Bitmovin AV1: production-ready next-gen codec encoding

Bitmovin's AV1 implementation — production deployments, encoder optimization, real-world quality and throughput, and where AV1 actually pays back today.

Feature deep-dive · Bitmovin·codec·Bitmovin ↗

Bitmovin co-developed AV1 tooling and was one of the first vendors with production-ready AV1 encoding. For operators evaluating AV1 deployment in 2026, Bitmovin remains one of the small set of vendors where AV1 is production-mature rather than experimental. The honest question: is AV1 worth the encoding cost for your specific delivery, and Bitmovin's investment makes them the partner most likely to answer yes responsibly.

What Bitmovin actually has

Bitmovin's AV1 encoder (libaom-av1 wrapped in their compute pipeline) supports the full ABR ladder generation pattern with AV1 as one of the codec choices alongside H.264 and HEVC. They've invested in encoder-side optimizations: psy-tuning for live-action content, multi-pass encoding for VOD master encodes, and GPU-accelerated AV1 encoding via NVIDIA NVAV1ENC on supported hardware. Their analytics integration tracks AV1 viewer adoption in your audience, so you can quantify the bandwidth savings vs the encoding cost. Multi-rendition AV1 ABR ladders are supported with the same tooling as H.264/HEVC — you don't learn a different encoder workflow.

Where it's the right fit

Operators with high-volume mobile delivery where AV1's ~30% bandwidth savings over HEVC translates directly to CDN cost savings — typically large OTT services where the math justifies the encoding overhead. Operators delivering to AV1-capable Smart TVs (most 2022+ models) and Chrome/Edge browsers (full support since 2018). Premium VOD libraries where you can afford to encode once at high cost and serve millions of times.

Where the gaps show up

AV1 encoding is 5-10× slower than HEVC at equivalent quality, even with Bitmovin's optimizations. For low-volume or cost-sensitive workloads, the encoding cost outweighs the bandwidth savings. AV1 decode requires modern hardware — older devices fall back to H.264/HEVC anyway, so your ABR ladder still needs both. Apple's AV1 hardware decode arrived only with iPhone 15 Pro / iPad Pro M4; older iOS devices use software decode (battery cost) or fall back. Live AV1 streaming is still maturing — Bitmovin supports it but the latency profile favors HEVC/H.264 for live for now.

Pricing implications

Bitmovin charges a premium for AV1 encoding minutes — typically 2-3× the per-minute cost of H.264 encoding. At committed-volume contract pricing, this is more bearable; at sales-list pricing, the cost can erase the bandwidth savings. Model the trade-off with your specific delivery profile: bytes saved on egress × audience that supports AV1 vs. extra encoding minutes spent.

The MpegFlow angle

MpegFlow's AV1 support arrives in 2026 Q4 alongside the codec roadmap. Our angle is the orchestration economics: AV1 encoding on self-hosted spot-instance pools (covered in the cost-aware spot architecture) reduces the per-minute cost dramatically vs managed services. For high-volume operators where AV1 makes sense, the math flips — managed AV1 is expensive; self-hosted AV1 on spot is cheap. The orchestration platform makes that path operationally viable.

Topics

av1
codec
Bitmovin
next-gen-codec