Quick answer
Use WebP for websites where you control the viewing environment and want smaller file sizes. Use PNG when you need universal compatibility, are sharing files via email, or working with software that does not support WebP.
WebP vs PNG comparison
| Feature | WebP | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency | Yes (alpha channel) | Yes (alpha channel) |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossless only |
| File Size | 26% smaller (lossless) | Larger |
| Animation | Yes | No (use APNG) |
| Browser Support | 96%+ | Universal |
| Software Support | Growing | Universal |
| Best For | Web images | Universal sharing |
When to use WebP
WebP was developed by Google to replace both PNG and JPG on the web. It offers superior compression while supporting both transparency and lossy/lossless modes. Choose WebP when:
- Building a website: Smaller images mean faster page loads and better Core Web Vitals
- You control the environment: Your CMS, app, or platform supports WebP
- Bandwidth matters: Mobile users, slow connections, high-traffic sites
- You need transparency with smaller files: WebP with alpha is smaller than PNG
- Replacing animated GIFs: WebP animations are much smaller than GIF
WebP compression advantage
According to Google's compression study, lossless WebP images are 26% smaller than equivalent PNG files. Lossy WebP is 25-34% smaller than comparable JPEG images. In practice, savings depend on image content, but the reduction is consistent across a range of test images.
The tradeoffs
- Older browsers: Internet Explorer and very old Safari versions do not support WebP
- Desktop software: Some image editors, document tools, and legacy applications cannot open WebP
- Email clients: Many email clients do not render WebP images
- Social media: Some platforms convert WebP uploads to JPG, losing transparency
- Print workflows: Print shops and design tools may not accept WebP
When to use PNG
PNG has been the standard for lossless images with transparency since 1996. Its universal support makes it the safe choice for many situations:
- Sharing via email: Everyone can open PNG attachments
- Document embedding: Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs all support PNG
- Print and design: InDesign, Illustrator, print shops expect PNG
- Maximum compatibility: When you do not know how the image will be used
- Archival purposes: PNG is a stable, well-documented format
- Source files: Keep originals in PNG, convert to WebP for web delivery
PNG advantages over WebP
- Universal support: Every browser, every device, every application
- No conversion needed: Works everywhere without fallbacks
- Mature ecosystem: Better tool support for editing and optimization
- Standardization: W3C standard with extensive documentation
Browser support
WebP support has grown significantly:
- Chrome: Full support since 2014
- Firefox: Full support since 2019
- Safari: Full support since 2020 (macOS Big Sur, iOS 14)
- Edge: Full support since Chromium-based Edge
- Internet Explorer: No support (but IE is deprecated)
Over 96% of global users have browsers that support WebP, according to caniuse.com. The remainder are primarily on very old devices or specialized enterprise environments.
Handling older browsers
For websites that must support older browsers, use the <picture> element with PNG fallback:
<picture>
<source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp">
<img src="image.png" alt="Description">
</picture>Real-world file size comparison
Typical file size differences between WebP and PNG:
| Image Type | PNG Size | WebP Size | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screenshot (1920x1080) | 1.2 MB | 400 KB | 67% |
| Logo with transparency | 45 KB | 28 KB | 38% |
| Icon (256x256) | 12 KB | 8 KB | 33% |
| Infographic | 850 KB | 320 KB | 62% |
Results vary based on image content. Images with large flat color areas see the biggest savings.
Frequently asked questions
Is WebP better than PNG?
Lossless WebP files are about 26% smaller than equivalent PNGs with no visible quality difference, according to Google's compression study. WebP also supports both lossy and lossless compression plus animation. However, PNG has universal software support, while WebP is still unsupported in some email clients, print workflows, and legacy applications.
Do all browsers support WebP?
Over 96% of global users have browsers that support WebP, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Internet Explorer does not support WebP, but IE is deprecated. For older browsers, use the HTML <picture> element with a PNG fallback.
Should I convert all my PNGs to WebP?
Convert to WebP for web delivery where you control the viewing environment. Keep PNG originals for archival, email sharing, print workflows, and document embedding. A common approach is to store source files as PNG and serve WebP versions on websites for faster page loads.
Sources and references
Need to convert?
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