SVGA vs VAP: which gift animation format should your app use?
SVGA stores images, vector shapes and per-frame positions in one file that an SVGAPlayer library draws at runtime. VAP, from Tencent, is an MP4 video that carries its own alpha channel and plays with hardware video decoding, which suits complex effects such as particles. Tencent's VAP repository says it is no longer maintained, so check support before you commit.
How do SVGA and VAP compare at a glance?
| SVGA | VAP | |
|---|---|---|
| How it's encoded | Images, vector shapes and per-frame positions in one file (2.x: zlib-compressed Protobuf) | An H.264 MP4 video; alpha values sit in an extra area of each frame, and a JSON config sits in a custom vapc box inside the MP4 |
| Transparency | Yes, from PNG images with alpha | Yes, rebuilt by the player from the alpha area of each frame |
| Sound | Yes in 2.x files; Android and iOS SVGAPlayer play it, Flutter and Web-Lite don't | Yes, as the MP4's audio track |
| Decoding | Drawn frame by frame by the player library | Hardware video decoder |
| What drives file size | The number and size of the images, plus frame count | Resolution, length and bitrate, like any video |
| Dynamic text and images | Replace a named image, add text or hide an element | Merge custom images and text (such as a user name or avatar) into masked areas |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Flutter and Web players, plus SVGAPlayer-Web-Lite | Android, iOS and web |
| How it's made | After Effects or Animate with the SVGA converters | VapTool, from a numbered PNG frame sequence |
| Maintenance | Android, iOS, Flutter and Web repos archived; SVGAPlayer-Web-Lite still updated | README says it will no longer be updated; repo not archived |
What is VAP?
VAP (Video Animation Player) was built by Tencent's Penguin Esports live-streaming team to play gift animations in live rooms. Its README describes two aims: a higher compression rate and hardware decoding compared with animated WebP or APNG, and more complex effects, such as particles, than Lottie can show. VAP can also merge custom elements, such as a user name or avatar, into the animation.
How does VAP store transparency in an MP4?
H.264 video decodes to YUV colour data with no alpha channel. According to Tencent's Introduction, VAP reserves an extra area in each video frame that stores the alpha values in the colour channels. At playback, the player combines the colour and alpha areas into one transparent image. The playback settings, such as where the alpha area sits and any merge information, are stored as JSON in a custom vapc box inside the MP4. Because of that, one MP4 file is all you need, and players that don't recognise the box ignore it.
Which platforms does VAP support?
The repository has players for Android, iOS and the web:
- Android: published on Maven Central as
io.github.tencent:vap. The README example uses version 2.0.28. - iOS: QGVAPlayer, added from source or with CocoaPods.
- Web: the npm package
video-animation-player.
It also includes VapTool for making VAP files, plus preview players for Mac and Windows. The repository has no Flutter player.
Is VAP still maintained?
No. A notice in the README says the repository "has entered a maintenance-free state and will no longer be updated", and it recommends a commercial Tencent Cloud gift-effects service instead. The GitHub repository is not archived (checked 23 October 2026), and the published players still install. If you adopt VAP, plan to fix problems in your own fork.
What is SVGA?
SVGA is an animation format built around bitmap images and vector shapes that an SVGAPlayer library moves frame by frame, with optional sound in 2.x files. It's built for image-rich overlays such as live-stream gifts, entry effects and avatar frames. See What Is an SVGA File? for the format details.
When is SVGA the better choice?
- Short gifts, entry effects and avatar frames built from detailed artwork, such as gold, gems, flames or cars.
- Small, reusable artwork: an SVGA file reuses each image across frames instead of encoding every pixel of every frame.
- Open players on more platforms, including an official Flutter package and the still-updated SVGAPlayer-Web-Lite.
- Teams that already export from After Effects or Animate, using the official SVGA converters.
- Runtime personalisation, such as replacing a named image with the sender's avatar or adding their name.
When is VAP or transparent MP4 the better choice?
