OptimizationWeb DevelopmentFormats

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

January 18, 20265 min read • by Shreeja Manandhar

Choosing the right image format is critical for website performance and visual quality. Here is the breakdown:

1. JPG (JPEG)

Best for: Photographs with complex colors.
Pros: Small file size, universal support.
Cons: Lossy compression means quality degrades with every save. No transparency.

2. PNG

Best for: Logos, screenshots, and graphics with text.
Pros: Lossless quality, supports transparency.
Cons: File sizes can be massive.

3. WebP (The Modern Standard)

Best for: Almost everything on the web.
Pros: Smaller than JPG and PNG with better quality. Supports transparency.
Cons: Slightly less support in very old browsers (IE).