Practical guide · 6 min read

WebP vs PNG vs JPG: which image format should you use?

The best image format is the one that preserves what matters while avoiding unnecessary bytes. Photos, interface graphics and transparent logos have different needs, so there is no single winner.

Published and reviewed by Filemivo · 4 September 2026

Choose JPG for compatible photographs

JPG remains a dependable choice for photographs and other images with continuous colour. It uses lossy compression, so each lower quality setting removes some detail in exchange for a smaller file.

Avoid JPG for logos, screenshots with sharp text or artwork that needs transparency. Repeatedly saving a JPG can also compound compression artefacts.

Choose PNG for transparency and exact pixels

PNG uses lossless compression and supports full alpha transparency. That makes it well suited to logos, diagrams, interface screenshots and graphics with hard edges.

The trade-off is size: a photographic PNG can be many times larger than an acceptable JPG or WebP version.

Choose WebP for efficient web delivery

WebP supports both lossy and lossless compression as well as transparency. It is often a strong default for images delivered on modern websites because it can provide similar perceived quality at a smaller size.

Keep a high-quality source file outside WebP if you expect to edit the image again. A delivery format is not necessarily the best archive format.

A simple decision checklist

Start with what the image contains and where it will be used. Then compare the actual output rather than trusting one quality number across formats.

  • Photo for a website: try WebP first, then JPG when a legacy workflow requires it.
  • Logo or graphic with transparency: use PNG or lossless WebP.
  • Screenshot with text: compare PNG and lossless WebP at 100% zoom.
  • Master copy for future editing: retain the original, highest-quality source.