What is WebP?
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google in 2010. It combines the strengths of JPG and PNG: lossy and lossless compression, full transparency support, and animation — all in a single format.
The goal was simple: smaller files than JPG and PNG at equal or better visual quality. WebP achieves it — in many tests WebP files are 25–35% smaller than comparable JPGs and up to 50% smaller than PNGs.
How does WebP work?
WebP is built on the VP8 video codec and uses a modern compression technique called predictive coding. Instead of encoding each pixel individually, the algorithm predicts a pixel from its neighbors and stores only the deviation from that prediction.
For lossless compression WebP uses its own algorithm, particularly well-suited to images with flat areas and sharp edges — exactly the territory PNG has traditionally been strong in.
WebP vs JPG vs PNG — the comparison
| Property | WebP | JPG | PNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lossy | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Lossless | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Transparency | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Animation | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| File size | ⭐⭐⭐ Small | ⭐⭐ Medium | ⭐ Large |
| Browser support | All modern | Universal | Universal |
| Introduced | 2010 | 1992 | 1996 |
Browser support
WebP is supported by every modern browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari (since 14, 2020), Edge and Opera. Global browser coverage is above 96%.
The only exceptions are very old browsers like Internet Explorer (retired in 2022) and ancient Safari versions on iOS 13 and earlier. For new web projects, WebP is a safe default.
📊 Real-world impact: A typical product page with 10 product images can save 500 KB to 2 MB of bandwidth by switching to WebP — noticeably faster page loads.
When to use WebP
WebP is ideal for:
- Any image on a modern website — the default case in 2024
- E-commerce product photos — smaller files = faster loads = fewer bounces
- Images with transparency — instead of PNG, at smaller size
- Animated graphics — as a GIF replacement (dramatically smaller files)
- Blog and news photos — better Core Web Vitals
When JPG or PNG still wins
Some situations still favor JPG or PNG:
- Email newsletters — many email clients don't support WebP
- User downloads — if users will download the image and process it further, JPG/PNG are more universally compatible
- Very old target devices — when you know your audience runs ancient iOS versions
- Professional image editing — lossless PNG or TIFF are better for archiving and further work
WebP in Next.js / React
Next.js automatically converts images to WebP (and AVIF) when you use the built-in next/image component. You don't need to do anything — provide the original as JPG or PNG, and Next.js handles conversion at request time and caches the result.
Compressing WebP
WebP files can be compressed further. The browser canvas allows lossy WebP encoding directly in the browser — no upload, no server. JNRT Pixel uses exactly that technique.
Conclusion
In 2024 WebP is the first choice for web images. Smaller files, better Core Web Vitals, broad browser support — there is little reason to insist on JPG or PNG for new web content. Use JNRT Pixel to convert your existing images to WebP.