Compression: where they really differ
PNG uses lossless compression based on DEFLATE — the same algorithm behind ZIP. It's good at compressing flat areas of colour, but it's bound by the limits of its 30-year-old approach. Every PNG you make is a perfect copy of the source.
WebP is more flexible. Its lossless mode uses a more modern predictor + entropy-coding pipeline that beats PNG by ~26% on the same images. Its lossy mode borrows the intra-frame coder from VP8 (a video codec) — that's how it routinely halves JPEG files at the same quality.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PNG | WebP |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless only | Lossless & lossy |
| Transparency | Yes (8-bit alpha) | Yes (8-bit alpha) |
| Animation | Only via APNG (limited support) | Yes, native |
| Browser support (2025) | Universal | ~97% of users globally |
| HDR / wide gamut | Limited (no HDR; sRGB common) | No HDR (use AVIF for HDR) |
| Best for | Source/master files | Web delivery |
When to use WebP over PNG
For almost every image you put on a public web page, WebP is the better delivery format. Use it when:
- Page speed is a priority. Smaller files → faster LCP → better Core Web Vitals.
- You need transparency. WebP's lossless mode is smaller than PNG and keeps full alpha.
- You're shipping graphics, logos, or UI imagery. Lossless WebP is purpose-built for these.
When PNG still earns its place
- Source / archival files. Keep your masters as PNG, TIFF, or PSD; export to WebP for delivery.
- Pixel-art at small sizes where you want to guarantee no algorithm ever interprets a pixel.
- Workflows that pass through tools that don't speak WebP yet. Plenty of CMS and editor pipelines still expect PNG/JPEG.
The conversion workflow
Convert in batches with our browser-side tool, or pipe a directory through cwebp if you live in the terminal — see the batch conversion guide for both routes.
Bottom line
PNG hasn't gone anywhere — it's still a great master format. But for images that ship to actual users over a network, WebP is the better default in 2025. The migration takes minutes; the bandwidth and Core Web Vitals wins last.