Ready to try it? Convert with the JPG to WebP converter, and compare the two files side by side.
The short answer
For images on websites, WebP is usually the better choice, because it gives smaller files at similar quality. JPG remains the safest choice for files that you send to other people or programs, because it opens everywhere.
Comparison
| Feature | JPG | WebP |
|---|---|---|
| File size at similar quality | Larger | Typically about a quarter to a third smaller |
| Compression | Lossy only | Lossy and lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Animation | No | Yes |
| Maximum dimensions | 65,535 px per side | 16,383 px per side |
| Browser support | Universal | All current major browsers |
| Support in old software and print shops | Excellent | Patchy |
Image quality
At the same file size, WebP usually keeps smooth areas and edges cleaner, while JPG shows blocky artifacts sooner as you lower the quality. At high quality the two look alike. The quality numbers are on different scales, so always compare the images and not the settings.
Page speed
Images are often the biggest part of a page. Using smaller files helps the Largest Contentful Paint score and reduces data use on phones. The biggest gains come from the largest images, such as hero banners and product photos, so start with those.
When to keep JPG
- Files you email, print or hand to a client or a print shop.
- Uploads to platforms and tools that convert or reject WebP.
- Photographs you will keep editing in older software.
- Images already compressed hard, where WebP saves little.
Serve WebP with a JPG fallback
This HTML lets every browser pick a format it can show:
<picture> <source srcset="photo.webp" type="image/webp"> <img src="photo.jpg" alt="Describe the photo" width="1200" height="800"> </picture>
Keep the width and height attributes so the page does not jump while the image loads.
When to convert WebP back to JPG
Keep WebP on your own website, but convert it to JPG when a form, shop, email system, editor or print service will not take .webp files. A converted JPG is usually 25 to 50 percent bigger than the WebP, so set a quality of 85 to 90, or a target size, to keep it small. Transparent areas are filled with a color, because JPG cannot be see-through, and an animated WebP becomes one still frame. Use WebP to JPG for single files, bulk WebP to JPG for folders, or convert WebP to JPG to a target size. The WebP vs JPG guide explains how to open and convert WebP files.
How to move from JPG to WebP
- Keep your original JPG files.
- Convert them with the JPG to WebP converter, or the bulk converter for a folder.
- If a form limits file size, use target size conversion.
- Reduce dimensions that you do not need with the image resizer.
- Need a JPG again later? Convert WebP to JPG.
If you only want a smaller JPG, with no change of format, the image compressor is the right tool, and JPEG to WebP covers the .jpeg extension. For other formats, see the PNG vs JPG guide and the HEIC vs JPG guide.