WebP vs PNG vs JPG: what to choose
The three most common image formats solve different problems. A short guide on when to use each.
JPG — for photos
JPG (JPEG) uses lossy compression and is ideal for photographs: small size at good quality. It has no transparency and loses sharpness on text and hard edges.
PNG — for graphics and transparency
PNG is a lossless format with transparent-background support. Great for logos, screenshots, icons and graphics with text. The downside is noticeably larger files than JPG.
WebP — the modern compromise
Google's WebP combines both strengths: smaller than JPG at comparable quality, with PNG-like transparency. It's the best choice for websites — pages load faster. The downside is that some older editors can't open it.
What to choose
- For websites and load speed — WebP.
- For photos, print and sending — JPG.
- For logos, icons and transparency — PNG.