Quick answer: Use JPG for photos when you need maximum compatibility, PNG for logos, screenshots and anything that needs transparency or pixel-perfect detail, and WebP for websites — it supports both lossy and lossless compression plus transparency, and is usually noticeably smaller than JPG or PNG.
Choosing the right image format affects how fast your pages load, how sharp your images look and whether transparent backgrounds survive. Here is how the three most common formats compare, and how to switch between them with the free Image Converter.
JPG (JPEG): best for photos
- Compression: lossy — it throws away detail the eye barely notices.
- Transparency: not supported (transparent areas become a solid colour).
- Best for: photographs and images with smooth colour gradients.
- Watch out for: every re-save loses a little more quality, and sharp text or line art can show fuzzy “artifacts”.
PNG: best for graphics, screenshots and transparency
- Compression: lossless — every pixel is kept exactly.
- Transparency: full alpha transparency.
- Best for: logos, icons, screenshots, diagrams and images with text.
- Watch out for: photos saved as PNG are often several times larger than the same photo as JPG.
WebP: best for websites
- Compression: both lossy and lossless modes.
- Transparency: supported, even in lossy mode.
- Support: all current major browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari 14 or later).
- Size: Google’s own comparisons found lossy WebP files around 25–34% smaller than comparable JPGs, and lossless WebP around 26% smaller than PNG. Real savings depend on the image.
- Watch out for: some older desktop apps and upload forms still only accept JPG or PNG.
Quick comparison
- Photo on a website: WebP (or JPG as a fallback).
- Logo or icon with a transparent background: PNG or WebP.
- Screenshot with text: PNG, or lossless WebP.
- Image for an email or an older app: JPG or PNG.
- Printing: keep a high-quality original; convert copies for the web.
How to convert between formats
- Open the Image Converter.
- Add one or more images and choose JPG, PNG or WebP as the output.
- Download the converted files. Conversion happens in your browser.
Converting a transparent PNG to JPG fills the transparent area with a solid background, so keep PNG or WebP if you need transparency.
Make images even lighter
Format is only part of the story. Resize images to the size they are actually displayed at with the Image Resizer, then reduce file size with Compress Image. Our guide on compressing images without losing quality explains the right quality settings.
Frequently asked questions
Is WebP better than PNG?
For websites, usually yes: WebP supports transparency and lossless compression while producing smaller files. Keep PNG when a program or platform you use does not accept WebP.
Does converting JPG to PNG improve quality?
No. Converting cannot restore detail that JPG compression already removed; it just makes the file larger.
What about AVIF?
AVIF is a newer format that can be even smaller than WebP, but tool and app support is still less universal, so WebP remains the safer everyday choice.
Keep reading: related guides
This guide is part of our free image tools collection. Browse all free online tools or the full guide library.
Sources and further reading
Got a WebP file that will not open? Follow our step-by-step guide on how to convert WebP to JPG or PNG.