VP9
The direct successor to VP8 with 35% better compression
VP8
Royalty-free video codec for legacy WebM compatibility.
Overview
What is VP8
VP8 is an open, royalty-free video codec originally developed by On2 Technologies and released by Google in 2010 as part of the WebM project. VP8 offers compression efficiency roughly comparable to H.264 Baseline profile but with a royalty-free license. Although VP9 and AV1 have largely superseded VP8 for new projects, VP8 remains relevant for older WebM deployments and legacy video workflows. VP8 is supported by Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, but not by Safari.
Decision Guide
When to Choose VP8
Choose VP8 when:
- You maintain a legacy system that mandates VP8 — some older implementations only negotiate VP8.
- You need a royalty-free codec with fast encoding speed and don't require high compression — VP8 is simpler than VP9/AV1.
- You are producing WebM content for maximum backward compatibility with older browsers.
Consider alternatives when:
Try it
Transcoding Demo
Source video
URL
Upload File
Sample Video
Source Type
URL
Select a source video and click “Convert” to see VP8 output in action.
Reference
Key Characteristics
| Standard | Google / WebM Project (originally On2 Technologies), 2010 |
| Compression efficiency | Comparable to H.264 Baseline profile |
| Royalty status | Royalty-free, open-source (BSD license) |
| Hardware decode support | Limited — some ARM SoCs, older Qualcomm chips |
| Hardware encode support | Very limited — primarily software (libvpx) |
| Browser support | Chrome 25+, Firefox 4+, Edge 79+; Safari: not supported |
| Container support | WebM |
| Max resolution | 16384×16384 (spec); practically used up to 1080p |
| Encoding speed | Fast — comparable to H.264 |
| Typical use case | Legacy, older WebM content, royalty-free fallback |
Compatibility
Browser & Device Support
Platform | VP8 | VP9 | H.264 | AV1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Chrome (desktop) | 25+ | 29+ | 70+ | |
Firefox (desktop) | 4+ | 28+ | 67+ | |
Safari (macOS) | 14.1+ | 17+ | ||
Edge | 79+ | 79+ | 79+ | |
iOS Safari | 15+ | 17+ | ||
Android Chrome | 93+ |
Implementation
How Qencode Handles VP8
Qencode encodes VP8 using libvpx for WebM output. Specify `libvpx` as the video codec.
Request Example
WebM output with VP8
{
"query": {
"source": "https://your-storage.com/video.mp4",
"format": [
{
"output": "webm",
"video_codec": "libvpx",
"resolution": 2160,
"quality": 20,
"audio_codec": "libopus"
}
]
}
Copy this payload and use it with your API key to generate VP8 output from any video source.
View Parameter Referencecomparison
VP8 vs. VP9
VP8 | VP9 | |
|---|---|---|
Compression (vs H.264) | ~same | ~35% better |
Royalty status | Royalty-free | Royalty-free |
Hardware decode | Limited | Broad |
Best for | Legacy | Modern WebM delivery |
For a detailed VP9 breakdown, see VP9
Pricing
What It Costs
Resolution | VP8 |
|---|---|
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 |
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