Image Format Guide — JPG vs PNG vs WebP vs AVIF vs SVG

Which Image Format Should You Use?

Choosing the wrong image format wastes bandwidth, reduces quality, or breaks features. Here's the definitive guide.

Quick Decision Chart

If you need...	Use
Best quality for photos	JPG (85% quality)
Transparency	PNG or WebP
Smallest file for web	WebP or AVIF
Animations	GIF or WebP
Scalable graphics/logos	SVG
Print-quality images	TIFF
iPhone photos everywhere	Convert HEIC → JPG

Format Comparison

Format	Type	Transparency	Animation	Colors	Best For
JPG	Lossy	No	No	16.7M	Photos
PNG	Lossless	Yes	No	16.7M	Screenshots, graphics
WebP	Both	Yes	Yes	16.7M	Web (everything)
AVIF	Lossy	Yes	Yes	16.7M+	Next-gen web
GIF	Lossless	Yes	Yes	256	Simple animations
SVG	Vector	Yes	Yes	Unlimited	Logos, icons, charts
TIFF	Lossless	Yes	No	48-bit	Print, archival
HEIC	Lossy	No	Yes	16.7M	Apple devices
BMP	Uncompressed	No	No	16.7M	Legacy Windows

File Size Comparison (Same 1920x1080 Photo)

Format	Size	Relative
BMP (uncompressed)	5.9 MB	100%
TIFF (uncompressed)	5.9 MB	100%
PNG	3.2 MB	54%
JPG (quality 95)	1.2 MB	20%
JPG (quality 85)	450 KB	8%
WebP (quality 85)	320 KB	5%
AVIF (quality 85)	220 KB	4%

WebP is 25-35% smaller than JPG. AVIF is 50%+ smaller than JPG.

Detailed Format Guide

JPG (JPEG)

Best for: Photographs, real-world images

• Lossy compression — some data is discarded
• Excellent for photos with gradual color changes
• No transparency support
• Universal compatibility
• Quality 85% is the sweet spot for web

PNG

Best for: Screenshots, graphics with text, transparency

• Lossless — no quality loss
• Supports transparency (alpha channel)
• Much larger than JPG for photos
• Perfect for screenshots and UI elements
• PNG-8 (256 colors) is much smaller than PNG-24

WebP

Best for: Everything on the web (2026 and beyond)

• 25-35% smaller than JPG at equivalent quality
• Supports transparency AND animation
• Supported by all modern browsers
• Both lossy and lossless modes
• The default choice for new web projects

AVIF

Best for: Maximum compression, cutting-edge web

• 50%+ smaller than JPG at equivalent quality
• Supports transparency, animation, HDR
• Growing browser support (Chrome, Firefox, Safari 16+)
• Slower to encode than WebP
• The future of web images

GIF

Best for: Simple animations (but consider WebP/MP4)

• Limited to 256 colors — bad for photos
• Large file sizes for animations
• Universal support
• Consider GIF to MP4 for 90% smaller animations

SVG

Best for: Logos, icons, illustrations, charts

• Vector format — scales to any size without quality loss
• Tiny file size for simple graphics
• Can be styled with CSS
• Not suitable for photos
• Convert with SVG to PNG when raster is needed

TIFF

Best for: Print production, archival

• Lossless quality
• Huge file sizes
• Industry standard for printing
• Not suitable for web

HEIC

Best for: iPhone photos (but needs conversion for sharing)

• Apple's default photo format (iOS 11+)
• 50% smaller than JPG at same quality
• Limited compatibility outside Apple ecosystem
• Convert with HEIC to JPG for universal sharing

Web Performance Recommendations

For websites in 2026:

1. Use WebP as your primary format
2. Provide JPG fallback for older browsers (if needed)
3. Try AVIF for hero images where quality matters
4. Use SVG for logos and icons
5. Lazy-load images below the fold
6. Serve responsive sizes (don't send 4K to mobile)

Convert Between Formats

All conversions free on MyPDF:

• Convert Image — Any format to any format
• Batch Convert — Convert hundreds at once
• Compress Image — Optimize any format
• SVG to PNG — Vector to raster
• HEIC to JPG — iPhone to universal