JPG, PNG, WEBP and AVIF cover roughly 99% of the images on the modern web. Each was designed for a different problem, in a different decade, with different trade-offs. This guide compares them head-to-head so you can choose with confidence.
Summary table
| JPG | PNG | WEBP | AVIF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Released | 1992 | 1996 | 2010 | 2019 |
| Lossless? | No | Yes | Both | Both |
| Transparency | No | Yes (8-bit) | Yes (8-bit) | Yes (8-bit) |
| Animation | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| HDR / 10-bit | No | No | No | Yes |
| Typical photo size | 100% | ≈400% | ≈40% | ≈20% |
| Browser support | Universal | Universal | ≈99% | ≈96% |
| Best for | Photos | Logos, screenshots | Modern web | Modern web (smallest) |
JPG in 2026
JPG (JPEG) is the oldest format on the list and is still the most-used image format on the planet. It uses lossy compression tuned for natural photos: large smooth regions compress beautifully, sharp edges and text compress poorly with visible ringing. Quality settings between 75 and 90 give the best trade-off between size and visible artefacts.
JPG has no transparency, no animation, and no high-dynamic-range support. It is the safest possible format for compatibility — every camera, every browser, every operating system, every email client opens JPG without complaint. For email attachments and social uploads in 2026, JPG is still the most defensive choice.
PNG in 2026
PNG is a lossless format designed for crisp graphics, line art, screenshots and anything with transparency. Saving a PNG and re-saving it never degrades quality. The trade-off is size — a PNG photo is roughly four times larger than the equivalent JPG.
PNG is the right choice for logos, icons, screenshots of user interfaces, charts, diagrams and any image you will continue to edit. It is the wrong choice for full-bleed photography on a public website, because the file sizes will tank your page speed.
WEBP in 2026
WEBP, introduced by Google in 2010, was the first widely-supported modern image format. It supports both lossy and lossless compression, full transparency, animation, and ICC colour profiles. Lossless WEBP is about 25% smaller than PNG. Lossy WEBP is about 25–35% smaller than JPG at equivalent quality.
Browser support today is effectively universal — over 99% of real-world traffic can decode WEBP. For most teams in 2026, WEBP is the sensible default for new images on a website, with JPG as a fallback for the long tail of edge-case clients.
AVIF in 2026
AVIF is a still-image format built on the AV1 video codec. It compresses dramatically better than WEBP — typically 30–50% smaller at the same visual quality — and supports HDR, 10- and 12-bit colour, and wide gamut. Encoding is slower than WEBP but only matters once at build time; decoding is fast everywhere it is supported.
AVIF reached real-world coverage above 95% in 2024 and has only grown since. For image-heavy pages where bytes translate directly to revenue (e-commerce, news, photography), AVIF is the right primary format with a WEBP or JPG fallback.
Head-to-head by scenario
A full-bleed hero photo
Winner: AVIF (primary), WEBP (fallback), JPG (final fallback). The savings on a 2 MB JPG can be six-figure bandwidth dollars at scale.
A transparent product cut-out on a marketing page
Winner: AVIF or WEBP for size, with PNG as the safe fallback. SVG if the source is vector.
A UI screenshot in a documentation site
Winner: lossless WEBP — typically half the size of PNG with no visible quality loss. Avoid lossy compression on screenshots; text and edges degrade noticeably.
An image attached to a marketing email
Winner: JPG for photos, PNG for graphics. Many email clients in 2026 still render WEBP and AVIF inconsistently — defensive formats win in inboxes.
An image you will keep editing in Photoshop
Winner: PNG for working files. Save the final web export as AVIF / WEBP. Never use lossy WEBP or JPG as a working file — every save degrades quality.
Compatibility checklist
- Sharing with the general public on a website: AVIF + WEBP + JPG fallback.
- Sharing with a single recipient over email: JPG or PNG.
- Posting to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn: JPG. Platforms recompress anyway.
- Uploading to a print shop: JPG (highest quality) or TIFF if available.
- Saving to a phone or sharing via AirDrop: HEIC stays HEIC on Apple-to-Apple; JPG on mixed.
A simple decision tree
- Is it a logo, icon, or other vector asset? Use SVG.
- Does it need transparency? Use AVIF or WEBP for the web, PNG everywhere else.
- Is it a photograph? Use AVIF (with WEBP/JPG fallback) for the web; JPG for email and uploads.
- Is it a screenshot or diagram? Use lossless WEBP for the web, PNG everywhere else.
- Will you keep editing it? Keep a PNG or original master, export web variants from it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert from one format to another without losing quality?+
Converting a lossless source (PNG, lossless WEBP, AVIF) to another lossless format keeps quality intact. Converting between lossy formats always loses some information because each codec compresses differently — go back to the highest-quality original whenever possible.
Is AVIF always better than WEBP?+
For most photographs, yes. For very small graphics where the codec overhead is significant relative to file size, WEBP or PNG can win.
Why do my PNG files have a transparent halo around the edges?+
Usually because the source had a coloured background that wasn't fully removed. Open the image, refine the alpha mask, and re-export.
Do JPG files lose quality every time I save them?+
Yes. Each save re-applies lossy compression. Always keep a lossless original (PNG or a RAW file) and export JPGs from it.