JPG vs PNG vs WebP: Which Image Format Should You Use?

Choosing the wrong image format makes files bigger than they need to be — or makes them look blurry. Here's a simple guide.

JPG (JPEG)

• Best for: photos.
• Pros: small files, opens everywhere.
• Cons: no transparency; repeated saving slowly reduces quality; text and sharp edges can look fuzzy.

PNG

• Best for: logos, icons, screenshots, graphics with text, anything needing a transparent background.
• Pros: lossless and pin-sharp, supports transparency.
• Cons: photos as PNG are very large.

WebP

• Best for: websites.
• Pros: smaller than JPG for photos and smaller than PNG for graphics; supports transparency.
• Cons: some older software can't open it.

Cheat sheet

Converting between formats

• JPG to PNG — for editing and design work.
• PNG to JPG — to make large PNG photos smaller.
• PNG to WebP — to speed up a website.
• WebP to JPG — when a website or app won't accept WebP.