AVIF files can be significantly smaller than WebP, a potential relief for strained storage resources.
AVIF PUSHED BY STORAGE CRISIS: WHY HOSTS ARE SLOW TO ADOPT
*Rising hardware costs and scarce storage are squeezing hosting providers. *AVIF promises smaller files without quality loss, yet adoption stalls. *The debate pits CPU‑heavy encoding against urgent cost pressures.
Storage devices—HDDs, SSDs, NVMe drives—are soaring in price and dwindling in availability in 2026. Hosting firms like Hetzner have raised rates multiple times this year, blaming the hardware squeeze amplified by the AI boom. As providers pass costs to customers, the internet’s appetite for image and video storage grows unchecked. Michael Mitchell’s blog post argues that a shift to more efficient formats such as AVIF for images and AV1/AV2 for video could blunt the impact of the shortage. He points to AVIF’s superior compression and urges users, phone makers, and hosts to embrace it before the hardware crunch deepens.
Why are hosting providers reluctant to adopt AVIF?
Hetzner has raised prices multiple times in 2026, citing rising hardware costs. Other hosts followed suit as HDD, SSD and NVMe drives hit "ridiculously" high prices and supply shortages. The AI boom fuels demand for the same storage, keeping prices elevated into 2027. AVIF encoding demands more CPU, a burden hosts prefer to avoid. Mitchell argues users could convert images locally, but providers still face the choice of preserving original formats or re‑encoding to less efficient standards. The cost‑benefit calculus stalls adoption despite clear storage savings.
What advantages does AVIF have over WebP?
Mitchell notes AVIF generally offers better compression than WebP while maintaining comparable image quality. Smaller files translate to lower bandwidth and storage use across the billions of daily image uploads. Even modest per‑image savings compound into substantial resource reductions for hosting services and independent sites. The format’s efficiency aligns with the current need to stretch scarce, expensive storage.
Is the industry moving toward more efficient video codecs?
YouTube already streams video using AV1 to cut bandwidth, and plans to roll out AV2 as early as 2027. Mitchell points out that a company handling YouTube's massive video library sees enough benefit to shift codecs, implying similar gains could apply to image formats. While AV1 and AV2 target bandwidth, better compression also eases storage demands, a secondary win in the current hardware crunch.
How could broader AVIF support mitigate the storage crunch?
Wider AVIF adoption would shrink file sizes for both large hosts and small independent services. Mitchell urges phone manufacturers to ship native AVIF capture, reducing the need for format conversion. He also calls for Apple’s HEIC to coexist with AVIF, eliminating back‑and‑forth conversions. By standardizing on the more efficient format, the internet could collectively lower storage and bandwidth consumption, easing pressure on overpriced NVMe drives that can cost three to four times normal rates.
Frequently asked questions
Why are hosting providers raising prices in 2026?
Providers like Hetzner have raised prices multiple times in 2026, citing rising hardware costs and scarce storage drives.
What benefit does AVIF provide over WebP?
AVIF generally offers better compression than WebP while maintaining comparable image quality, resulting in smaller files and lower storage use.
When will YouTube adopt AV2 for streaming?
YouTube is preparing to move beyond AV1 and begin streaming video using AV2, potentially as early as 2027.
The hardware shortage won’t vanish overnight, but the tools to stretch existing capacity are already in hand. If hosting providers, device makers, and open‑source platforms collectively back AVIF, the internet can shave gigabytes off daily traffic and storage bills. The choice is clear: adopt the efficient format now or continue paying premium prices for wasteful data.
Sources: Hacker News post by Michael Mitchell, comments by anonymous users.