JPG vs PNG vs WebP

JPG: the photo standard

JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is the most widely used format for photographs. It uses lossy compression, which means it achieves small file sizes by discarding data the human eye is less likely to notice.

Strengths:

• Excellent for photos and images with smooth color gradients
• Small file sizes at moderate quality settings
• Universal compatibility — every device and browser supports it

Weaknesses:

• No transparency support
• Quality degrades with each save (generation loss)
• Sharp edges (text, lines) can look fuzzy due to compression artifacts

PNG: the quality choice

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) uses lossless compression — no data is discarded. The decompressed image is identical to the original.

Strengths:

• Lossless — no quality loss, even after multiple saves
• Supports transparency (alpha channel)
• Sharp edges and text stay crisp

Weaknesses:

• Much larger files than JPG for photos
• Not ideal for complex, high-color images where file size matters

WebP: the modern option

WebP was developed by Google to offer the best of both worlds: lossy and lossless compression in one format. At equivalent quality, WebP files are typically 25–35% smaller than JPG or PNG.

Strengths:

• Smaller files than JPG or PNG at the same quality
• Supports both lossy and lossless compression
• Supports transparency

Weaknesses:

• Not quite as universal as JPG/PNG (though support is now widespread in modern browsers)
• Some older software may not support it

Quick reference: which to use when