PNG vs JPG vs WebP: Which Should You Use?

Each format is good at different things. Picking the right one can cut file sizes in half without any visible difference.

JPG: best for photos

JPG uses lossy compression tuned for natural images. It handles smooth gradients and detail well, but it can't store transparency and shows blocky artifacts around sharp text.

PNG: best for graphics and transparency

PNG is lossless and supports transparent backgrounds. It's ideal for logos, screenshots and illustrations, but photos saved as PNG are often five to ten times larger than JPG.

WebP: the modern all-rounder

WebP supports both lossy and lossless compression plus transparency. It's typically 25–35% smaller than JPG at the same quality and is supported by every modern browser.

Quick rule of thumb

Use WebP for websites, JPG when you need to share photos with anyone, and PNG for graphics that need to stay pixel-perfect.