Format comparison at a glance
| Format | Best for | Strength | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPG / JPEG | Photos and complex images | Small file sizes with broad compatibility | Lossy compression and no transparency |
| PNG | Logos, screenshots, UI graphics | Lossless quality and transparency support | Larger files than JPG and WebP |
| WebP | Modern websites and mixed assets | Smaller files than PNG and JPG in many cases | Older workflows and apps may not support it well |
| SVG | Icons, logos, charts | Infinite scaling with tiny file sizes for simple graphics | Not for photos |
| GIF | Simple short animations | Easy animation support | Poor compression and limited colors |
Best use cases
Use JPG for photos
Travel photos, product photos, and camera images usually benefit most from JPG compression.
Use PNG for sharp UI assets
Screenshots, logos, app UI, and images with text stay sharper in PNG, especially if you need transparency.
Use WebP for the web
When browser compatibility is acceptable, WebP often gives the best balance of quality and file size.
Use SVG for vector art
Icons, brand marks, and simple illustrations scale cleanly without raster artifacts.
A fast decision workflow
- If it is a photo, start with JPG or WebP.
- If it needs transparency, use PNG or WebP.
- If it is a simple icon or logo, prefer SVG if possible.
- If the file is too heavy, compress first before changing dimensions.
For many real workflows the answer is not one format forever. You may keep a PNG master, export WebP for the site, and generate JPG copies for sharing.
Use this guide with the right tool
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