H.264 vs H.265
H.265 (HEVC) is more efficient and less universally playable in browsers than H.264 (AVC). Hardware support varies by device and by licensing.
Prefer H.264 for web video unless you control the device list and have measured HEVC playback. ConvertPass will not label a file HEVC unless the browser exposes it.
| Topic | H.264 / AVC | H.265 / HEVC |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Good enough for most web video. | Often ~20–50% smaller at similar quality, content-dependent. |
| Browsers | The default yes. | Safari is the happy path; others vary, especially without hardware. |
| Encoding cost | Cheap. | Heavier, though hardware encoders help. |
| This site | Likely to inspect in Chromium. | May fail capability detection. That is a real result. |
Related tools
- Video file inspector
Read duration and resolution from a video without uploading it.
- Video bitrate calculator
Turn file size and duration into an estimated bitrate, locally.
Related formats
Last reviewed 16 August 2026.