore the difference between VP9 vs AV1, helping you to choose the appropriate codec based on your requirements.

What is a Video Codec?

A video codec is software that compresses and decompresses video files. It makes large video files smaller without ruining the quality.

There are two types of compression:

• Lossy compression: In this, some data is lost to reduce the file size.
• Lossless compression: This compression reduces the video size without losing any data.

Most streaming platforms use lossy compression. It’s faster and more efficient.

Without compression, one minute of HD video could be around 15GB. That’s too heavy for streaming or storage. 

That's where video codecs come in. They compress video files without losing data and quality. Codecs keep video file size low, allowing them to stream faster.

It's similar to packing a suitcase in an organised manner. A codec is similar to an organised individual who fits more clothes into the same space without wrinkling them too much.

Also Read: HEVC Video Codec: High-Efficiency Video Compression Guide

Why Compression Matters?

Today, we are using HD, 4K and even 8K videos extensively, which are amazing to view. However, they are very huge in size.

YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video and other similar platforms stream videos over the cloud. It’s crucial to keep the video files low without losing the quality and content. These platforms wouldn’t be able to stream their content so easily and quickly without codecs.

And as audiences also, you would struggle to download heavy video files and watch them quickly. And it would cost you a lot of data to download one single video. Forget about the multiple movies and other content you consume per month.

Codes also help in saving storage space. Otherwise, the streaming platforms might have to keep numerous data storage centres ready for their content. Additionally, you would need to maintain an infinite number of storage devices, as a single movie would consume the entire storage capacity of a single device. 

As an example, consider a 2-hour movie without a codec that takes up hundreds of gigabytes. A good codec compresses that movie up to 2 to 3 GB, without losing the quality.

How to Choose the Correct Video Codec?

Here are a few key elements that help you choose the appropriate video codec.

• Quality: Check if the quality deteriorated after compression. Metrics like PSNR and SSIM help measure this.
• Bitrate: The amount of data used per second of video. Lower bitrate with good quality is ideal.
• Compression efficiency: Check whether the codec has reduced the file size substantially.
• Encoding speed: How fast the video is processed. Faster encoding is better for live streaming.

There’s always a trade-off. Better compression often means slower encoding.

Human intervention is also crucial. Many times, two videos with the same technical score undergo codec processing. However, one video may feel smoother or more natural. If such a case arises, the need for real-world testing is essential.

Now, let’s have a brief comparison between the two codecs: VP9 and AV1 to help you understand which suits you the best.

What is VP9 Codec?

VP9 was developed by Google in 2013. It replaced VP8 and offered better compression. It’s been around for over a decade and is supported by billions of devices.

You’ll find VP9 used on YouTube, Netflix, and WebRTC. It’s great for HD and 4K streaming. VP9 also enables smooth video calls, due to its low CPU usage.

Implementation of VP9 is easy with tools like libvpx and FFmpeg. VP9 codes help videos run smoothly on most browsers and devices.

Pros: Include fast encoding and broad compatibility. 

Cons: Less efficient than AV1 and has limited support for HDR and wide colour formats.

If you’re building a live streaming app or video chat tool, VP9 is a safe and fast choice.

What is AV1 Codec?

Google developed AV1 for Open Media in 2015. However, it was in 2018 when the codec was launched. Google, Apple, Netflix, and Amazon back it.

AV1 offers better compression and near-lossless quality. Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video use the AV1 codec for high-resolution content. AV1 is ideal for great visuals and consumes less bandwidth.

AV1 supports advanced features, such as film grain synthesis and flexible tiling. It’s perfect for 8K and future-ready streaming.

Pros: Includes 20–30 per cent better compression than VP9 and strong support for HDR.

Cons: It’s slower to encode and uses more CPU. Older devices may not support it well.

How do VP9 and AV1 Differ in Technical Aspects?

Let’s examine a brief comparison between VP9 and AV1 in terms of technical aspects.

VP9 vs AV1: A Detailed Comparison of Modern Video Codecs

The demand for high-quality video streaming is growing rapidly, and with it, the need for efficient video compression.

