WebP is a next-generation image format developed by Google.
It has higher compression efficiency than JPEG and PNG, allowing for smaller file sizes while maintaining high image quality, which is why it is used on many websites.
WebP supports not only photographs but also transparent images (transparent background) and animations.
One of its biggest advantages is that it can combine the advantages of JPEG, PNG, and GIF in a single image format.
Today, all major browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari support WebP.
Because it is Helps improve website loading speed and SEO, it has been adopted by many companies and web services.
- What kind of image format is WebP?
- Differences from JPEG/PNG
- Mechanism of lossless and lossy compression
- Pros and cons of WebP
- Use cases suitable for WebP
- Browser compatibility
- How to choose image formats
What Is WebP?
WebP is an image file format released by Google in 2010.
It is designed to compress images more efficiently than JPEG or PNG, and its biggest feature is that it can reduce file size while maintaining high quality.
WebP supports not only photographs but also illustrations, logos, transparent backgrounds (transparency), and animations.
Therefore, it is used on many websites as a next-generation image format that combines the advantages of JPEG, PNG, and GIF.
Currently, most major browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari support WebP.
Google also recommends WebP because it helps improve website loading speed and SEO.
Features of WebP
High quality but small file size
The biggest feature of WebP is that it can reduce image file size while maintaining high quality.
Generally, it can reduce the file size by about 25-35% compared to JPEG and about 20-30% compared to PNG.
Therefore, it helps improve web page loading speed.
Supports Both Lossy and Lossless Compression
JPEG only supports lossy compression, and PNG only supports lossless compression, but WebP supports both.
A major advantage is that you can freely choose between prioritizing image quality or file size depending on the purpose.
Supports transparent backgrounds
WebP can supports transparent backgrounds just like PNG.
Since it can be used for logos, icons, button images, etc., it has excellent compatibility with web design.
Supports animations
WebP also supports animation images like GIF.
Moreover, since it often has higher image quality and lower file size than GIF, cases of using it as a substitute for GIF are increasing in recent years.
Usable in major browsers
Nowadays, all major browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari support WebP.
There was a time when it could not be used in Safari, but now it can be displayed in almost all major browsers.
How WebP works
WebP balances high quality and small file size by efficiently compressing data according to the image content.
Adopting a compression algorithm different from JPEG or PNG is the reason why it can achieve a high compression rate.
What Is Lossless Compression?
Lossless compression is a method of compressing without losing image data.
The image quality before and after compression is exactly the same, and the quality does not deteriorate no matter how many times you save it.
PNG also adopts this method.
What Is Lossy Compression?
Lossy compression is a method of reducing file size by deleting image information that is difficult for human eyes to notice.
JPEG also adopts this method.
Since WebP can compress images more efficiently than JPEG, it can sometimes make the file size even smaller at the same quality.
Why are WebP files smaller?
WebP analyzes the characteristics of the image in detail and efficiently compresses unnecessary data.
Also, because it adopts advanced compression technology that predicts images using surrounding pixel information, it can save images with less data than JPEG.
Does image quality deteriorate?
In lossy compression, the image quality decreases somewhat if you increase the compression rate.
However, with normal settings, it is easier to maintain quality than JPEG, and in many cases, there is no noticeable difference in appearance.
If you choose lossless compression, the image quality will not deteriorate at all.
- Next-generation image format developed by Google
- Often can reduce file size more than JPEG/PNG
- Supports both lossy and lossless compression
- Supports transparent images and animations
- Effective for website speed optimization and SEO
WebP vs JPEG
Both WebP and JPEG are image formats often used for saving photos, but they differ in compression methods, file sizes, and supported features.
WebP is an image format developed to improve the weaknesses of JPEG, and is characterized by balancing high quality and small file size.
① File size
Generally, WebP can make the file size smaller than JPEG.
Compared at the same quality, WebP can sometimes reduce file size by about 25-35%.
Therefore, it is also Helps improve website loading speed.
② Image quality
Because WebP uses a more efficient compression algorithm than JPEG, it tends to maintain image quality even at high compression rates.
In normal use, you can hardly distinguish the difference from JPEG.
③ Transparent background
JPEG does not support transparency.
On the other hand, since WebP supports transparent images like PNG, it can also be used for logos and icons.
④ Animation
JPEG does not support animations.
WebP supports animated images like GIF, and can sometimes make the file size smaller than GIF.
⑤ Compatibility with websites
The use of WebP on websites is increasing.
Because it can reduce image file size, effects on improving page loading speed and SEO are expected.
WebP vs PNG
Both WebP and PNG are high-quality image formats, but they differ in compression methods and suitable uses.
① Compression method
PNG only supports lossless compression, whereas WebP supports both lossy and lossless compression.
A big difference is that you can freely choose quality and file size according to the purpose.
② File size
WebP can often be saved with a smaller file size than PNG.
Therefore, cases where WebP is used instead of PNG on websites are increasing.
③ Transparent background
Both PNG and WebP support transparency.
They can be used for logos, icons, cut-out images, etc.
④ Image quality
When using lossless compression, the image quality of both PNG and WebP does not deteriorate.
If you use lossy compression, WebP can further reduce file size.
⑤ Usage on websites
On websites, WebP is being used more frequently because of its faster loading speeds.
On the other hand, PNG is often used for data storage during image editing or production.
WebP vs AVIF
AVIF is a next-generation image format newer than WebP.
It can achieve even higher compression rates, but depending on the purpose, WebP may be easier to handle.
