MP4 vs WEBM, side by side
| MP4 | WEBM | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | MPEG-4 (H.264) | WebM |
| Type | Video | Video |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Best for | sharing and publishing video anywhere | efficient web video in Chrome, Firefox and Edge |
Choose MP4 if…
…you need sharing and publishing video anywhere.
Choose WEBM if…
…you need efficient web video in Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
Convert between them
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between MP4 and WEBM?
MPEG-4 (H.264) (MP4) is lossy and best for sharing and publishing video anywhere. WebM (WEBM) is lossy and best for efficient web video in Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
Is MP4 better than WEBM?
Neither is universally better — it depends on your use case. Choose MP4 for sharing and publishing video anywhere; choose WEBM for efficient web video in Chrome.
Should I use MP4 or WEBM?
Use MP4 when you need sharing and publishing video anywhere. Use WEBM when you need efficient web video in Chrome.
Can I convert MP4 to WEBM?
Yes — you can convert MP4 to WEBM (and back) for free, in seconds, right here.
Last updated July 2026