Short answer
Use JPG for photos that must open everywhere, PNG for screenshots, logos and anything with transparency or sharp text, WebP for images on websites (smaller than both, with transparency), and AVIF when you want the smallest web images and can keep a fallback. HEIC is great for storing photos on an iPhone, but convert it before sharing.
The formats at a glance
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Animation | Opens almost everywhere? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPG (JPEG) | Lossy | No | No | Yes | Photos for email, forms, printing |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | Rarely (APNG) | Yes | Screenshots, logos, diagrams, editing |
| WebP | Lossy or lossless | Yes | Yes | All browsers; most apps | Website images |
| AVIF | Lossy or lossless | Yes | Yes | Current browsers; fewer apps | Smallest web images |
| HEIC | Lossy | Yes | Sequences | Apple devices; others need help | Photo storage on iPhone |
| GIF | Lossless, 256 colors | On/off only | Yes | Yes | Simple animations, old software |
JPG: the universal photo format
JPG has been the default for photos since the 1990s. Its compression throws away detail the eye rarely notices, so a photo stays small, and every device, app, printer and upload form accepts it. Its weaknesses: no transparency, visible artefacts around sharp edges and text, and a little quality lost every time you re-save. Use it when compatibility matters more than anything else. To get there from other formats, see PNG to JPG, WebP to JPG and HEIC to JPG.
PNG: sharp, lossless, transparent
PNG stores every pixel exactly. That makes it perfect for screenshots, interface images, logos, icons, charts and anything you'll edit repeatedly, and it supports full transparency. The price is size: photos saved as PNG are often five to ten times bigger than JPGs. If you need a PNG to be smaller, reducing it to a 256-color palette (as the image compressor does) often cuts it by 60 to 80 percent for graphics.
WebP: the practical choice for websites
Google introduced WebP to make the web faster. Google's own comparison found lossy WebP files 25 to 34 percent smaller than JPGs at equivalent quality, and lossless WebP about 26 percent smaller than PNG. It supports transparency and animation, every current browser displays it, and WordPress, Shopify and most platforms accept it. The remaining friction is outside the browser: some older desktop programs, print services and forms still reject it. Convert your web images with JPG to WebP or PNG to WebP, and keep the originals.
AVIF: the smallest files, newer support
AVIF uses the AV1 video codec from the Alliance for Open Media. In many published comparisons it produces noticeably smaller files than WebP and JPG at similar visual quality, especially for photos with smooth gradients, and it supports HDR and transparency. All current major browsers display it, but encoding is slower and support in desktop apps, social networks and upload forms lags behind. A common approach is to serve AVIF with a WebP or JPG fallback using the HTML <picture> element. If you receive an AVIF you can't open, use AVIF to JPG.
HEIC: great on the phone, awkward elsewhere
HEIC is the default photo format on iPhones. It stores a photo in about half the space of a JPG, but many Windows PCs, Android devices and websites can't open it. Keep HEIC for your camera roll and convert copies when sharing; our guide on how to convert HEIC to JPG covers every device.
Which format should you use? A simple rule
- Sending a photo by email or uploading it to a form: JPG.
- A screenshot, logo or diagram: PNG (or lossless WebP on a website).
- Images on your own website: WebP, or AVIF with a fallback if you want the last few kilobytes.
- Anything with a transparent background outside a browser: PNG.
- Printing: JPG at high quality or PNG; check what the print service accepts.
- Editing in several rounds: keep a PNG (or the camera original) as your working copy and export the final format at the end.
Does converting between formats lose quality?
Converting to a lossless format (PNG, lossless WebP) never loses anything further, but it can't restore detail an earlier lossy save removed. Converting to a lossy format (JPG, lossy WebP, AVIF) re-encodes the picture; at sensible quality settings (around 80 to 90 percent) the change is invisible, but repeated lossy-to-lossy conversions add up. Always convert from the best original you have. All conversions on KitFuse happen in your browser, and the new files carry no hidden EXIF data.
Frequently asked questions
Is WebP better than PNG?
For websites, usually yes: lossless WebP is smaller than PNG and lossy WebP is much smaller, both with transparency. For editing, printing and compatibility with older software, PNG is safer.
Is AVIF better than WebP?
AVIF is often smaller at the same visual quality, but it encodes more slowly and is accepted by fewer apps and services. WebP is the safer default; AVIF is worth it when every kilobyte counts and you can provide a fallback.
Why do websites use WebP instead of JPG?
Smaller images make pages load faster, which improves the experience for visitors on mobile data and can help Core Web Vitals scores.
Which image format has the best quality?
Lossless formats (PNG, lossless WebP or AVIF) keep every pixel, so they have the "best" quality by definition. For photos, a high-quality JPG, WebP or AVIF is visually indistinguishable at a fraction of the size.
Can I convert WebP or AVIF back to JPG?
Yes. Use WebP to JPG or AVIF to JPG; both run in your browser.
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