JPG vs PNG vs WebP: which image format should you use?
Picking the wrong image format makes files bigger than they need to be, blurs text or loses a transparent background. Here is how the three most common formats differ, and a simple rule for choosing.
The short answer
- Photos → JPG (or WebP for websites).
- Logos, icons, screenshots and anything with text → PNG.
- Images that need a transparent background → PNG or WebP.
- Images for your own website → WebP: same look, smaller files.
JPG: small files for photos
JPG (also written JPEG) uses lossy compression: it throws away detail your eye is unlikely to notice. That makes photos dramatically smaller, and every phone, computer and website can open it.
The trade-off: sharp edges such as text or line art get fuzzy “halo” artefacts, JPG cannot store transparency, and every time you edit and re-save a JPG it loses a little more quality.
PNG: perfect quality and transparency
PNG is lossless — every pixel is stored exactly. Text stays crisp, flat colours stay clean, and it supports transparent backgrounds, which is why logos and screenshots are usually PNG.
The downside is size: a photo saved as PNG is often three to ten times larger than the same photo as JPG. If you converted a photo to PNG and it grew, that is expected.
WebP: the modern all-rounder
WebP was created by Google for the web. It can be lossy like JPG or lossless like PNG, and it supports transparency. Lossy WebP files are typically 25–35% smaller than JPG at similar quality.
All current browsers display WebP, so it is an excellent choice for websites. Some older desktop apps and upload forms still only accept JPG or PNG — keep a JPG copy for those.
Quick comparison
- Quality: PNG = perfect · JPG and lossy WebP = very good, with some loss.
- File size for photos: WebP smallest · JPG small · PNG large.
- Transparency: PNG yes · WebP yes · JPG no (becomes white).
- Compatibility: JPG and PNG open everywhere · WebP in all browsers, some older apps lack support.
How to convert without losing more than you must
Converting JPG to PNG does not bring back lost detail; it only stops further losses when you edit again. Converting PNG to JPG makes the file smaller but fills transparent areas with white. For websites, converting to WebP at around 80% quality usually gives the best balance.
All the converters below run inside your browser, so your images are never uploaded.