Image Formats Compared: HEIC, JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF and GIF
A clear comparison of the six most common image formats: compression, transparency, animation, browser support and when to use each.
The formats at a glance
Each image format makes a different trade between file size, quality and compatibility. The table summarises the main differences.
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Animation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPG (JPEG) | Lossy | No | No | Photographs, sharing |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | No | Screenshots, logos, editing |
| WebP | Lossy or lossless | Yes | Yes | Web images |
| AVIF | Lossy or lossless | Yes | Yes | Smallest web photos |
| HEIC | Lossy (HEVC) | Yes | Sequences | Phone camera storage |
| GIF | Lossless, 256 colours | 1 bit | Yes | Short legacy animations |
JPG: the universal default
JPEG was standardised in 1992 by the Joint Photographic Experts Group and remains the most widely supported photo format. It stores 8 bits per colour channel and can be tuned between small files and high quality. Repeated editing and saving gradually degrades a JPG.
PNG: lossless and transparent
PNG became a W3C Recommendation in 1996 as a patent free replacement for GIF. It never discards pixel data, supports an alpha channel for transparency and is the right choice for logos, screenshots and artwork with sharp edges. Photographs saved as PNG are far larger than as JPG.
WebP and AVIF: efficient web formats
Google announced WebP in 2010. It supports lossy and lossless modes, transparency and animation, and is supported by all current major browsers. AVIF, from the Alliance for Open Media and based on the AV1 video codec, generally compresses better than WebP but takes longer to encode.
HEIC: Apple's camera format
HEIC stores images in the HEIF container using HEVC compression. Apple made it the iPhone default in 2017. Apple states that HEIF files take about half the space of JPEG at similar quality. Support outside Apple's ecosystem is partial, which is why converting HEIC to JPG is such a common task.
GIF: still alive for simple animation
GIF was introduced by CompuServe in 1987 and is limited to 256 colours per frame. Its files are large compared with modern video, but it plays everywhere without a player, which keeps it popular for short reaction clips.
Frequently asked questions
Which image format has the smallest file size?
For photographs, AVIF is usually the smallest, followed by WebP and then JPG, at comparable visual quality.
Which format should I use to share a photo?
JPG, because virtually every device, app and service can open it.
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Last updated 9 October 2026. Written by ARTH, a design and build studio in Coimbatore.