Comparison
WebP vs PNG: Which Image Format Should You Use?
A practical guide to file size, transparency, browser support, and when to choose each format.
The short answer
Use WebP for publishing images on websites — it is smaller and loads faster. Use PNG when you need lossless quality for editing, or when working with software that does not support WebP yet.
What is WebP?
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google. It supports both lossy and lossless compression, transparency, and animation — making it a single format capable of replacing PNG, JPG, and GIF for most web use cases.
In practice, lossy WebP images are typically 25–35% smaller than equivalent JPGs at the same visual quality. Lossless WebP images are about 26% smaller than equivalent PNGs. That difference adds up fast across a page with many images.
What is PNG?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) has been the standard for lossless web images since the late 1990s. It supports full transparency, handles sharp edges and text well, and is supported universally by every browser, operating system, design tool, and image editor in existence.
Because PNG is lossless, no image data is discarded during compression. This makes it the right choice for source files, logos, screenshots, and anything you plan to edit further.
File size comparison
| Format | Type | Relative size | Transparency |
|---|---|---|---|
| WebP (lossy) | Lossy | Smallest | ✓ Yes |
| JPG | Lossy | Small | ✗ No |
| WebP (lossless) | Lossless | Medium | ✓ Yes |
| PNG | Lossless | Largest | ✓ Yes |
Browser support
WebP is supported by all major modern browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari (version 14+, released 2020). For virtually all real-world website visitors today, WebP is safe to use without fallbacks.
PNG has been universally supported since the late 1990s and works in every browser, email client, and operating system without exception.
Transparency support
Both WebP and PNG support full alpha-channel transparency. If your image has a transparent background — a logo, icon, or cutout — both formats preserve it correctly.
JPG does not support transparency at all. Converting a transparent PNG to JPG replaces transparent areas with solid white or black.
When to use WebP
- Publishing images on a website or blog
- WordPress media uploads (WebP is supported since WordPress 5.8)
- Product images in an online store
- Hero images, thumbnails, and photo galleries
- Any image where you want the smallest file with good visual quality
When to use PNG
- Source files you plan to edit further in Photoshop, Figma, or GIMP
- Screenshots containing text or sharp UI elements
- Logos and icons where pixel-perfect quality matters
- Images shared with clients or colleagues using older software
- Workflows where the receiving software does not support WebP
The recommended workflow
Keep your master files as PNG for editing (lossless, universally compatible), then convert to WebP when publishing to the web. This gives you no quality loss in your working files and the smallest possible file size for visitors.
You can do that conversion in seconds using the free tool below.
More image guides
Read the other guides in the PicVerto blog.