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Video vs GIF

Playable breaks down video email versus animated GIFs in email.

Anthony Mansour avatar
Written by Anthony Mansour
Updated over a week ago

Video vs. GIF, what are the facts?

• GIFs are limited to 256 colors, while videos can display millions of colors, resulting in a much higher quality visual experience.
• 80% of Playable's video emails are watched in HD, thanks to formats like HEVC & MP4, which offer superior quality to GIFs.
• Playable optimizes video content in real-time, taking into account the individual's device, email client, and network connection to ensure a seamless viewing experience. GIFs, on the other hand, are a one-size-fits-all solution that can't adapt to different environments.

Email client support?

• Most email clients support HD video formats, including Apple Mail, Apple iPhone Mail, Apple iPad Mail, Outlook for Mac, and more.
• GIFs are only supported by a few email clients, such as Gmail, Outlook.com, and Yahoo! Mail.

Here are a few more myths we'd like to debunk:

• Video Email can appear anywhere a GIF does, including all major email clients.
• Compression technology works better for HD video than GIFs, resulting in smaller file sizes and higher-quality visuals.
• Playable's HD Video is only delivered when the email is opened, which means no data is used or charged to the user until they engage with the content.


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