JPG vs PNG vs WebP: Which Format to Use

How the three formats work

Every image format answers the same question differently: how do you store a grid of coloured pixels in as little space as possible? The two main strategies are lossless and lossy compression.

Lossless compression stores the image so it can be rebuilt exactly. Lossy compression throws away detail that people are less likely to notice, which makes the file smaller but means the original cannot be restored.

• JPG (JPEG) is lossy. It works well on photographs, where colours change smoothly. It has no transparency and no built-in animation. Each time you re-save a JPG, a little more detail is lost.
• PNG is lossless. It supports full transparency, which is why logos and interface graphics use it. Photos saved as PNG tend to be large, because the format is not designed to simplify photographic detail.
• WebP can work in either mode, lossy or lossless. It supports transparency and animation, so one format can cover jobs that otherwise need JPG, PNG or GIF.

Comparison table

When to use each format

Choose JPG for photos you want to share, email or upload. It is the safest choice when you are unsure what software will open the file.

Choose PNG for screenshots, diagrams, logos and images with text. Flat colours and sharp edges stay clean, and lossy artefacts around letters are avoided. Choose it as well when you need transparent areas or want to edit the image many times without further loss.

Choose WebP for images on your own website, where you control what browsers receive and smaller files help pages load. It is also useful when you need transparency in a smaller file than PNG would give.

Compatibility in general terms

JPG and PNG are understood by practically every browser, phone, editor and operating system. WebP is supported by all current major browsers, but some older image editors, document tools, email clients and printing or upload services still reject it. If a file has to travel to an unknown recipient, JPG or PNG is the cautious choice.

File size trade-offs

File size depends on the image itself, not only on the format. A busy photograph and a flat-colour graphic behave very differently under the same format. As a rough illustration only: a photo that is several megabytes as PNG might be a fraction of that as JPG, while a simple logo may be tiny as PNG and gain nothing from JPG. Always compare on your own image rather than trusting a rule.

Pixel dimensions matter as much as format. A 4000-pixel-wide photo shown in a 800-pixel slot wastes bytes in any format, so resize first. The compress images guide covers that workflow.

Which should I choose?

1. It is a photo and must open anywhere: JPG.
2. It is a photo for your own website: WebP, with a JPG fallback if you need one.
3. It has transparency: PNG or WebP.
4. It is a screenshot, chart or logo with text: PNG.
5. You will keep editing and re-saving it: keep a PNG or the original, and export JPG or WebP only at the end.
6. It needs to be as small as possible: try WebP and JPG, then compare the results.

Converting between formats

Converting does not add information that is not there, so pick the target format for a reason.

• JPG to PNG keeps the image exactly as the JPG is now. It does not restore lost quality and usually makes the file bigger. It is useful when you need a lossless working copy or a format a program accepts. Use the JPG to PNG converter.
• PNG to JPG is the usual way to shrink a photo or screenshot. Transparent pixels become a solid colour. Use the PNG to JPG converter.
• JPG to WebP re-encodes already lossy data, so a small amount of extra loss is possible. Use the JPG to WebP converter.
• WebP to JPG helps when software will not open WebP. Use the WebP to JPG converter.

For several files or other formats, the image format converter handles batches, and the image compressor reduces size after you have chosen a format. All of them run in your browser, so your images are not uploaded.