WebP vs JPG vs PNG: Which Image Format Is Best for Your Website?
Images are usually the heaviest part of a web page. Choosing the right format can cut your page weight dramatically, speed up loading, and improve your Google PageSpeed and Core Web Vitals scores. Here’s a plain-English comparison of WebP, JPG and PNG, and when to use each.
Quick answer
- Photos on a website: WebP (or JPG as a fallback)
- Logos, icons and graphics with transparency: WebP or PNG (or SVG for simple logos)
- Screenshots with text: PNG or lossless WebP
- Sharing by email, WhatsApp or upload forms: JPG, because it works everywhere
JPG (JPEG)
JPG uses lossy compression designed for photographs. It produces small files with natural-looking images and is supported by every device and website.
Best for: photos and sharing. Weak at: sharp edges and text, which can show blocky artefacts, and it has no transparency.
PNG
PNG is lossless, so every pixel is kept exactly. It supports transparent backgrounds, which makes it popular for logos and graphics.
Best for: screenshots, diagrams, logos and anything that needs transparency. Weak at: photos, where PNG files are often several times larger than JPG.
WebP
WebP is a modern format developed by Google. It supports both lossy and lossless compression, plus transparency and animation. For the same visual quality, WebP files are typically much smaller than JPG and PNG. All modern browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, display WebP.
Best for: almost every image on a website. Weak at: some older software and upload forms that only accept JPG or PNG.
How much smaller is WebP?
Results depend on the image, but converting typical website photos from JPG to WebP at similar quality often reduces size by around 25–35%, and converting PNG graphics to WebP can save even more. Try it on your own images: Convert to WebP shows the before and after size of every file.
A simple workflow for faster websites
- Resize first. Don’t upload a 4000 px photo for a 1200 px slot. Use Resize Image to match the largest size it will be displayed at.
- Convert to WebP at 75–85% quality with Convert to WebP.
- Compress what must stay JPG or PNG using Compress Image.
- Add a favicon so your site looks professional in browser tabs, using the Favicon Generator.
Does image format affect SEO?
Indirectly, yes. Google uses page experience signals such as loading speed (Largest Contentful Paint), and large images are the most common reason pages load slowly. Smaller images mean faster pages, which helps rankings and keeps visitors from leaving. Also give images descriptive file names and alt text.
What about HEIC, BMP and TIFF?
These aren’t suitable for websites. Convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPG or WebP (see our HEIC to JPG guide). BMP and TIFF files are very large and should be converted too. Our article on understanding image formats explains each one.
Summary
Use WebP for website images wherever you can, JPG for sharing photos, and PNG for graphics that need perfect edges or transparency. Whichever you choose, resizing and compressing before upload makes the biggest difference.
