Guides
WebP vs JPG vs PNG: which should you use?
A quick decision guide for choosing an image format based on content, transparency, and file size.
Three formats cover almost everything on the web. Picking the right one can cut your image weight in half with no visible difference.
The short answer
- Photographs → JPG or WebP (lossy, small).
- Graphics, logos, screenshots with sharp edges → PNG or WebP (lossless, crisp).
- Need transparency → PNG or WebP (not JPG).
Why WebP usually wins
WebP supports both lossy and lossless modes and transparency, and is typically 25–35% smaller than the equivalent JPG or PNG. It’s supported by every current browser.
Keep an original copy — converting lossy → lossy repeatedly degrades quality each time.
Getting the size down
If a specific file-size budget matters (for email or upload limits), compress to a target size rather than guessing a quality number.