Two of the most popular open-source codecs in the streaming world today are VP9 (developed by Google) and AV1 (developed by the Alliance for Open Media).

Both promise better compression than older standards like H.264, but they differ in efficiency, performance, and adoption.

In this guide, we’ll compare VP9 and AV1 in detail:

1. Compression Efficiency: VP9 vs AV1

• VP9:

  • Offers around 30–50% better compression than H.264 at the same visual quality.

  • Suitable for reducing bandwidth consumption without a massive jump in complexity.

• AV1:

  • Designed as the next-generation codec with ~20–30% better efficiency than VP9.

  • Produces smaller file sizes at the same perceived video quality, which is crucial for 4K/8K and low-bandwidth streaming.

2. Video Quality: VP9 vs AV1

• VP9:

  • Provides noticeably better quality than H.264, especially at lower bitrates.

  • Ideal for 1080p and even 4K streaming, though it requires more bandwidth compared to AV1 for the same quality.

• AV1:

  • Maintains better detail preservation and fewer visual artifacts (blocking, banding).

  • Performs especially well on HDR and 10-bit video, where color depth and gradients matter.

3. Encoding and Transcoding Complexity: VP9 vs AV1

• VP9:

  • Less computationally intensive than AV1.

  • Encoding/transcoding is relatively fast and well-optimized with mature libraries like libvpx and FFmpeg.

  • Suitable for live streaming and platforms where low latency is critical.

• AV1:

  • Encoding is significantly more complex and slower — up to 10x slower than VP9 in many cases.

  • Real-time encoding for live streaming remains challenging without specialized hardware.

  • Decoding is efficient, but encoding is still catching up.

4. Hardware and Software Support: VP9 vs AV1

• VP9:

  • Widely supported in browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Android devices.

  • Hardware decode support exists in most modern GPUs (Intel, AMD, NVIDIA) and mobile chipsets (Qualcomm Snapdragon, Samsung Exynos).

  • Supported by platforms like YouTube and Netflix for 4K playback.

• AV1:

  • Browser support: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera. Safari adoption is still limited.

  • Hardware decode is only recently becoming available (Intel Xe GPUs, NVIDIA RTX 30/40 series, AMD RDNA2/3, Apple M1/M2 chips).

  • Mobile support is emerging but not as mature as VP9.

  • Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video have started using AV1 for select devices.

5. Industry Adoption: VP9 vs AV1

• VP9:

  • Heavily used by YouTube as the default for 4K streams.

  • Supported by Netflix (for Android devices with VP9 support).

  • Well-established in browsers and Android OS.

• AV1:

  • Netflix uses AV1 on Android and Smart TVs.

  • YouTube streams AV1 in browsers and apps that support it.

  • Streaming giants are shifting to AV1 because of its efficiency and royalty-free model.

Which Codec Should You Choose?

If you are still unsure about which codec to use, the following tips might help you make a decision.

• For best quality visuals at low bitrates, AV1 is the best. It is ideal for Ultra HD and video-on-demand services.
• VP9 is good for speed and compatibility. You get good results if you are into live streaming or real-time applications.
• Before building a streaming app or platform, it’s essential to consider your audience. Understand what devices they are using, either modern or older. Analyse the requirements of whether you need fast encoding to satisfy your clients.

The above tips will help you arrive at a near-perfect decision.

Final Thoughts - Video Codes: The Backbone of Digital Media

Video codecs are a must in today’s digital world. How quickly a video streams, how it looks and how much data it consumes- all depend on a codec.

Today, two video codecs are popular - VP9 and AV1. VP9 is reliable, fast and is widely supported. AV1 is powerful, efficient and ready for the future.

The performance of both codecs is excellent; however, they are used as needed. Understanding their pros and cons helps you make an informed decision.

If you are still looking for answers, contact Enveu It helps you build your  own streaming app with the appropriate codec support. Enveu builds apps that deliver smooth playback with scalable performance.

Let’s build something your users will love, fast, flexible, and future proof.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)