PNG or WebP: which one to use
WebP is usually smaller. PNG is understood by everything.
1 min readLast reviewed
In short
For the web, WebP: it does everything PNG does — lossless compression, transparency — in less space, and every current browser displays it. Keep PNG for files you will edit, archive, or open in older software, and for images that must stay exactly the same everywhere.
Key takeaways
- Lossless WebP is usually smaller than the same PNG.
- Both keep transparency.
- PNG remains the safest choice for compatibility and editing.
What they have in common
Both can store an image without any loss, and both support transparency — a logo on a coloured background, a cut-out product photo.
Where WebP is better
- Size: lossless WebP is usually noticeably smaller than PNG for the same pixels.
- Flexibility: WebP can also be lossy, with transparency, which PNG cannot do.
- Web support: all current browsers display it, including Safari.
Where PNG is better
- Compatibility: every editor, office suite and operating system opens it.
- Editing: a master copy you will work on again.
- Archiving: a format with decades of support behind it.
In short
Publish in WebP, keep your master in PNG.
