Formats

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

Image Compressor · Guide

Most "wrong format" problems come from using one format for everything. Each of the three main web formats is good at a different job. Pick by what the image is, and the choice is usually obvious.

The short version

JPG — for photographs

JPG (or JPEG) is built for photos and other images with lots of colours and smooth gradients. It uses lossy compression, throwing away detail your eye is unlikely to notice, which keeps files small. The trade-off: it can't store transparency, and pushing quality too low creates blocky patches around edges and text.

Use it for camera photos, backgrounds, and any rich, colourful image where a transparent background isn't needed.

PNG — for graphics and transparency

PNG is lossless — it keeps every pixel exactly. That's perfect for crisp edges: logos, icons, line art, screenshots, and anything that needs a see-through background. The catch is size. Run a photograph through PNG and you'll get a large file, because lossless compression can't discard the fine detail photos are full of.

Use it when sharpness and transparency matter more than file size.

WebP — the modern all-rounder

WebP does both jobs. It supports lossy compression like JPG and transparency like PNG, and it's typically 25–35% smaller than JPG at the same visual quality. Nearly every current browser and app supports it.

The main reason not to use it: some older systems, older software, or specific upload forms that only accept JPG or PNG. When that's the case, fall back to the format above that fits the image.

Not sure? Use Smart mode. It compresses each image with the best-fitting format automatically and keeps transparency where it exists.

Quick reference

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