GIF, MP4, and WebM can show the same wobble but behave differently after download. GIF is an animated image with broad recognition and simple looping. MP4 and WebM are modern video containers that preserve photographic color and repeated frames more efficiently. The best choice depends on where the file will be posted, not on one format winning every category.
Purupuru Maker performs each export locally. Its GIF encoder creates a short standardized loop, while video export records the live canvas through browser MediaRecorder. Because available codecs vary by browser, the MP4 button is enabled only when the current browser reports compatible support; WebM is the practical fallback.
Technical comparison at a glance
The table describes the format families and the current Studio workflow. A destination can transcode, resize, strip transparency, or replace looping behavior, so always test the uploaded result rather than judging only the local file.
| Format | Color and compression | Playback model | Purupuru export | Best starting use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GIF | Palette of up to 256 colors per frame; image compression | Automatic image-style loop | 24 frames, 20 FPS, max 520 px edge | Chats, forums, simple embeds, reactions |
| MP4 | Modern video compression and full-color frames | Video player or platform autoplay | 30 FPS, about 2.2 seconds, when browser codec exists | Social feeds and broad video playback |
| WebM | Modern web-video compression; VP9/VP8 by browser | Video player or HTML autoplay loop | 30 FPS, about 2.2 seconds | Web publishing and MP4 fallback |
GIF: convenient looping with real color and size tradeoffs
GIF behaves like an image in many chats, content systems, and forum posts. It starts again automatically and does not need visible player controls. Purupuru Maker scales the export canvas so its longest edge is at most 520 pixels, warms up the motion, then writes 24 frames at 20 FPS for a 1.2-second loop.
The encoder builds one shared 256-color palette from the first frame. Reusing that palette helps stationary pixels stay consistent instead of shimmering from changing frame palettes. The tradeoff is that gradients, photographs, noise, and subtle transparency cannot be represented as efficiently or smoothly as modern video. A flat-color sticker may compress well; a detailed photograph may become much larger.
Failure case: exporting a noisy full-camera image as GIF creates a heavy file with visible color stepping. Crop or resize the source, simplify the background, shorten the movement, and compare WebM before sacrificing the mask quality.
MP4: the social-video default when the browser supports it
MP4 is widely accepted by social platforms, video editors, presentation software, and device galleries. It preserves photographic gradients and repeated motion more efficiently than GIF, especially when the background stays mostly unchanged. Purupuru Maker requests an AVC-compatible MP4 recorder and uses it only when MediaRecorder confirms support.
That browser dependency matters. An unavailable MP4 button does not mean the animation failed; it means the current browser does not expose a compatible encoder to the page. Export WebM instead or switch to a browser that supports the required recorder. Screenshot brief: capture the format buttons in one supported and one unsupported browser, with version and operating system recorded.
Failure case: assuming every social network preserves the exact local clip. Platforms often transcode video, change bitrate, add poster frames, or alter looping. Upload privately first and check the processed result.
WebM: efficient browser-native video and the reliable fallback
WebM is designed for web video and commonly uses VP9 or VP8 in browser recording. Purupuru Maker checks those codecs in order, records the same 30 FPS canvas for about 2.2 seconds, and saves the first supported form. It is often smaller than GIF for photographic movement and remains easy to place in an HTML video element.
The tradeoff is destination support. Some social uploaders and older desktop tools prefer MP4, while modern browsers handle WebM well. A conversion after export does not require repainting the mask; keep the WebM master and create an MP4 derivative when the destination refuses it.
Failure case: using a WebM file directly as an animated image in a CMS that expects GIF. The upload may succeed but appear as a downloadable file or non-looping video. Use the correct media block or convert for that publishing system.
A reproducible file-size test without invented numbers
Use one owned 1200 × 1200 source, the same painted mask, Jelly at speed 1.0, amplitude 16, damping 0.45, and the default export duration for each format. Record browser version, operating system, visible dimensions, duration, frame rate, file bytes, and whether the destination transcoded the upload. Do not compare a long MP4 with a short GIF or a resized WebM with a full-size video.
| Measurement | GIF | MP4 | WebM |
|---|---|---|---|
| File size | [需要实测] | [需要实测] | [需要实测] |
| Visible edge quality | [需要实测] | [需要实测] | [需要实测] |
| Destination result | [需要实测] | [需要实测] | [需要实测] |
Screenshot brief: place the three local files and three post-upload results in a labeled grid. Include actual byte counts and crop behavior. That is original evidence; a generic claim that video is “always ten times smaller” is not.
Format recommendations by destination
Keep the original still image and the cleanest video master. Destination rules change, and future conversion is easier from a full-color source than from a palette-reduced GIF. Name files with format and version so a compressed social derivative never replaces the master accidentally.
- Choose GIF for a short reaction that must behave like an image in a chat, forum, documentation page, or simple CMS.
- Choose MP4 for Instagram-style feeds, TikTok-style editing, presentations, and tools that expect standard video.
- Choose WebM for websites, browser-native playback, efficient masters, and any session where MP4 recording is unavailable.
- For Telegram video stickers, convert and validate a VP9 WebM derivative against Telegram’s separate sticker requirements.
- For LINE animated stickers, convert the master into a compliant APNG; a direct GIF, MP4, or WebM export is not the submission file.
Use GIF for image-like ubiquity, MP4 for broad social video, and WebM for efficient browser-native output. Then confirm the real uploaded result with a controlled test instead of trusting a universal size claim.