Three formats, three jobs
PNG (1996) is a lossless graphics format with an alpha channel — it never throws pixels away, which makes it perfect for logos, screenshots, and editing, but heavy for photos. WebP (2010, from Google) added efficient lossy and lossless compression, transparency, and animation in a single modern format. AVIF (2019) is built on the AV1 video codec and pushes compression further still, adding HDR and wide-gamut color. Each one is a step toward smaller files, with PNG trading size for guaranteed compatibility.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | PNG | WebP | AVIF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Released | 1996 | 2010 | 2019 |
| Compression | Lossless only | Lossy + lossless | Lossy + lossless |
| Photo file size | Largest | Small | Smallest |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No (APNG only) | Yes | Yes |
| HDR / wide gamut | No | No | Yes |
| Encode speed | Fast | Fast | Slower |
| Support | Universal | Near-universal | Broad, growing |
Who compresses best?
For photographs, AVIF is typically the smallest — it often beats WebP by a meaningful margin at the same visual quality, and both dwarf PNG, which can be many times larger because it stores every pixel losslessly. The trade-off is encoding time: AVIF's AV1 engine is computationally heavier, so it takes longer to produce a file than WebP does. For flat graphics, logos, and screenshots with sharp edges and few colors, lossless PNG or lossless WebP stay competitive, and PNG remains the most predictable choice.
Browser support today
WebP is supported by every current major browser and has been for years, so it is effectively safe to serve as a primary format. AVIF is supported across the major modern browsers too, but arrived more recently, so a small slice of older clients may not decode it. PNG's support is simply universal — it works in every browser, operating system, and image editor ever made. That difference is why production sites usually serve AVIF or WebP with a PNG or JPG fallback.
Which one should you use?
- Web delivery, photos: AVIF for the smallest files, or WebP if you want faster encoding and the broadest safe support. Always pair with a fallback.
- Transparency on the web: WebP or AVIF replace transparent PNG with much smaller files, while PNG stays the fail-safe option.
- Compatibility above all: PNG, every time. If it must open in any tool, editor, or legacy system, choose PNG.
- Archival or editing masters: PNG (or another lossless format), because lossy AVIF and WebP discard data you may want back later.
Converting between them
You can move freely in either direction — convert a PNG to a smaller modern file with PNG to WebP, or dig deeper into the trade-offs in PNG vs WebP and PNG vs AVIF. Every conversion runs entirely in your browser — browse the full set in tools.
Frequently asked questions
- Is AVIF better than WebP?
- For raw compression, AVIF usually wins — it routinely produces smaller files than WebP at the same quality, plus HDR and wide-gamut support. WebP encodes faster and has slightly broader, longer-established support. Both crush PNG on photos.
- Do AVIF and WebP support transparency?
- Yes. Both support an alpha channel for transparency, lossy and lossless modes, and animation. That makes either one a modern replacement for transparent PNGs and animated GIFs on the web.
- Should I still use PNG?
- Yes, for universal compatibility, lossless graphics, screenshots, and any image that must open in every tool and editor. PNG remains the safest format when guaranteed support matters more than file size.
- Which format should I serve on my website?
- Serve AVIF or WebP with a PNG or JPG fallback. Modern frameworks and CDNs negotiate this automatically, giving newer browsers the small file and older clients a format they can always open.