WebP vs JPEG vs PNG — Which Format Should You Use?

Choosing the right image format can cut your page weight by 50% or more. But the "best" format depends on what you're compressing. Here's a no-nonsense breakdown.

Quick comparison

When to use JPEG

JPEG is the go-to for photographs and images with smooth gradients. It handles millions of colors efficiently with lossy compression. At quality 80, most people can't tell the difference from the original.

Use JPEG for: product photos, hero images, blog post images, profile pictures.

Avoid JPEG for: text-heavy screenshots, logos, anything needing transparency.

When to use PNG

PNG uses lossless compression — every pixel is preserved exactly. This makes it ideal for screenshots, diagrams, and logos where sharp edges and text matter. The trade-off is larger file sizes.

Use PNG for: screenshots, UI mockups, logos with transparency, icons, text overlays.

Avoid PNG for: photographs (files will be 5-10x larger than JPEG).

When to use WebP

WebP is Google's modern format that supports both lossy and lossless compression, plus transparency and animation. It typically produces files 25-35% smaller than JPEG at equivalent quality.

Use WebP for: everything, if your audience uses modern browsers. It's supported by Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

The only caveat: some older email clients and CMS platforms don't support WebP. In those cases, fall back to JPEG or PNG.

Real-world file size comparison

Here's what a typical 1200x800 photograph looks like across formats:

That's a 15x reduction from PNG to WebP — with virtually identical visual quality.

The practical recommendation

1. Default to WebP for all web images if your platform supports it.
2. Use JPEG as a fallback for photos when WebP isn't an option.
3. Use PNG only when you need lossless quality (screenshots, text) or transparency with maximum compatibility.
4. Always compress regardless of format — even a WebP at quality 100 is wastefully large.