APNG to GIF Converter

Encoding: the APNG uses lossless DEFLATE per frame, like PNG; GIF uses lossless LZW over a palette of at most 256 colours, and the download is a GIF with an optimised palette of up to 256 colours per frame, dithered.

Bit depth: 8 bits per channel in the APNG; GIF allows 8 bits per pixel, as indexes into a palette, and the GIF written here has 8 bits per pixel (palette).

Colour: RGB or an indexed palette in the APNG; GIF supports an indexed palette of up to 256 colours per frame, written here as an indexed palette of up to 256 colours.

Transparency: the APNG stores it as full alpha on every frame; the GIF keeps it as on or off per pixel, so soft edges become hard.

Animation: fcTL frame-control chunks with fdAT frame data after the first image; the GIF keeps every frame and its timing, as image blocks with their own delay and disposal method, looped by the NETSCAPE2.0 extension.

Metadata: the APNG can carry the same text and ICC chunks as PNG; GIF can carry comment and application extension blocks, but no EXIF, but nothing is copied across.

APNG extends PNG with animation frames. Unlike GIF it keeps full 24-bit colour and smooth 8-bit transparency, at the cost of larger files.

An APNG is a valid PNG with an acTL chunk announcing the frame count and loop count; each later frame is an fcTL chunk (size, offset, delay, blend and dispose rules) followed by fdAT data. Software that does not know APNG simply shows the first frame.

APNG files usually come from animated stickers (LINE and Discord among others), UI animations and Firefox-era web graphics.

GIF is the classic animated image format. It is limited to 256 colours per frame and 1-bit transparency, so photos look grainy and files are large, but it plays everywhere.

A GIF starts with 'GIF89a' (or the older 87a), a logical screen descriptor and an optional global colour table, then image blocks, each preceded by a graphic control extension that sets its delay and transparent colour.

GIF is the better choice for short animations and reactions that must play everywhere, while APNG suits high quality animated stickers and UI animations.

GIF strengths: Animation that works everywhere; Simple, universally supported; Good for small flat graphics. Drawbacks to weigh: Only 256 colours per frame; Hard-edged transparency only; Large files for photos or long clips.