H.264

The universal video codec with 99%+ device support and the fastest encoding speeds.

Overview

What is H.264

H.264 (also known as AVC, or Advanced Video Coding) is a video compression standard developed jointly by ITU-T and ISO/IEC MPEG. Released in 2003, it remains the most widely deployed video codec in the world — supported by every browser, mobile device, smart TV, game console, and hardware decoder in production. H.264 offers a strong balance of compression efficiency and encoding speed, though newer codecs like H.265 and AV1 achieve 30–50% better compression at equivalent quality. H.264's licensing is managed by MPEG LA's patent pool, with fees typically absorbed by device and encoder manufacturers rather than content producers.

Decision Guide

When to Choose H.264

Choose H.264 when:

You need to reach every device on earth — H.264 playback is supported on 99%+ of devices and browsers without exception.
Encoding speed matters more than file size — H.264 encodes 5–20× faster than AV1 and 2–3× faster than H.265.
Your CDN costs are not your primary concern — H.264's larger files are acceptable when bandwidth is cheap or audience is small.

Consider alternatives when:

Storage and CDN costs dominate your budget — H.265 saves ~40% and AV1 saves ~50% at equivalent quality.
You're building for YouTube, Netflix, or similar platforms that already decode AV1 — AV1 is the forward-looking choice.
You need royalty-free codecs — VP9 and AV1 have no licensing fees.

Try it

Transcoding Demo

Source video

URL

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Sample Video

Enter URL for Source Video

Source Type

URL

Enter URL for Source Video

Transcoding demo creates a small clip with a watermark.To test transcoding full files, Start your Free Plan for 500 credits

Select a source video and click “Convert” to see H.264 output in action.

Reference

Key Characteristics

Standard	ITU-T H.264 / ISO/IEC 14496-10 (AVC), 2003
Compression efficiency	Baseline — newer codecs compare against H.264
Royalty status	Licensed (MPEG LA patent pool); fees typically paid by device/encoder vendors
Hardware decode support	Universal — every GPU, SoC, and media chip produced since ~2010
Hardware encode support	Universal — Intel Quick Sync, NVIDIA NVENC, AMD VCE/VCN, Apple VideoToolbox
Browser support	Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — all versions currently in use
Container support	MP4, HLS (.ts/.fmp4), DASH, CMAF
Max resolution	8192×4320 (High 6.2 profile); practically used up to 4K
Encoding speed	Fast — 5–20× faster than AV1, 2–3× faster than H.265
Typical use case	Maximum compatibility, fast encoding, cost-sensitive workflows

Compatibility

Browser & Device Support

Platform	H.265	AV1	VP9	VP8
Chrome (desktop)		70+	29+	25+
Firefox (desktop)		67+	28+	4+
Safari (macOS)	11+	17+
Edge	HEVC ext.	79+	79+	79+
iOS Safari	11+	17+
Android Chrome	device-dep.	93+
Smart TVs (Tizen/webOS)	2017+	2022+
Roku / Fire TV	4K models	2023+
Game consoles	PS5, Xbox S/X	PS5, Xbox S/X

Implementation

How Qencode Handles H.264

Qencode encodes H.264 using optimized x264 (software) and hardware-accelerated encoders (NVENC, Quick Sync, VideoToolbox) depending on the job configuration. H.264 is the default codec for most output formats — specify libx264 explicitly or let Qencode default to it.

Pair H.264 with Per-Title Encoding to reduce H.264's bitrate overhead by 40–60% without switching codecs, or use Bulk Encoding to process large H.264 libraries in parallel.

Request Example

MP4 output with H.264 and Per-Title Encoding

{
  "query": {
    "source": "https://your-storage.com/source.mov",
    "format": [
      {
        "output": "mp4",
        "video_codec": "libx264",
        "resolution": 2160,
        "optimize_bitrate": 1
      }
    ]
  }
}

Copy this payload and use it with your API key to generate H.264 output from any video source.

View Parameter Reference

comparison

H.264 vs. H.265

	H.264	H.265 (HEVC)
Compression	Baseline	~40% better
Encoding speed	Fast	2–3× slower
Device support	Universal (99%+)	Broad (90%+, growing)
Royalty status	Licensed (MPEG LA)	Licensed (MPEG LA + others)
Browser support	Universal	Partial (Safari, Edge; not Chrome/Firefox)
Best for	Maximum compatibility, fast encoding	Bandwidth savings, 4K delivery

For a detailed H.265 breakdown, see H.265

Pricing

What It Costs

Resolution	H.264
SD (< 960 x 720) 0 - 691199 pixels	$0.005
HD (2160 x 1080) 691200 - 2332800 pixels	$0.01
1440 (2880 x 1440) 2332801 - 4147200 pixels	$0.025
4K (4096 x 2048) 4147201 - 8388608 pixels	$0.045
5K (5120 x 2560) 8388609 - 13107200 pixels	$0.08
6K (6144 x 3072) 13107201 - 18874368 pixels	$0.12
7K (7168 x 3584) 18874361 - 25690112 pixels	$0.16
8K (8192 x 4096) 25690113 - 33554432 pixels	$0.22
10K (10240 x 5120) 33554433 - 52428800 pixels	$0.35
12K (12288 x 6144) 52428801 - 75497472 pixels	$0.5
14K (14336 x 7168) 75497473 - 102760448 pixels	$0.68
16K (16384 x 8192) 102760449 - 134217728 pixels	$0.88