JPG vs PNG vs WebP: Which Image Format Should You Use?

By Utivaro Team · Published September 30, 2026

Use JPG for photos you upload, email or print, WebP for photos on your own website, and PNG for screenshots, logos and anything with text or transparency. Our test below shows why: the wrong format can make a file seven times bigger.

The short answer

Image type	Best format	Why
Photo for an upload form, email or print	JPG	Small and accepted everywhere
Photo on your own website	WebP	Smaller than JPG at similar quality
Logo, icon, screenshot, chart with text	PNG (or lossless WebP on the web)	Keeps edges and text crisp
Anything needing a transparent background	PNG or WebP	JPG has no transparency
Image you will keep editing	PNG, or the camera original	No quality loss each time you save

How each format works

JPG (JPEG)

JPG uses lossy compression designed for photographs. It throws away fine detail the eye is unlikely to notice, and a quality setting (usually 0–100) controls how much. It handles smooth gradients and natural textures well, but sharp edges such as text and thin lines pick up faint halos, called artifacts. JPG has no transparency. .jpg and .jpeg are the same format with two spellings.

PNG

PNG is lossless: every pixel is stored exactly. That makes it ideal for screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with text, and it supports transparency. The cost is size: for photographs, PNG files are many times larger than JPG, and there is no quality slider to trade detail for size.

WebP

WebP, developed by Google, can do both: lossy compression for photos and lossless compression for graphics, with transparency in either mode. All major current browsers display it. Its weak spot is outside the browser: some upload forms, older software and print services still don't accept it.

Our test: the same images in each format

We saved three images in each format with a standard image library: two real photos and one flat graphic with text, a colored header and a thin outline. Sizes are in KB.

Image	JPG (q85)	WebP (q80)	WebP lossless	PNG
Indoor photo, 1024 × 576	79	37	405	563
Busy street photo, 600 × 800	150	114	549	829
Text graphic, 1024 × 576	67	29	8	53

What the numbers show:

For photos, PNG is the wrong choice. The indoor photo was 7 times larger as PNG than as JPG, with no visible benefit.
For photos on the web, WebP wins. It was 24–54% smaller than JPG here. The more detailed the photo, the smaller the gap.
For graphics, lossless wins. The text graphic was smaller as PNG than as JPG, and lossless WebP was smallest of all at 8 KB. Lossless formats also keep every edge exact, while JPG adds faint smudges around letters.

A decision checklist

Does a form or service specify a format? Use exactly that. Most accept JPG and PNG; fewer accept WebP.
Does the image need transparency? Use PNG, or WebP on the web.
Is it mostly text, flat color or sharp lines? Use PNG, or lossless WebP on the web.
Is it a photo going on your website? Use WebP. Convert with JPG to WebP.
Is it a photo going anywhere else? Use JPG at quality 80–90.

Converting between formats

JPG to WebP: smaller photos for web pages, with an adjustable quality setting and the same width and height.
WebP to JPG: when a form or program won't accept a WebP you downloaded. See why WebP images won't open.
HEIC to JPG: for iPhone photos.
Image Resizer: resize and export as JPG, PNG or WebP in one step.

Converting a JPG to PNG does not restore lost detail. It stores the JPG's pixels, artifacts included, losslessly, and usually makes the file much larger. Always convert from the best original you have.

Common myths

"PNG is higher quality, so always use it." Only if the source has sharp detail worth keeping. For photos, a JPG at quality 90 looks the same and is far smaller.
"Saving a JPG again makes it worse every time." Yes, each re-save at lossy quality adds a little damage. Edit from the original, and save to JPG once at the end.
"WebP is only for Google." WebP displays in all major current browsers, including Safari since 2020.

Frequently asked questions

Is JPEG different from JPG?

No. They are the same format. The three-letter .jpg extension comes from older systems that limited extensions to three characters.

Which format is best for a website?

WebP for photos and most graphics, PNG or SVG for logos, and JPG as a fallback when a platform doesn't accept WebP.

Why does my screenshot look blurry as a JPG?

JPG compression smudges sharp edges around text. Save screenshots as PNG instead.

What about AVIF?

AVIF is a newer format that can be even smaller than WebP. Browser support is broad but some tools and services still don't handle it, so WebP remains the safer web default.