Is WebP better than PNG?

For delivery on a website, yes: 30 to 70% smaller with transparency intact, and lossless WebP is still around a quarter smaller than PNG. PNG remains the better master format and the safer one outside browsers, where WebP support is patchy.

Does WebP support transparency like PNG?

Yes. Both lossy and lossless WebP carry a full alpha channel, so a transparent PNG converts to a transparent WebP. The checkerboard some viewers show is the viewer's way of drawing transparency, not part of the file.

Should I convert all my PNGs to WebP?

Convert the copies you serve on a website, and keep the PNG originals. Do not convert files that go to print shops, older software, or people whose tools you do not control, and be careful with screenshots at low quality settings.

Why is my WebP bigger than the PNG?

It happens with very small or very simple images, where WebP's container overhead outweighs the compression gain, and with lossless WebP of images PNG already compresses well. For those, keep the PNG. A converter that never returns a bigger file will tell you.

PNG vs WebP: What's the Difference?

By Rehan Shah, Updated September 17, 2026, Published August 27, 2026

WebP does most of what PNG does at a fraction of the size, which is why performance audits keep telling you to switch. Here's what actually changes, and when PNG is still the right answer.

The one-sentence answer

Serve WebP on websites; keep PNG as your editing master and for software that doesn't accept WebP.

What WebP changes

WebP is a modern format built for the web: same transparency support as PNG, dramatically better compression. Converting graphics, screenshots, and UI images from PNG to WebP typically cuts 30-70% of the file size at no visible cost, and smaller images directly improve page speed and Core Web Vitals.

WebP comes in lossy and lossless flavors. Browser-based converters (including ours) produce the lossy kind, visually transparent at high quality settings, but not a bit-exact copy, which is why the PNG master is worth keeping.

Side by side

	PNG	WebP
Compression	Lossless only	Lossy or lossless (much smaller either way)
Transparency	Yes	Yes
Typical size (graphics)	Baseline	30-70% smaller
Browser support	Universal	All modern browsers (since 2020)
Outside browsers	Opens everywhere	Patchy, older editors, Office, print shops
Best role	Editing master, maximum compatibility	Web delivery

When to stay with PNG

You need a guaranteed lossless archive or editing master.
The file goes to software, portals, or print services that reject WebP.
You're sharing with people whose tools you don't control: PNG never bounces.

Making the switch

PNG to WebP converts in your browser with a quality slider, 90% is visually identical for nearly everything. Going the other way (a WebP that won't open somewhere), WebP to PNG restores the universal format losslessly.

Lossless WebP versus PNG

PNG is always lossless, and WebP can be. Google's own figures for lossless WebP put it around 26% smaller than PNG for the same pixels, with transparency preserved bit for bit. That is the format to reach for when an image must stay exact, such as a logo master or a UI asset, but also needs to be small. Most browser converters, including this site's, produce lossy WebP, which is the bigger saving. If you need lossless WebP, an image editor or a command-line tool such as cwebp with the lossless flag will make one.

Screenshots and text: the one case to watch

Lossy compression of any kind struggles with sharp edges on flat colour: small text, thin lines, single-pixel borders. A screenshot converted to lossy WebP at a low quality can show faint smudging around letters that a photo would hide. Keep the quality at 90 or above for screenshots and diagrams, or leave them as PNG, and save the aggressive settings for photographs and gradients, where WebP's advantage is largest and the artefacts are invisible.

A practical rule per image type

Image	Serve as	Keep as
Photo with transparent cut-out	WebP, quality 80 to 90	PNG master
Logo, icon, UI element	Lossless WebP or PNG	PNG or SVG master
Screenshot with text	PNG, or WebP at 90+	PNG
Chart or diagram	PNG, or WebP at 90+	PNG or SVG
Flat illustration, gradients	WebP, quality 80	PNG master

Common questions

Is WebP better than PNG?: For delivery on a website, yes: 30 to 70% smaller with transparency intact, and lossless WebP is still around a quarter smaller than PNG. PNG remains the better master format and the safer one outside browsers, where WebP support is patchy.
Does WebP support transparency like PNG?: Yes. Both lossy and lossless WebP carry a full alpha channel, so a transparent PNG converts to a transparent WebP. The checkerboard some viewers show is the viewer's way of drawing transparency, not part of the file.
Should I convert all my PNGs to WebP?: Convert the copies you serve on a website, and keep the PNG originals. Do not convert files that go to print shops, older software, or people whose tools you do not control, and be careful with screenshots at low quality settings.
Why is my WebP bigger than the PNG?: It happens with very small or very simple images, where WebP's container overhead outweighs the compression gain, and with lossless WebP of images PNG already compresses well. For those, keep the PNG. A converter that never returns a bigger file will tell you.

Try it yourself

These live under Image tools, alongside the rest of the image formats explained guides on the guides page.