As a video marketer, you already know there’s no cookie-cutter method to crafting participating movies, however it is best to all the time make sure you‘re utilizing the very best video format to your content material, whatever the type of video you’re creating.
There isn’t any one-size-fits-all video format— not each laptop, video platform, or web site browser helps each video format.
![→ Access Now: Video Marketing Starter Pack [Free Kit]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/8f27c677-d952-4663-8787-bf65c6a1ecf2.png)
Fortuitously, we have rounded up the very best video codecs and listed their execs and cons so you may be taught which video format to make use of in several conditions.
As soon as you already know the very best format to your movies, take a look at HubSpot’s Clip Creator, our free AI-powered video maker, so you may simply make high-quality movies.
Desk of Contents
6 of the Finest Video Codecs for 2025
1. MP4
Most digital gadgets and platforms help MP4, making it essentially the most common video format. MP4 may also retailer video, audio, textual content, and nonetheless pictures. Moreover, it may retain excessive video high quality whereas sustaining comparatively small file sizes.
Finest for: MP4 codecs are greatest for long-form video codecs as a result of MP4 recordsdata are comparatively small however nonetheless of top of the range.
“For my YouTube channel, I often use the MP4 video format as a result of a whole lot of the YouTube movies I made have been so long as 20 minutes,” HubSpot Advertising and marketing Supervisor Erica Santiago says.
“MP4s are such small recordsdata that it could make rendering and importing long-form movies lots simpler and extra environment friendly. Plus, MP4s usually solely expertise a slight high quality loss when uploaded to platforms like YouTube or TikTok.”
- Execs: MP4 recordsdata are pretty small, making them fast to add and straightforward to save lots of with out clogging up house in your machine.
- Cons: As a result of MP4 recordsdata are so easy and customary to work with, they’re additionally simple to pirate, which poses a priority for creators.
2. MOV
Developed by Apple, MOV is a video format particularly designed for QuickTime Participant. Nonetheless, since there’s a model of QuickTime Participant for Home windows, MOV can be suitable with Home windows.
The MOV video format can retailer audio, textual content, and video results, however since its high quality is often so excessive, it’ll take up considerably more room on individuals’s computer systems.
Finest for: The MOV format is greatest for enhancing on Apple gadgets since they’re particularly formatted for QuickTime Participant.
Execs: MOVs are beloved by filmmakers as a result of they include audio, textual content, and video results and might be separated into a number of tracks. Their top quality makes MOVs simple to edit and is the skilled customary in video enhancing.
Cons: Not like MP4s, MOV codecs are usually not broadly playable throughout completely different gadgets, and their tremendous top quality additionally results in giant file sizes.
“I hardly ever use MOV formatting for my movies as a result of, in my view, the top quality does not make up for the way a lot file house they devour and the way lengthy they take to add,” Santiago says.
3. WMV
Microsoft developed WMV, so your viewers can play most of these movies on Home windows Media Participant. They will obtain a WMV participant to play WMV movies if they’ve a Mac. Identical to the MOV format, the WMV format boasts excessive video high quality, nevertheless it’s on the expense of a small file dimension.
Finest for: WMVs are greatest for creators who wish to guarantee copyright safety for his or her work. The format accommodates copyright and licensing capabilities that test whether or not makes use of have the correct to make use of them.
Execs: WMV recordsdata are so small they will even be performed by way of Google Drive.
Cons: “Whereas I just like the small file dimension for enhancing, WMV recordsdata usually lose picture high quality once they’re getting uploaded and compressed, so I keep away from utilizing this format as properly,” says Santiago.
4. FLV
Particularly designed for Adobe Flash Video Gamers, FLV is among the most versatile and standard video codecs. Each net browser and video platform helps it.
Finest for: In case your viewers streams many movies on on-line platforms, like YouTube and Google Video, FLV is the video format for you.
Execs: Their file sizes are often small, so individuals can rapidly obtain them.
Cons: The one downside of the video format is that it’s not suitable with iOS gadgets and lots of different cell gadgets.
5. AVI
One of many oldest video codecs, AVI, was developed by Microsoft in 1992. Since then, it has grow to be one of the versatile, suitable with Home windows, Mac, and Linux, and supported by most net browsers.
- Finest for: AVI is greatest for brief movies and tv.
- Execs: AVIs are suitable with most working programs and boast wonderful audio and video high quality.
- Cons: The AVI video format file dimension is giant, which is extra conducive for individuals to retailer on their computer systems than to stream or obtain.
6. AVCHD
Panasonic and Sony developed AVCHD, the highest-quality video format, particularly for digital camcorders, so it is excellent for many who frequently shoot high-end movies.
Powered by H.264/MPEG-4 video compression know-how, the video format allows you to retailer hours of high-quality video utilizing solely a tiny quantity of information.
Moreover, the video format has each customary and high-definition variations, and its newest variation, AVCHD 2.0, even helps three-dimensional video.
- Finest for: AVCHD is greatest for creators taking pictures high-end movies.
- Execs: AVCHD is small in file dimension and does not expertise a lot loss in information high quality.
- Cons: This format has very restricted compatibility as a result of it is developed to be used with Panasonic and Sony merchandise.
Now that you already know the very best video format to your content material, you are able to create excellent, participating movies that may attain your viewers.
