PNG vs JPG vs WebP: Which Image Format Should You Use?
A plain-English comparison of PNG, JPG and WebP: how each one compresses images, when to use which, and the mistakes that quietly ruin quality.
By the ClearPix team · · 4 min read
Choosing an image format feels like a technical detail, but it decides how sharp an image looks, how large the file is and whether a transparent background survives. Pick the wrong one and you get blurry text in a screenshot, a logo with an ugly white box around it, or a web page that takes seconds to load. This guide explains the three formats you will meet most often and gives simple rules for choosing between them.
The short answer
| Use case | Best format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Photos for print or email | JPG | Small files, universally supported |
| Photos on a website | WebP | Usually 25–35% smaller than a JPG of similar quality |
| Screenshots, diagrams, text | PNG | Lossless, so edges and text stay crisp |
| Logos and graphics with transparency | PNG (or SVG) | Keeps the transparent background |
| Transparent images on a website | WebP | Supports transparency at a fraction of PNG's size |
| Editing an image several times | PNG | No quality loss each time you save |
JPG (JPEG): the photo format
JPG has been the standard format for photographs since the early 1990s. It uses lossy compression: it throws away detail the human eye is unlikely to notice, mostly subtle colour changes and fine texture. At high quality settings the loss is invisible, and the file can be ten times smaller than an uncompressed image.
- Strengths: tiny files for photos, opens on every device, printer and website.
- Weaknesses: no transparency; sharp edges and text get fuzzy "halo" artefacts; quality drops a little every time the file is edited and saved again.
- Best quality setting: 85–92% for most photos. Above 95% the file grows a lot for almost no visible gain.
If you want to understand those halos and blocks, read our explainer on JPEG compression artefacts.
PNG: the lossless format
PNG uses lossless compression. It shrinks the file by finding patterns, like long runs of the same colour, but it never discards information. What you save is exactly what you get back, pixel for pixel.
- Strengths: perfect quality, full transparency (an alpha channel), ideal for screenshots, UI designs, logos and anything with text.
- Weaknesses: photos saved as PNG are often 5–10 times larger than a good JPG, with no visible benefit.
- Good habit: keep your working copy as PNG while you edit, then export to JPG or WebP for the final version if it is a photo.
WebP: the modern web format
WebP was developed by Google for the web. It can work in lossy mode (like JPG) or lossless mode (like PNG), and it supports transparency in both. All current major browsers support it. Lossy WebP files are commonly 25–35% smaller than JPGs that look the same.
- Strengths: smaller files than JPG and PNG, transparency support, good for page speed.
- Weaknesses: some older desktop software, print services and upload forms still do not accept it.
- Practical tip: if a site you saved an image from gives you a .webp file that will not open in your editor, convert it with the WebP to PNG converter.
Common mistakes to avoid
Saving a screenshot as JPG
Screenshots are full of sharp text and flat colour, exactly what JPG handles worst. Keep them as PNG, or use lossless or high-quality WebP for the web.
Expecting PNG to fix a bad JPG
Converting a JPG to PNG preserves the image as it is now, including its compression damage. It stops further loss, but it cannot undo what has already happened. To actually improve a soft or blocky JPG, use an AI upscaler with denoise turned on.
Converting lossy to lossy again and again
Each time a JPG or lossy WebP is opened, edited and saved, a new round of compression is applied. After several rounds, blocks and colour banding appear. Always convert from the original file, not from a copy of a copy.
Losing transparency
JPG cannot store transparency. Convert a transparent logo to JPG and the empty areas are filled with a solid colour, usually white. If you need the transparent background, stick with PNG or WebP.
What about SVG?
SVG is a different kind of format altogether. Instead of storing pixels, it stores shapes and curves, so it stays perfectly sharp at any size. It is ideal for logos, icons and simple illustrations, but not for photographs. If you have a logo only as a PNG or JPG, our image to SVG converter can trace it into vector shapes. See also when to upscale and when to vectorize a logo.
A simple decision process
- Is it a logo, icon or simple flat graphic? Use SVG if you can, otherwise PNG.
- Does it need a transparent background? Use PNG, or WebP for the web.
- Is it a photo? Use JPG for sharing and printing, WebP for websites.
- Does it contain text or sharp UI elements? Use PNG.
- Are you still editing it? Keep a PNG master copy and export at the end.
You can switch between all three formats in your browser with the free format converter. Nothing is uploaded, so it is quick even for large files and safe for private images.