The short answer
- Photos to share or print: JPG.
- Logos, icons, screenshots, anything with transparency: PNG.
- Anything on a website: WebP.
JPG
JPG has been the photo format since the 1990s. It compresses photos very well by removing detail the eye barely notices. Every device, app and website supports it.
Weak points: no transparency, and text or sharp edges get blurry halos at low quality. Saving a JPG again and again loses a little more detail each time.
PNG
PNG is lossless: it stores every pixel exactly. It keeps sharp edges and supports transparency, which makes it ideal for logos, icons, screenshots and graphics you will edit again.
Weak point: photos saved as PNG are very large, often five to ten times bigger than JPG.
WebP
WebP was made by Google for the web. It can do what both JPG and PNG do: lossy compression for photos and transparency for graphics, in files usually 25 to 35 percent smaller. Every current browser shows WebP.
Weak point: some older programs, upload forms and print shops still do not accept it.
Side by side
| JPG | PNG | WebP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Photos | Graphics, screenshots | Websites |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless | Lossy or lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No | No | Yes |
| Photo file size | Small | Very large | Smallest |
| Support | Everywhere | Everywhere | All current browsers, most apps |
When to convert
- A site will not accept your WebP: WebP to JPG or WebP to PNG.
- You need a transparent background or lossless copy: JPG to PNG (note that converting cannot remove a background that is already in the photo).
- A PNG photo is too big: PNG to JPG.
- You want a faster website: JPG to WebP and PNG to WebP.