JPG, PNG, WebP — three formats, three sets of trade-offs, and a lot of confusion. Pick the wrong one and you either ship bloated files that slow your site down, or you lose transparency and image quality you needed. This guide explains the differences in plain English and tells you exactly which format to reach for.
The 30-second answer
- Photographs → JPG (or WebP for smaller files).
- Graphics with transparency (logos, icons, screenshots) → PNG (or WebP).
- The web, when you want the smallest files → WebP.
If you only remember one thing: WebP is usually the best choice for the web, because it does almost everything JPG and PNG do, but smaller. Now let's unpack why.
JPG (JPEG): great for photos
JPG uses lossy compression — it throws away detail your eye is unlikely to notice in exchange for much smaller files. That makes it perfect for photographs with smooth gradients and lots of color.
Use JPG for:
- Photos and realistic images
- Hero images and banners where some compression is invisible
- Anywhere you don't need transparency
Avoid JPG for:
- Logos, text and sharp edges (compression makes them fuzzy)
- Anything needing a transparent background — JPG has no transparency
PNG: great for graphics and transparency
PNG is lossless, so every pixel is preserved exactly. It also supports an alpha channel (transparency). That's why it's the default for logos, icons, UI screenshots and anything that needs a see-through background.
Use PNG for:
- Logos, icons and illustrations with flat colors
- Screenshots with crisp text
- Images that need transparency
Avoid PNG for:
- Photographs — files get huge with no real quality benefit
- Large hero images, where the weight hurts page speed
If your PNG photo is heavy, that's your cue to convert it. The free Image Converter turns PNG into WebP or JPG in seconds, in your browser.
WebP: the modern all-rounder
WebP is Google's modern format and it's now supported by every current browser. It offers:
- Lossy and lossless modes
- Transparency, like PNG
- Much smaller files — roughly 25–35% smaller than JPG, and ~26% smaller than PNG for lossless
In other words, WebP combines JPG's efficiency with PNG's transparency. For most images on a website, it's the best default.
Use WebP for:
- Almost everything on the web
- Replacing heavy PNG screenshots and graphics
- Photos where you want smaller files than JPG
Be cautious with WebP for:
- Email (some older clients don't render it)
- Software or platforms that explicitly require JPG/PNG
Side-by-side summary
| Need | Best format |
|---|---|
| Photograph for the web | WebP (or JPG) |
| Logo or icon | PNG (or WebP) |
| Transparent background | PNG or WebP |
| Smallest possible file | WebP |
| Maximum compatibility | JPG / PNG |
How to convert between formats for free
Whatever you're starting with, you can convert it without installing anything:
- Open the Image Converter.
- Drop in your JPG, PNG or WebP.
- Pick the output format you need.
- Tune the quality slider, then download.
It runs entirely in your browser, so your files stay private. If your goal is simply a smaller file at the same format, use the Compress Image tool instead — it lets you target a specific size. And if the image is physically larger than you display it, resize it first with the Image Resizer for the biggest savings.
A practical workflow
- Resize the image to the dimensions you'll actually display.
- Convert to WebP for the web (or keep PNG if you need transparency and broad compatibility).
- Compress to hit your target file size.
- Verify the result looks good and the file is genuinely smaller.
FAQ
Is WebP always better than JPG and PNG? For the web, almost always — it's smaller and supports transparency. The exceptions are email and platforms that don't accept WebP.
Does converting JPG to PNG improve quality? No. JPG already discarded detail; converting to PNG just makes a bigger file without recovering it. Convert to JPG/WebP for smaller files, not the other way around.
Will I lose transparency converting PNG to JPG? Yes — JPG fills transparent areas with white. Keep PNG or WebP if you need a transparent background.
Pick the format that fits the job: JPG for photos, PNG for transparency, and WebP when you want the best of both on the web. When you're ready to switch, the Image Converter handles all three for free.