JPG vs PNG vs WEBP vs AVIF: Which Image Format Should You Use?
Choosing the right image format can be confusing, but it has a huge impact on your website's loading speed, your image quality, and even your storage costs. Whether you are a web developer optimising page performance, a photographer delivering proofs, or an e-commerce seller uploading product photos, understanding the differences between JPG, PNG, WEBP, and AVIF is essential.
JPG (JPEG) — The Universal Standard
JPEG, short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, is the most widely used image format on the internet. Developed in 1992, it has near-universal support across every device, browser, and software application.
Pros: Extremely small file sizes through lossy compression. Supported everywhere — every device, browser, and photo editing tool can open JPGs. Great for photographs and complex images with many colours. You can control the quality/compression trade-off.
Cons: Does not support transparency. Uses lossy compression, meaning some image data is permanently discarded each time you save. Can show compression artefacts (blocky patches) at very low quality settings. Not ideal for text, logos, or graphics with sharp edges.
Best for: Photographs, website banners, social media posts, email images — anywhere you need small file sizes and universal compatibility.
PNG — Lossless Quality With Transparency
Portable Network Graphics (PNG) was created as a free, open alternative to GIF. It uses lossless compression, meaning no image data is lost when you save. PNG also supports full alpha transparency, allowing smooth edges and see-through backgrounds.
Pros: Lossless compression preserves every pixel of quality. Supports alpha transparency (transparent backgrounds) with smooth edges. Excellent for text, screenshots, logos, and graphics with sharp lines. No compression artefacts.
Cons: Much larger file sizes than JPG, especially for photographs. Not ideal for photos on the web where file size matters. Older browser support is universal.
Best for: Logos, icons, screenshots, graphics with text, images needing transparency (like product photos with removed backgrounds), and any image where quality cannot be compromised.
WEBP — The Modern All-Rounder
Developed by Google, WEBP is a modern image format that offers both lossy and lossless compression, along with transparency support. It was designed to replace JPG, PNG, and GIF with one unified format that provides smaller file sizes for equivalent quality.
Pros: Lossy WEBP is typically 25-35% smaller than equivalent-quality JPG. Lossless WEBP is about 25% smaller than PNG. Supports transparency (alpha channel). Supports animation (like GIF but much smaller).
Cons: Slightly slower to encode than JPG. Not supported in very old browsers (Internet Explorer, old Safari versions). Some image editors may not support WEBP natively.
Best for: Websites looking to improve Core Web Vitals and loading speed. E-commerce product images. Anywhere you want smaller files while maintaining quality. WEBP now has over 95% browser support.
AVIF — The Next Generation
AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is the newest image format, based on the AV1 video codec. It offers significantly better compression than even WEBP, with files up to 50% smaller than JPG at the same visual quality. It also supports HDR (high dynamic range) and wide colour gamut.
Pros: Best compression efficiency of any widely supported format — up to 50% smaller than JPG. Supports HDR, 12-bit colour depth, and transparency. Royalty-free and open standard.
Cons: Browser support is still growing (about 90% coverage). Encoding is slower than other formats. Not all image editors support AVIF yet. Some social media platforms may not accept AVIF uploads.
Best for: Cutting-edge websites optimising for maximum performance. Users who want the smallest possible files. Modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge fully support AVIF.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | JPG | PNG | WEBP | AVIF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless | Both | Lossy/Lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| File size (vs JPG) | Baseline | 2-5× larger | 25-35% smaller | 50% smaller |
| Browser support | 100% | 100% | ~96% | ~90% |
| Animation | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Which Format Should You Choose?
Here is a simple decision guide:
- If you need universal compatibility and small file size for photos → JPG
- If you need transparency or lossless quality for logos/graphics → PNG
- If you are building a modern website and want the best size/quality balance → WEBP
- If you want the absolute smallest files for modern browsers → AVIF
For e-commerce sellers uploading to Shopee and Lazada, JPG is usually the safest choice due to platform compatibility. For your website, convert images to WEBP using BersihBG's Convert Format tool to improve loading speed dramatically.
Convert your images to any format
Use BersihBG's free image converter to switch between JPG, PNG, WEBP, and AVIF.
swap_horiz Convert an imageFrequently Asked Questions
Can I convert HEIC from iPhone to JPG?
Yes. BersihBG's Convert Format tool automatically decodes HEIC/HEIF images from iPhones. Just upload and choose JPG or PNG as the output.
Does converting between formats reduce quality?
Converting from lossless (PNG) to lossy (JPG) reduces quality. Converting between lossy formats repeatedly compounds quality loss. Always save your original in a lossless format.