MP4 can also be used to store subtitles and stills. MP4 is supported by a wider range of mobile and desktop devices and, being a lossy format, allows for smaller video files while maintaining good quality. Subtitles need to be added as an SRT file. Developed by Microsoft, it’s mostly geared towards Windows devices and usually needs a plugin or a suitable player to be played on Macs or mobile devices. While AVI can be used to store lossless video in very high quality, the format has a few downsides. MP4 first emerged almost a decade later – in 2001, with an updated version coming out in 2003. AVI is an older format, introduced back in 1992.

What is AVI and MP4, and what’s the difference?īoth AVI and MP4 are video container formats that can hold audio and video information.