Choosing the wrong image format makes files bigger, quality worse or images unusable. Here is a plain-English comparison of the four formats you will meet most often, and a simple rule for picking the right one.
The short answer
- Photos on a website: WebP (or AVIF if you can), with JPG as the safe fallback
- Logos, screenshots, graphics with sharp edges: PNG, or SVG for simple vector art
- Maximum compatibility (email, forms, printing): JPG
- Smallest possible files for modern sites: AVIF
JPG (JPEG)
JPG has been the standard for photos since the 1990s. It uses lossy compression that is very good at photographs, so files are small and work in every app, browser and printer.
Pros: tiny files for photos, universal support. Cons: no transparency, visible blockiness at low quality, quality drops every time you re-save.
PNG
PNG is lossless and supports full transparency. It is perfect for logos, icons, UI screenshots and anything with text or flat colours.
Pros: perfect quality, transparency, sharp edges. Cons: very large files for photos. A PNG photo can be five to ten times bigger than the same picture as JPG.
WebP
WebP, created by Google, handles both lossy and lossless images, transparency and animation in one format. At the same visual quality it is typically 25 to 35 percent smaller than JPG and much smaller than PNG.
Pros: small files, transparency, animation, supported by all modern browsers. Cons: a few older apps, email services and print shops still reject it.
AVIF
AVIF is based on the AV1 video codec and gives the best compression of the four, often around half the size of JPG at similar quality, with support for HDR and wide colour.
Pros: smallest files, excellent quality at low bitrates. Cons: slower to encode, and many editors and upload forms cannot open it yet.
Side by side
| JPG | PNG | WebP | AVIF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Photos | Graphics, screenshots | Everything on the web | Photos on modern sites |
| Transparency | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Typical size (photo) | Small | Very large | Smaller | Smallest |
| Compatibility | Universal | Universal | All modern browsers | Newer browsers |
How to decide
- Do you need transparency? Choose PNG, WebP or AVIF.
- Is it a photograph? Choose WebP, AVIF or JPG.
- Is it a graphic with text or sharp edges? Choose PNG or WebP lossless.
- Will it be opened by software you do not control? Choose JPG or PNG.
- Is it for your own website? Serve WebP or AVIF, with JPG as a fallback if needed.
Converting between formats
You can change formats in seconds, privately in your browser:
- PNG to JPG for smaller photo files
- JPG to WebP to speed up your website
- WebP to JPG when something will not accept WebP
- AVIF to JPG to open AVIF images anywhere
- HEIC to JPG for iPhone photos
Remember that converting a lossy file to another lossy format cannot restore lost detail. Always convert from your original when possible.
Final recommendation
If you only remember one thing: use WebP for your website, PNG for graphics that must be perfect and JPG when you need it to work everywhere. That covers almost every situation.
A quick decision guide
- Photograph for a website: WebP, with JPG as a fallback for very old software.
- Photograph for email or sharing: JPG. Everything opens it.
- Screenshot, diagram or text: PNG, because sharp edges stay sharp.
- Logo or icon: SVG if you have the vector file, otherwise PNG with transparency.
- Maximum compression for a modern site: AVIF, if your audience uses current browsers.
Real-world size comparison
For a typical 1600 px photograph, expect roughly this pattern, though results vary with content: JPG at quality 80 is the baseline, WebP is about a quarter smaller, and AVIF can be about half the size of JPG. For a flat screenshot, PNG usually beats all of them for sharpness, and lossless WebP is a close second.
Compatibility notes
JPG and PNG work everywhere. WebP is supported by all current major browsers. AVIF is supported by current Chrome, Firefox and Safari, but some older apps, editors and social uploaders still reject it. If someone needs to open the file in an older program, send JPG.
Converting safely
Convert from the original, never from a file that was already compressed. Use the image converter for any pair, or go direct with PNG to WebP and JPG to WebP. Need to open an AVIF in an app that does not support it? AVIF to JPG fixes that in seconds.
For a deeper two-way comparison, see WebP vs JPG.
Frequently asked questions
Is WebP better than JPG?
For websites, usually yes. WebP files are typically 25 to 35 percent smaller at similar quality and support transparency. JPG remains the safest choice when a file has to open on any device or service.
Should I use PNG or JPG for photos?
Use JPG, WebP or AVIF for photos. PNG stores every pixel exactly, so photo files become several times larger with no benefit you can see.
Does AVIF work in all browsers?
Current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari can display AVIF, but many editors, upload forms and older devices cannot open it, so keep a JPG or WebP fallback.
Which format keeps transparency?
PNG, WebP and AVIF support transparency. JPG does not, and transparent areas become a solid colour when you save as JPG.