① Compression rate
AVIF has a higher compression rate than WebP.
Compared at the same quality, AVIF can sometimes make the file size even smaller.
② Supported environment
WebP is widely supported by major browsers and image editing software.
AVIF support is also progressing, but it may not be available in some older software.
③ Processing speed
WebP has fast encoding/decoding speeds and is adopted by many web services.
AVIF has high compression, but image conversion can take time.
④ Recommended choice
WebP is recommended if you value compatibility, and AVIF is recommended if you prioritize high compression rate.
Currently, websites that use both properly are also increasing.
Pros and Cons of WebP
Pros
- Can reduce file size more than JPEG/PNG
- Easy to preserve image quality
- Supports transparent images (transparent background)
- Supports animated images
- Helps improve website loading speed
- One of the image formats recommended by Google
Cons
- Some older image editing software may not support it
- JPEG or PNG are often used for printing purposes
- Compression rate is slightly lower than AVIF
Suitable Use Cases for WebP
Because WebP can balance high quality and small file size, it is used in many web services.
It is important to use it properly with JPEG or PNG depending on the purpose.
Photographs
WebP is very suitable for landscape and portrait photos.
It can preserve image quality while reducing file size more than JPEG.
Blogs/News sites
On blogs that post a large number of images, using WebP makes it easier to improve page loading speed.
It is also beneficial for SEO.
e-commerce sites
Converting product images to WebP improves loading speed, leading to improved user experience.
SNS/websites
Because WebP supports major browsers, it can be used with peace of mind on websites and web apps.
Logos/Icons
Because it supports transparent images, it can be used for logos and icons.
However, SVG is more suitable if there is a lot of scaling.
Illustrations/Screenshots
Because file size can be reduced while maintaining image quality, it can be used for illustrations and screenshots.
However, PNG is suitable for data storage during editing.
- Photographs → WebP/JPEG
- Blogs/websites → WebP
- e-commerce sites → WebP
- Logos → SVG
- Icons → SVG/WebP
- Screenshots → PNG/WebP
Comparison Table: WebP, JPEG, PNG, AVIF
WebP, JPEG, PNG, and AVIF each have different suitable uses.
By using them properly according to the purpose, you can optimize image quality, file size, and loading speed.
| Comparison Items | WebP | JPEG | PNG | AVIF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photographs | ◎ | ◎ | △ | ◎ |
| Transparent images | ◎ | × | ◎ | ◎ |
| Animations | ◎ | × | △ (APNG) | ○ |
| Compression rate | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★★ |
| Image quality | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| File size | Small | Slightly small | Large | Very small |
| Browser support | ◎ | ◎ | ◎ | ○ |
| Web use | ◎ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
Which one to choose?
Which image format should be chosen depends on the purpose.
Using the following as a guide makes it difficult to fail.
| Purpose | Recommended | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Website images | WebP | Because it can reduce file size with high quality |
| Blog images | WebP | Because it leads to loading speed improvement/SEO |
| Product images | WebP | Because it can improve loading speed |
| Portraits/Landscape photos | WebP/JPEG | Because they are well suited for photographs |
| Logos/Icons | SVG | Because quality does not deteriorate even when scaled |
| Screenshots | PNG | Because characters can be saved clearly |
| Prioritize smaller file sizes most | AVIF | Because it has the highest compression rate |
History of WebP
WebP is an image format released by Google in 2010.
It was developed with the aim of improving website loading speed, and is designed to compress images more efficiently than JPEG, PNG, and GIF.
Currently, most major browsers including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari support WebP.
Therefore, it has become a standard image format used on many websites, e-commerce sites, and blogs.
Reasons why Google recommends WebP
Google considers page loading speed as one of the evaluation factors for search rankings and recommends using WebP, which can reduce image file size.
Lighter images shorten page loading time, which also leads to improved user experience.
In particular, with Core Web Vitals and PageSpeed Insights, Using WebP instead of JPEG or PNG can improve Core Web Vitals scores in some cases.
It is also a very effective image format as an SEO strategy.
FAQ
What Is WebP?
WebP is a next-generation image format developed by Google.
It has a higher compression rate than JPEG or PNG, and can reduce file size while maintaining high quality.
Does WebP lower image quality?
With normal settings, it is easier to maintain quality than JPEG, and there is almost no difference.
If you use lossless compression, image quality will not deteriorate at all.
Does WebP support transparent images?
Yes.
It supports transparency just like PNG.
Which browsers can WebP be used in?
It can be used in major browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari.
Which is recommended, JPEG or WebP?
WebP is recommended for use on websites.
JPEG is still used when sharing photos widely.
Summary
WebP is a next-generation image format developed by Google that can provide high image quality, small file sizes, transparency, and animations in a single format. images, and animation in one format.
It is now adopted by many websites and is useful for improving SEO and page loading speed.
- Can reduce file size more than JPEG/PNG
- Easy to preserve image quality
- Supports transparent backgrounds and animations
- Ideal for improving website loading speed
- Image format recommended by Google
For photos, blogs, e-commerce sites, company websites, and more, you can balance loading speed and quality by using WebP.
It is important to use JPEG, PNG, SVG, and AVIF properly according to the purpose.
Related Tools
- Convert images to JPG : Convert PNG, WebP, AVIF, BMP, etc., to JPG
- Convert images to PNG : Convert JPG, WebP, AVIF, BMP, etc., to PNG
- Convert images to WebP : High-speed site with next-generation format
- Convert images to AVIF : Achieve high compression/high quality with next-gen image format