WebP vs JPG – Which is Better for Websites? Complete 2025 Guide

Date published: August 20, 2025
Last update: August 15, 2025
Author: Marek Hovorka

Category: Image Optimization & Compression
Tags: best image format for web, Image compression, Image optimization, jpg vs webp speed, WebP for SEO, webp vs jpg

Choosing between WebP and JPG can make or break your site’s speed and SEO. Here’s everything you need to know to pick the right format.

Choosing the right image format can make or break your site’s performance and UX. In 2025, WebP is the default choice for most websites thanks to smaller file sizes at comparable quality — but JPG still has its place. This guide explains when to use each, how it impacts Core Web Vitals, SEO, and how to convert your images the right way.

Need a quick tool? Try our free converter: Convert JPG to WebP. Or explore more on PixConverter.io.

Quick Answer

• Use WebP for most website images (photos, illustrations, UI assets). You’ll typically get significantly smaller files at similar visual quality.
• Use JPG when maximum compatibility with legacy systems is critical, or when your workflow/tools don’t fully support WebP.
• SEO impact: Smaller images → better LCP and FCP → potential ranking and conversion benefits. See our tutorial: How to reduce image file size without losing quality.

Contents

1. What Are WebP and JPG?
2. Quality & Compression: Visual Results at Smaller Sizes
3. Performance & SEO: Core Web Vitals Advantages
4. Compatibility & Fallbacks in 2025
5. When to Use WebP vs JPG (Decision Guide)
6. How to Convert Images the Right Way (Step-by-Step)
7. Best Practices for Web Images in 2025
8. FAQ
9. Conclusion + Next Steps

What Are WebP and JPG?

JPG (JPEG) is a decades-old, ubiquitous image format designed for photographic content. It uses lossy compression to reduce file size by discarding some data. The result is smaller files, but repeated edits/saves can accumulate artifacts. JPG has near-universal support and remains common for photography and social media.

WebP is a newer format created for the modern web. It supports lossy and lossless compression, as well as transparency and animation (features JPG lacks). On the web, WebP typically delivers smaller files at comparable visual quality to JPG, which directly improves page speed. Learn more here: WebP: why Google loves it and how to use it.

Quality & Compression: Visual Results at Smaller Sizes

Both formats can look excellent when exported correctly — the difference is how efficiently they compress:

• JPG (lossy only): Good balance of size and quality for photos, but risks visible artifacts at lower quality settings.
• WebP (lossy + lossless): Modern compression often achieves meaningfully smaller files at the same perceived quality. Also supports alpha transparency and animation.

In practical workflows, designers often find that a WebP at a given visual quality is smaller than the equivalent JPG. That translates to faster pages without sacrificing UX.

Want to try on your own assets? Start here: Convert JPG to WebP.

Performance & SEO: Core Web Vitals Advantages

Image size directly impacts Core Web Vitals — specifically Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and First Contentful Paint (FCP). Smaller files load faster, improving both user experience and Google’s page speed metrics.

• WebP advantage: Smaller file sizes mean your hero images and product photos render faster, improving LCP and potentially your rankings.
• JPG drawback: Larger files slow down rendering, especially on mobile or slow connections.

Even small speed gains can lead to measurable SEO improvements and higher conversion rates. See our guide on reducing image file size without losing quality for detailed steps.

Compatibility & Fallbacks in 2025

By 2025, WebP is supported by all major browsers — Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera. However, JPG remains unmatched for legacy compatibility:

• WebP: Works on 97%+ of devices worldwide.
• JPG: 100% universal support — works on everything from old feature phones to modern browsers.

If your audience includes users on outdated devices or browsers, you can serve WebP with a JPG fallback using the <picture> element:

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

When to Use WebP vs JPG (Decision Guide)

Use this quick framework to decide which format to choose for your website images:

• Use WebP for:
  • Most website photos and graphics
  • Images requiring transparency (WebP supports alpha)
  • Optimizing Core Web Vitals and SEO
• Use JPG for:
  • Absolute maximum compatibility (legacy systems)
  • Workflows or CMS setups that don’t fully support WebP
  • Cases where minor quality loss is acceptable for smaller files

Pro tip: If unsure, serve both formats with fallback — you get WebP’s performance benefits without losing JPG’s compatibility.

How to Convert Images the Right Way (Step-by-Step)

Switching from JPG to WebP can dramatically improve your site speed — but only if done correctly. Here’s how to make the conversion without losing quality:

1. Identify high-impact images – Start with large hero banners, product photos, and blog post images that affect LCP the most.
2. Choose the right tool – Use a reliable online converter like PixConverter’s JPG to WebP converter for fast, lossless or high-quality lossy conversions.
3. Adjust quality settings – For lossy WebP, a quality setting of 75–85 usually offers an excellent size-to-quality ratio.
4. Implement fallbacks – Use the <picture> tag or server-side logic to deliver JPG to unsupported browsers.
5. Test before launch – Verify that images load correctly on all devices and that Core Web Vitals metrics improve.

See also: WebP: Why Google Loves It and How to Use It.

Best Practices for Web Images in 2025

• Always compress images before uploading to your CMS.
• Serve scaled images — avoid serving a 3000px-wide image in a 600px space.
• Use WebP wherever possible to reduce size without sacrificing quality.
• Keep JPG as a fallback for older systems.
• Leverage a CDN for faster global delivery and optional image optimization.

By combining WebP for performance and JPG for compatibility, you ensure your site looks great and loads fast for all visitors.

FAQ – WebP vs JPG

Is WebP always better than JPG?

For most web use cases, yes. WebP offers smaller file sizes at similar quality and supports transparency. However, JPG remains useful for legacy compatibility or when your workflow doesn’t support WebP.

Will converting JPG to WebP lose quality?

Lossy WebP may have slight quality differences compared to the original JPG, but at equivalent visual quality settings, the file size will usually be much smaller. Lossless WebP preserves exact quality but with less dramatic size savings.

Does Google prefer WebP images?

Google doesn’t directly rank you higher for using WebP, but faster load times and better Core Web Vitals scores can indirectly improve SEO performance.

Conclusion

In 2025, WebP stands out as the most efficient format for websites, combining excellent quality, small file sizes, and advanced features like transparency and animation. JPG still has its role in maximum compatibility and simple workflows, but for most site owners, transitioning to WebP is a performance win.

Next step: Try it yourself. Convert your JPG images to WebP with our free tool: JPG to WebP Converter or explore more at PixConverter.io.

And if you want to learn more about optimizing your images for speed without sacrificing quality, check out our guide: How to Reduce Image File Size Without Losing Quality.