PNG vs JPG vs WEBP vs GIF vs HEIC vs BMP: Which Image Format Should You Use?

Every image format makes a different trade-off between file size, quality, and compatibility. There’s no single “best” one — the right choice depends on what the image is and where it’s going. Here’s how the six formats this tool supports actually differ.

PNG — lossless, for anything with sharp edges or transparency

PNG never throws away image data, no matter how many times you re-save it. That makes it the right choice for screenshots, logos, icons, and any graphic with text or hard edges, where JPG’s compression would introduce visible blur or ringing artifacts around fine detail. PNG also supports a full alpha channel, so it’s the default for anything that needs a transparent background. The trade-off is file size — a PNG photo is typically much larger than the same photo saved as JPG or WEBP.

JPG — small and universal, for photographs

JPG is lossy: it throws away some image data to shrink the file, using compression tuned for how human eyes perceive photographs. For a photo, that trade is usually a good one — JPG files stay small even at high visual quality, and virtually every device, browser, app, and printer made in the last three decades can open one. The cost is that JPG can’t do transparency, and repeatedly re-saving the same JPG (edit, save, edit, save) compounds quality loss each time.

WEBP — the modern web default

WEBP was designed specifically to beat both JPG and PNG at their own games: it typically produces files 25-35% smaller than an equivalent-quality JPG or PNG, while still supporting transparency and even simple animation in one format. Every current browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) supports it fully. The only real downside is compatibility with older software — some image editors and tools from before 2020 don’t open it — which is exactly when converting a WEBP back to PNG or JPG becomes useful.

GIF — animation, at a real cost

GIF’s defining feature is universal animation support, but it’s limited to a 256-color palette, which causes visible banding in anything photographic. For a static image, there’s rarely a reason to keep a file as GIF — converting the frame to PNG or JPG gives you a sharper result at a smaller size. This tool converts the first frame of a GIF to a still image; browsers can’t natively re-encode animated GIFs, so GIF isn’t offered as a conversion target.

HEIC — efficient, but Apple-only in practice

HEIC is the format iPhones and iPads save photos in by default, and it’s genuinely impressive — roughly half the file size of an equivalent-quality JPG. The catch is compatibility: most Windows software, many websites, and plenty of apps outside Apple’s ecosystem still can’t open a HEIC file directly. If you’ve ever had an iPhone photo refuse to open on a PC, that’s why. See our guide on why HEIC photos won’t open on Windows for the fix.

BMP — uncompressed, for specific legacy needs

BMP stores every pixel with zero compression, which means enormous file sizes but also zero generation loss and maximum compatibility with older or specialized software — some legacy Windows tools, scanning equipment, and print workflows still expect it. Outside of those specific cases, there’s rarely a reason to choose BMP for a new file; it’s usually something you convert to on request, not from by choice.

Quick decision guide

• Need transparency or lossless quality? PNG (or WEBP if the software supports it).
• Have a photo for the web or an email? JPG for maximum compatibility, WEBP for the smallest file size on modern sites.
• Got a photo from an iPhone that won’t open somewhere? Convert HEIC to JPG or PNG.
• Need to pull a still frame from an animated GIF? Convert to PNG (keeps transparency) or JPG (smallest file).
• A specific tool demands an uncompressed file? BMP.

Whatever the pair, you can convert between any of these formats for free, entirely in your browser, with the tool on this site.