JPG vs PNG vs WebP: Which Image Format to Use and When
Use JPG for photos that must open everywhere, PNG for screenshots, graphics and transparency where exact pixels matter, and WebP for websites because it is usually 25 to 35% smaller than JPG and supports transparency.
JPG: the universal photo format
JPG uses lossy compression tuned for photos. It keeps files small and opens on every device and website.
Weak spots: no transparency, and sharp edges like text and lines can get fuzzy halos at lower quality. Saving the same JPG again and again slowly reduces quality.
PNG: exact pixels and transparency
PNG is lossless. Every pixel is stored exactly, which makes it ideal for screenshots, interface designs, diagrams, logos and cutouts with transparent backgrounds.
Weak spot: photos saved as PNG are very large, often five to ten times the size of a JPG.
WebP: the modern web format
WebP can be lossy or lossless and supports transparency. Lossy WebP is typically 25 to 35% smaller than a JPG of similar quality, which makes pages load faster.
Every modern browser supports WebP. Some older desktop apps and upload forms still do not, so keep a JPG or PNG copy when you share files outside the web.
Simple rules
Phone photo to share or print: JPG.
Screenshot, chart or text heavy image: PNG.
Logo or cutout with a transparent background: PNG, or WebP for websites.
Images on your own website or blog: WebP, with sizes that match how large they are shown.
Convert in seconds
Open the SleekCut Image Converter, drop your files, choose JPG, PNG or WebP and download them one by one or as a ZIP. There are also dedicated converters such as PNG to WebP, WebP to JPG and HEIC to JPG.
Conversion runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded and there are no limits.
What about AVIF and HEIC?
AVIF is even smaller than WebP and supported by current browsers, but many apps cannot open it yet. HEIC is the iPhone camera format. Convert both to JPG or PNG when you need them to work everywhere.