- Long, full-screen effects where most pixels change every frame, which video compression handles well.
- Particle, light and 3D-rendered effects that are hard to rebuild from separate images.
- Hardware decoding, which takes the decoding work off the CPU on supported devices.
Measure before you decide. Export the same effect in both formats and compare file size, look and CPU use on your slowest target phone.
What about YYEVA and other transparent MP4 players?
YYEVA, from YY Live, is another open-source MP4 effect player that can insert dynamic elements. It includes an After Effects plugin, client renderers and an online preview tool. It supports Android, iOS and the web, plus WeChat and Baidu mini-programs. Unlike Tencent/vap, the repository is not archived and was last updated in September 2026 (checked 23 October 2026). Apple platforms can also play HEVC video with alpha, but that isn't a cross-platform option.
Where does Lottie fit?
Lottie is a vector animation format, made in After Effects and stored as JSON, with actively maintained official players. It suits icons, UI motion and flat vector art more than image-heavy gifts, and sound isn't part of its supported features. For a side-by-side look at SVGA, Lottie, GIF and MP4, see Lottie vs GIF vs SVGA vs MP4.
Can you convert between SVGA and VAP?
There is no direct converter in the official SVGA tools or in the Tencent/vap repository. The practical route is to go back to the source animation. Export it with the SVGA converter for After Effects or Animate, and render it as a numbered PNG frame sequence for VapTool, which can also add an MP3 audio file. For turning SVGA into GIF or MP4 video, see How to Convert SVGA to GIF or MP4.
How can you test before you commit?
For SVGA, drop a .svga file into our SVGA Player. Your .svga file plays locally in your browser and is never uploaded to our servers. The player plays SVGA 2.x files only, and the page also has free sample SVGA gifts to download. For VAP, use the Mac or Windows preview players and the demo projects in the Tencent/vap repository. Then play both in a test build over a live video background, on your oldest supported phone.
If SVGA fits, ready-made files are in SVGA Gifts, with bundles in Packages. For the setup code, see How to Add SVGA Gifts to Your App, and for file weight, see SVGA File Size and Performance.
Sources: Tencent VAP README and Introduction (github.com/Tencent/vap); VapTool README (github.com/Tencent/vap); YYEVA (github.com/yylive/YYEVA); SVGA docs (github.com/svga/docs); SVGA format specification (github.com/svga/SVGA-Format).
Frequently asked questions
Is VAP better than SVGA for live-stream gifts?
Neither is better for every gift. VAP is a video, so it handles long, full-screen or particle-heavy effects with hardware decoding. SVGA draws images and shapes at runtime, which suits gifts, entry effects and avatar frames built from detailed artwork. Tencent's VAP repository is no longer maintained, so factor that into your choice.
Is Tencent VAP still maintained?
No. The README of the Tencent/vap repository says the project has entered a maintenance-free state and will no longer be updated, and it points users to a commercial Tencent Cloud gift-effects service. The repository is not archived, and the published players still install. Plan to fix any problems in your own fork.
Does VAP support sound?
Yes. A VAP file is an MP4, so it can carry an audio track, and VapTool can add an MP3 file when it builds the video. The Android player includes audio playback, and the iOS and web players have mute options. SVGA 2.x files can also hold audio, which the Android and iOS SVGAPlayer libraries play.
Which is smaller, SVGA or a transparent MP4?
It depends on the animation. A video's size grows with its resolution, length and bitrate, and an SVGA file's size grows with the number and size of its images. Long, full-screen effects with many changing pixels tend to favour video, while short effects built from a few reused images tend to favour SVGA. Export the same animation in both and compare.
Can I use SVGA and VAP in the same app?
Yes. They use separate player libraries, so an app can play SVGA files for most gifts, entry effects and frames and VAP files for a few large effects. Each library adds to your app's size and maintenance work, and the official SVGA native players are archived while VAP is no longer maintained, so pin versions and test both on your target devices.