At a glance
| Input | Any video the browser can open |
|---|---|
| Output | GIF |
| Section | Start and end in seconds, default the first 3 |
| Where it runs | Entirely in your browser — no file is uploaded to a server |
| Price | Free, with no account and no sign-up |
| Offline | Works with no connection after the first visit |
What makes the file enormous
GIF has no compression between frames — each is stored more or less whole, and the palette is limited to 256 colours. Five seconds at 30fps is 150 full pictures, which is why a short clip becomes a very large GIF.
Dimensions first, frame rate second, length third. A 480-pixel, 12fps, three-second GIF can be twenty times smaller than a 720p, 30fps, ten-second one of the same footage.
When an MP4 is the right answer
For anything more than a few seconds, MP4 is smaller by an order of magnitude and looks better — and every social platform converts uploaded GIFs to video anyway. GIF earns its place in email, where video will not autoplay, and in README files and documentation, where a self-playing image with no controls is exactly right.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my GIF so much larger than the video?
GIF stores each frame almost in full, with no compression between them, and is limited to 256 colours. Video codecs do the opposite.
What settings keep it small?
Reduce the dimensions first, then the frame rate, then the length. Ten to fifteen frames a second looks smooth for most content.
Should I use a GIF at all?
For a few seconds in an email or a README, yes. For anything longer, an MP4 is far smaller and better looking.
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