WebP vs AVIF vs JPEG: Choosing the Right Image Format

Choosing the right image format is one of the most important decisions you'll make for website performance. The format you select directly impacts loading speeds, bandwidth consumption, visual quality, and ultimately, user experience. With modern formats like WebP and AVIF gaining traction alongside traditional JPEG and PNG, understanding the differences has never been more critical.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll compare WebP, AVIF, JPEG, and PNG across multiple dimensions—compression efficiency, quality retention, browser support, use cases, and more. By the end, you'll know exactly which format to choose for every situation.

Understanding Image Formats

Before diving into comparisons, let's understand what each format offers:

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

JPEG has dominated web photography since 1992. It uses lossy compression to achieve small file sizes, making it ideal for photographs with complex color gradients.

Key characteristics:

• Lossy compression only
• No transparency support
• Universal browser support
• Excellent for photographs
• Quality degrades with repeated editing/saving

PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

PNG was created to provide a patent-free alternative to GIF. It excels at lossless compression and transparency support.

Key characteristics:

• Lossless compression
• Full transparency support (alpha channel)
• Universal browser support
• Best for graphics, logos, text
• Larger file sizes for photographs

WebP (Web Picture)

Developed by Google in 2010, WebP offers both lossy and lossless compression with smaller file sizes than JPEG and PNG.

Key characteristics:

• Both lossy and lossless compression
• Transparency support
• Animation support
• Excellent compression efficiency
• Widely supported by modern browsers

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format)

AVIF, released in 2019, is based on the AV1 video codec. It delivers superior compression with excellent quality retention.

Key characteristics:

• Both lossy and lossless compression
• Transparency support
• HDR support
• Best-in-class compression
• Growing but limited browser support

Detailed Format Comparison

Feature	JPEG	PNG	WebP	AVIF
Compression Type	Lossy only	Lossless only	Both	Both
Transparency	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Animation	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
File Size (Photo)	Baseline	150-300% larger	25-35% smaller	40-50% smaller
Browser Support	100%	100%	95%+	75-80%
Quality at High Compression	Good	Perfect (lossless)	Very Good	Excellent
Best Use Case	Photographs	Logos, graphics	General web images	High-quality photos

WebP: The Modern Standard

WebP has become the go-to format for modern web development, striking an excellent balance between compression, quality, and compatibility.

When to use WebP:

• Website hero images and banners
• Product photos for e-commerce
• Blog post featured images
• Image-heavy pages (galleries, portfolios)
• Mobile-first websites prioritizing speed

AVIF: The Future of Image Compression

AVIF represents the cutting edge of image compression technology, offering unmatched efficiency at the cost of limited compatibility.

When to use AVIF:

• High-quality photography websites
• Art and design portfolios
• Sites with progressive enhancement strategy
• When serving with automatic fallbacks
• Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) with format detection

JPEG: The Reliable Workhorse

Despite being over 30 years old, JPEG remains relevant due to universal compatibility and predictable performance.

When to use JPEG:

• Maximum compatibility is essential
• Targeting older browsers or devices
• Email attachments
• Print-ready images
• Fallback format for modern alternatives

PNG: Graphics and Transparency

PNG excels when perfect quality or transparency is required, though at the cost of larger file sizes.

When to use PNG:

• Logos and brand assets
• Icons and UI elements
• Graphics with text
• Images requiring transparency
• Screenshots and diagrams
• Images that will be edited multiple times

Browser Support Comparison

Understanding browser support is crucial for implementation decisions:

Desktop Browsers (2025)

• JPEG & PNG: 100% support across all browsers
• WebP: Chrome 23+, Firefox 65+, Edge 18+, Safari 14+, Opera 12.1+
• AVIF: Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, Edge 85+, Opera 71+ (No Safari yet)

Mobile Browsers (2025)

• JPEG & PNG: Universal support
• WebP: iOS 14+, Android 4+
• AVIF: Chrome/Android 85+, Firefox Mobile 93+, limited iOS support

Real-World File Size Comparison

Let's examine actual file sizes for the same 1920×1080 photograph at high quality:

• Original PNG: 2.4 MB
• JPEG (Quality 85): 245 KB (baseline)
• WebP (Quality 85): 168 KB (31% smaller than JPEG)
• AVIF (Quality 85): 112 KB (54% smaller than JPEG)

For a website with 50 images, switching from JPEG to WebP could save 3.85 MB, while AVIF could save 6.65 MB—dramatically improving load times.

Implementation Strategies

Strategy 1: WebP with JPEG Fallback

The safest modern approach offers broad compatibility:

<picture>
  <source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp">
  <img src="image.jpg" alt="Description">
</picture>

Strategy 2: Progressive Enhancement with AVIF

For cutting-edge performance with full fallback:

<picture>
  <source srcset="image.avif" type="image/avif">
  <source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp">
  <img src="image.jpg" alt="Description">
</picture>

Strategy 3: Server-Side Detection

CDNs and servers can automatically serve the best format based on browser capabilities, requiring no HTML changes.

Decision Framework

Use this framework to choose your image format:

Choose JPEG when:

• Maximum compatibility is required
• Serving older browsers or email clients
• Using images for print or downloads

Choose PNG when:

• You need transparency
• Working with graphics, logos, or text
• Lossless quality is essential

Choose WebP when:

• Building modern websites (2020+)
• You want better compression than JPEG
• Broad compatibility is important

Choose AVIF when:

• File size is the top priority
• You can implement proper fallbacks
• Targeting modern browsers

Frequently Asked Questions

Will converting to WebP/AVIF improve my SEO?

Yes, indirectly. Faster page loads from smaller images improve Core Web Vitals scores, which Google uses as ranking factors.

Can I use WebP for all images?

Almost. Use WebP for most website images with JPEG/PNG fallbacks for older browsers.

Does WebP support progressive loading like JPEG?

Yes, WebP supports progressive rendering for improved perceived performance.

Which format is best for print?

Use PNG (lossless) or high-quality JPEG. WebP and AVIF have limited print software support.

Can I convert existing JPEGs to WebP without quality loss?

You can convert, but some quality loss is inevitable since JPEG is already lossy. Convert from original source files when possible.

Is it worth implementing AVIF today?

If you can handle the technical complexity and have proper fallbacks, yes. The file size savings are substantial.

Conclusion

There's no single "best" image format—the right choice depends on your specific needs, audience, and technical constraints. For most modern websites, WebP offers the best balance of compression, quality, and compatibility. AVIF represents the future with superior compression, but requires careful implementation with fallbacks.

Traditional formats like JPEG and PNG remain valuable for specific use cases and as fallback options. The ideal strategy often involves serving modern formats to capable browsers while falling back to traditional formats for older clients.

Start optimizing your images today with PixelWebP's free conversion and compression tools. Convert your existing images to WebP or AVIF and experience faster load times and happier visitors!