PNG vs JPG vs WebP: Which Image Format Should You Use?
A practical comparison of PNG, JPG and WebP — quality, file size, transparency and browser support — so you pick the right format every time.
Choosing the right image format saves file size and keeps your images sharp. Here's how PNG, JPG and WebP compare, and when to use each.
Quick answer
- JPG — best for photographs where small file size matters more than perfect edges.
- PNG — best for graphics, logos and screenshots, and anytime you need transparency.
- WebP — the modern all-rounder: smaller files than both at similar quality, with transparency support.
The comparison
| JPG | PNG | WebP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless | Lossy and lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Photos | Graphics, logos, transparency | Almost everything, smaller |
| File size | Small | Large | Smallest |
| Browser support | Universal | Universal | All modern browsers |
When to use JPG
Photos with lots of colour and gradients compress beautifully as JPG. The trade-off is that JPG is lossy — it discards some detail, and edges/text can get fuzzy. Never use JPG for logos or screenshots with sharp lines.
When to use PNG
PNG is lossless, so it keeps every pixel exact — ideal for logos, icons, UI screenshots and anything with transparent backgrounds. The downside is larger files, especially for photos.
When to use WebP
WebP typically produces 25–35% smaller files than JPG or PNG at the same visual quality, and supports transparency and animation. It's supported in all current browsers, so for the web it's often the best default. Keep a JPG/PNG fallback only if you need to support very old software.
Convert and compress for free
- Image Converter — convert between JPG, PNG and WebP.
- Image Compressor — shrink any of them with a quality slider.
- SVG to PNG — rasterize vector graphics.
All of these run in your browser, so your images are never uploaded.