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

Most images you save, send or upload will be JPG, PNG or WebP. Each format was designed for a different job, and choosing the wrong one is the most common reason for blurry logos, huge files or photos with ugly blocky artifacts. This guide explains the differences in plain language and ends with a simple decision list.

The short answer

• Photos → JPG (or WebP for websites).
• Logos, icons, screenshots, images with text → PNG (or lossless WebP).
• Anything that needs a transparent background → PNG or WebP, never JPG.
• Website images where speed matters → WebP.
• Maximum compatibility (old software, printers, government forms) → JPG.

JPG (JPEG): the universal photo format

JPG has been the standard for photos since the early 1990s, and almost every device and program on earth can open it. It uses lossy compression: when you save, it divides the picture into small blocks and throws away detail that the human eye is not very sensitive to, especially subtle color changes.

For photographs this works brilliantly. At a quality setting of around 80 a photo can be a fraction of its uncompressed size while looking essentially identical. The weaknesses show up with sharp edges and flat colors: text, line art and logos get fuzzy “halos” and blotchy areas around edges. JPG also has no transparency, and each time you open and re-save a JPG, a little more detail is lost.

Use JPG for: photos for email, printing, social media and anywhere you are unsure what the recipient supports.

PNG: pixel-perfect and transparent

PNG uses lossless compression — every pixel you save is exactly the pixel you get back. It also supports full transparency, including soft semi-transparent edges, which is why logos and icons are usually PNG files.

The trade-off is size. Lossless compression works well on large areas of identical color (a screenshot of a web page, a chart, a logo) but poorly on the endless subtle variation of a photograph. A photo saved as PNG is commonly several times larger than the same photo as a good-quality JPG.

Use PNG for: screenshots, logos, icons, diagrams, images containing text, and any image you will keep editing.

WebP: the modern all-rounder

WebP was developed by Google specifically for the web. It can work in a lossy mode (like JPG) or a lossless mode (like PNG), and it supports transparency in both. At similar visual quality, lossy WebP files are typically around 25–35% smaller than JPG, and lossless WebP is usually smaller than PNG.

All current major browsers display WebP, so it is an excellent choice for websites, where smaller images mean faster pages. The remaining downside is outside the browser: some older desktop programs, printing services and upload forms still do not accept WebP. If you download a WebP image and a program refuses to open it, simply convert it to JPG or PNG.

Use WebP for: images on your own website or online shop, and anywhere you know WebP is supported.

Side-by-side comparison

What about other formats?

GIF is limited to 256 colors and is mainly used today for short animations; for still images PNG is better in every way. HEIC is the default photo format on iPhones — efficient, but poorly supported outside Apple devices, which is why iOS usually converts photos to JPG when you share them. AVIF is a newer format with even better compression than WebP and growing browser support; it is worth watching but not yet as widely accepted.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Saving photos as PNG “for quality”. You get a huge file with no visible benefit. Use JPG or WebP at quality 80–90.
2. Saving logos as JPG. Edges get fuzzy and the transparent background turns white. Use PNG or WebP.
3. Re-saving a JPG again and again. Each save loses a little detail. Keep an original and export copies from it.
4. Uploading 5 MB camera originals to a website. Resize first — see our guide on reducing image file size.