PNG vs WebP: What's the Difference?
Updated 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.