Image Formats Explained: JPG vs PNG vs WebP vs AVIF vs GIF
Choosing the wrong image format costs you file size, quality, or compatibility. Here's everything you need to know to pick the right one every time.
Quick Reference: All Formats at a Glance
| Format | Compression | Transparency | File Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPG / JPEG | Lossy | No | Small |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | Large |
| WebP | Lossy & Lossless | Yes | Very small |
| AVIF | Lossy & Lossless | Yes | Smallest |
| GIF | Lossless (limited) | Yes (1-bit) | Medium |
| SVG | Vector | Yes | Tiny |
JPG / JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg)
Compression: Lossy
Transparency: No
Best for: Photos, social media images, anything where file size matters
Avoid for: Images with text, logos, screenshots
PNG (.png)
Compression: Lossless
Transparency: Yes
Best for: Logos, icons, screenshots, graphics with text, images requiring transparency
Avoid for: Large photos (file sizes get very large)
WebP (.webp)
Compression: Lossy & Lossless
Transparency: Yes
Best for: Website images — replaces both JPG and PNG with smaller files
Avoid for: Email (some clients don't render it), some older software
AVIF (.avif)
Compression: Lossy & Lossless
Transparency: Yes
Best for: Next-gen web use — even smaller than WebP
Avoid for: Anything requiring broad compatibility
GIF (.gif)
Compression: Lossless (limited)
Transparency: Yes (1-bit)
Best for: Simple animations, icons with few colors
Avoid for: Photos, any image with more than 256 colors
SVG (.svg)
Compression: Vector
Transparency: Yes
Best for: Logos, icons, illustrations — scales perfectly at any size
Avoid for: Photos and complex images
Try it now — free
Convert between JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF and more.
Decision Guide: Which Format Should You Use?
I need to put a photo on a website →
Use WebP. Smallest file size, supported everywhere, great quality.
I need a logo or icon with transparent background →
Use PNG or SVG. SVG for vectors (scalable), PNG for raster (fixed size).
I need to email a photo →
Use JPG. Universally supported, small file size.
I need a simple animation →
Use GIF (limited to 256 colors) or a video format like MP4 for better quality.
I need a screenshot with text →
Use PNG. Lossless means text stays sharp, not blurry like JPG.
Sources & Further Reading
- → MDN Web Docs — Image file type and format guide: Authoritative browser compatibility and technical details for all major image formats.
- → Google web.dev — Learn Images: Google's official image optimisation guidance for web developers.
- → Can I Use — WebP support table: Real-time browser support data for WebP, AVIF, and other modern formats.