Quick answer
Use H.264 when you need every device to play the stream, including older set-top boxes and browsers. Use H.265 (HEVC) for 4K or limited bandwidth: it needs about 30–50% less bitrate for the same quality, but older devices may not decode it.
On this page
The difference in one table
| H.264 (AVC) | H.265 (HEVC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 2003 | 2013 |
| Bitrate for the same quality | Baseline | About 30–50% lower |
| 1080p60 typical bitrate | 6–9 Mbps | 4–6 Mbps |
| 4K60 typical bitrate | 40–50 Mbps | 18–25 Mbps |
| Device support | Almost universal | Most TVs and sticks from recent years |
| Browser playback | Everywhere | Varies by browser and hardware |
| Encoder cost | Lower | Higher; needs a stronger chip |
| HDR | Rare | Yes, with 10-bit Main10 profile |
When to choose H.264
- Older hotel set-top boxes or budget Android boxes must play the channel.
- Viewers watch in web browsers or on old phones.
- You stream to platforms that only accept H.264 over RTMP.
- Bandwidth is not the bottleneck (a few 1080p channels on a gigabit LAN).
When to choose H.265
- You run 4K channels — H.264 at 4K is too heavy for most networks.
- Upload or WAN bandwidth is limited, e.g. sending a feed from a venue over SRT.
- Every screen is a recent smart TV or streaming stick.
- You need HDR.
A safe default
If you are unsure, encode the main stream in the codec your oldest screen supports and add an H.265 version only where it pays off (4K, remote links). Encoders that output two streams per input make this easy — see multi-channel encoders.
Bitrate settings that work
| Content | H.264 | H.265 |
|---|---|---|
| News, talk, slides (1080p30) | 4 Mbps | 2.5 Mbps |
| Entertainment (1080p30) | 5 Mbps | 3.5 Mbps |
| Sport (1080p60) | 8 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| 4K film (2160p30) | — | 15 Mbps |
| 4K sport (2160p60) | — | 22 Mbps |
For viewers, the same numbers explain why 4K IPTV needs about 25 Mbps.
Frequently asked questions
Is H.265 better than H.264 for IPTV?
H.265 compresses better — about 30–50% less bitrate for the same picture — so it is better for 4K and limited bandwidth. H.264 is better for compatibility, because almost every device and browser decodes it.
Does H.265 add latency?
Slightly more processing, but on hardware encoders the difference is usually a few frames. Network buffering matters far more for total delay.
Can I send both codecs at once?
Many encoders can output a main H.265 stream and a sub-stream in H.264, so newer TVs get efficiency and older devices still play the channel.
What about AV1?
AV1 compresses even better and is royalty-free, but hardware encoders and IPTV set-top boxes that support it are still the exception. For IPTV in 2026, H.264 and H.265 remain the practical choices.