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WebP vs JPG vs PNG: which should you use?

Each format is good at something different. Once you know what, choosing stops being a guessing game.

The short version

  • JPG β€” photographs. Small files, opens anywhere, no transparency.
  • PNG β€” lossless quality and real transparency. Perfect for screenshots and logos, at the cost of size.
  • WebP β€” the web. 25–35% smaller than JPG at matching quality, far smaller than PNG, transparency included.

How big is the difference, really?

Take the same 12-megapixel photo and export it at a quality level where the three are visually equivalent:

FormatJPGWebPPNG
File size~1.8 MB~1.2 MB~9 MB
TransparencyNoYesYes

Two lessons fall out of that table: storing photographs as PNG wastes an enormous amount of space, and WebP shaves another third off JPG without anyone noticing.

So why not use WebP for everything?

Because support is widespread but not universal. Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox have handled it for years, yet plenty of desktop software still refuses:

  • Older Windows Photo Viewer builds cannot open it.
  • Older Photoshop and Illustrator versions cannot either.
  • Many submission portals, print shops and government forms accept only JPG or PNG.
  • Older Office versions will not embed it.

The practical rule: WebP for the web, JPG or PNG when the file has to travel.

Choosing by use case

  • Photo or product shot, going on your own site β†’ convert JPG to WebP
  • Photo or product shot, being emailed or uploaded somewhere β†’ JPG
  • Screenshot, logo, or anything needing transparency β†’ PNG, or WebP for the web
  • Icon or illustration still being designed β†’ keep it as SVG; rasterise with SVG to PNG when another app demands pixels
  • Someone sent you a WebP that will not open β†’ convert WebP to JPG

Does converting lose quality?

Three cases, and they behave differently:

  • To PNG: lossless. Not a single pixel changes. The file may get bigger.
  • To JPG or WebP: this is a re-encode. At quality 80 or above it is very hard to see. What actually destroys images is re-encoding the same file over and over β€” once is fine.
  • From a lossy source: JPG to PNG does not restore anything. Detail that was discarded when the JPG was created is gone for good.

Try it

Every converter on this site runs locally in your browser β€” nothing is uploaded and there is no batch limit. Start with JPG to WebP, PNG to WebP or WebP to PNG.

JPG β†’ WebPTypically 25–35% smaller, no visible changeOpen β†’GIF β†’ WebPTypically 25–35% smaller, no visible changeOpen β†’BMP β†’ WebPTypically 25–35% smaller, no visible changeOpen β†’SVG β†’ WebPTypically 25–35% smaller, no visible changeOpen β†’AVIF β†’ WebPTypically 25–35% smaller, no visible changeOpen β†’ICO β†’ WebPTypically 25–35% smaller, no visible changeOpen β†’