WebP vs. AVIF vs. JPG: Which Next-Gen Format Wins?
JPG has ruled the web for thirty years, but two newer formats now beat it on file size. Here's how WebP and AVIF really compare, and which one to use today.
The short version
JPG is universal and good enough. WebP is smaller, supports transparency, and works in every current browser — the safe upgrade. AVIF is smaller still and visually superb at low file sizes, but it's slower to encode and not quite as universally supported. For most people in 2025, WebP is the sweet spot, with AVIF as the cutting-edge option for the smallest possible files.
| JPG | WebP | AVIF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relative file size | Baseline | ~25–35% smaller | ~50% smaller |
| Transparency | No | Yes | Yes |
| Browser support | Universal | Excellent | Good |
| Encode speed | Fast | Fast | Slower |
| Best use today | Maximum compatibility | Everyday web | Smallest files |
WebP: the practical winner
WebP hits the best balance of size, features, and support. It shrinks photos noticeably versus JPG, handles transparency like a PNG, encodes quickly, and is supported by every browser people actually use. If you upgrade one thing about your images this year, make it WebP. The tool above can export a WebP copy alongside your main file automatically.
AVIF: smallest files, a few trade-offs
AVIF, based on the AV1 video codec, produces astonishingly small files that still look clean — often half the size of JPG. The downsides are slower encoding and slightly less universal support than WebP. It shines for large hero images where every kilobyte counts and you can afford the extra encode time.
So which should you pick?
- Need it to open anywhere, including old software? Stick with JPG.
- Optimising a normal website? Use WebP.
- Chasing the absolute smallest files and your audience is on modern browsers? Use AVIF, with a WebP or JPG fallback.