Best Image Format for the Web in 2026
A practical guide to choosing the right format for every use case
The Quick Answer
For most web images in 2026: use AVIF as your primary format with WebP and JPEG fallbacks. Use SVG for logos and icons. Use PNG only when you need lossless raster output.
Format Comparison
| Format | Best For | Compression | Transparency |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVIF | Photos, hero images | Best (lossy + lossless) | Yes |
| WebP | General web images | Very good | Yes |
| JPEG | Photos (universal) | Good (lossy) | No |
| PNG | Screenshots, graphics | Fair (lossless) | Yes |
| SVG | Logos, icons, charts | Vector (scales) | Yes |
| GIF | Simple animations | Poor | Binary only |
Photographs and Complex Images
For product photos, hero banners, editorial images, and any photographic content, AVIF delivers the smallest files at the highest quality. Use the <picture> element with WebP and JPEG fallbacks for universal coverage.
Logos, Icons, and Illustrations
SVG is the clear winner for vector graphics — it scales perfectly to any resolution, works on all devices, and is often smaller than raster alternatives. For raster icons, use PNG or WebP with transparency.
Screenshots and UI Graphics
PNG remains the best choice for screenshots and UI graphics where pixel-perfect accuracy matters. For sharing on the web, compress them or convert to WebP to reduce file sizes without noticeable quality loss.
Animations
Avoid GIF for new content — it's limited to 256 colors and produces large files. Use AVIF or WebP for animated images, or consider video formats (MP4, WebM) for longer animations.
Convert between any of these formats for free. Try our JPG to AVIF, PNG to JPG, SVG to PNG, or any of our 17 conversion tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
AVIF offers the best compression for photos and complex images. Use AVIF with WebP and JPEG fallbacks via the <picture> element for maximum performance across all browsers.
Use JPEG for photographs and complex images. Use PNG only when you need lossless quality or transparency and cannot use AVIF or WebP. For most web use, AVIF or WebP is better than either.
SVG is ideal for logos, icons, and illustrations — any graphic that needs to scale without quality loss. However, SVG is not suitable for photographs. Use it for vector graphics only.
Most social media platforms accept JPEG and PNG. Use JPEG for photos (smaller files) and PNG for graphics with text or transparency. AVIF and WebP support varies by platform.