As a WordPress website owner, are you confused about WebP vs JPG? To clear your confusion, you need to know the details about the two image formats and make a comparison between WebP vs JPG.
Your website’s performance, look, and content enhancement depend on attractive and optimized images. So you need to be careful in choosing the right image format for our website.
In this blog, we’ll explore JPG vs WebP image formats along with their differences, how you can convert the JPG format images to WebP image format, which plugin should you use to convert, and so on.
Let’s get started to know details about WebP vs JPG.
What is WebP
WebP is an image format created by Google that provides better compression than PNG and JPEG. It supports both lossless and lossy compression, making images smaller without significantly reducing quality. This helps websites load faster.
Read More: WebP vs PNG: Which Should You Use?
WebP can handle motion-based images, unlike PNG and JPEG, making it a good alternative to GIFs. WordPress started supporting WebP in version 5.8, and most modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge also support it.
WebP images can be transparent, similar to PNG. Its adoption has grown because it improves website performance and user experience.
Pros of WebP Image Format:
- WebP images are smaller compared to PNG and JPEG, which helps in reducing website load times.
- Popular web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge support it.
- WebP images can have the same level of transparency as PNG images.
- Supports both lossy and lossless compression, providing flexibility depending on the image quality and size requirements.
- Allows for motion-based images, making it a good alternative to GIFs.
Cons of WebP Image Format:
- Requires third-party tools and plugins to convert images into WebP format.
- Limited support from some photo editing software makes editing less convenient.
What is JPG?
JPG, also known as JPEG, stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. Created in 1986, it is widely used for photographs and images with complex color gradients. Its popularity stems from lossy compression, which reduces file sizes by discarding some image data. This results in smaller files that are easier to store and faster to load. JPG is ideal for digital cameras, smartphones, and web use.
JPG produces pictures with millions of colors, and users can adjust the compression level to balance image quality and file size. This flexibility makes it a popular format for many applications, especially concerning storage space and bandwidth. JPG is supported by all web browsers and most image gallery plugins on platforms like WordPress. JPG ensures broad compatibility and ease of use.
The .jpg file extension was shortened from .jpeg due to older Windows systems, which had a three-letter limit for file extensions. Despite this, JPG and JPEG are used interchangeably. Its small file size and compatibility make it a popular choice for digital photography and web graphics. It is a versatile and widely accepted image format.
Pros of JPG Image Format:
- JPG images use lossy compression to create smaller file sizes, which saves storage space and reduces load times for websites.
- Supported by all web browsers, digital cameras, and smartphones.
- Capable of displaying millions of colors, making it ideal for photographs and images with complex gradients.
- Users can balance image quality and file size by adjusting the compression level, providing flexibility based on specific needs.
Cons of JPG Image Format:
- Due to lossy compression, some image data is discarded, which can result in visible compression artifacts and a loss of image quality.
- Unlike PNG, JPG does not support transparency, limiting its use for certain types of graphics.
- For images with large areas of solid color or simple shapes, JPG is less efficient compared to formats like PNG, which uses lossless compression.
- Each time a JPG image is edited and saved, it undergoes additional compression, which can progressively degrade the image quality.
WebP vs JPG: The Ultimate Comparison
Image Quality
JPG, a widely used image format, has been around for decades and is known for producing high-quality images with relatively small file sizes. However, heavy compression can lead to noticeable compression artifacts.
WebP, a newer format developed by Google, offers advantages in image quality by supporting both lossless and lossy compression. This flexibility allows for better handling of detailed images and fine lines.
WebP also supports transparency and animation, features that JPG lacks, making it a versatile choice for web designers.
Image File Size
WebP outperforms JPG in terms of file size. WebP images can be 25% to 34% smaller than their JPG counterparts while maintaining similar visual quality.
This significant reduction in file size means that WebP images take up less storage space and require less bandwidth to load, leading to faster website performance and improved user experience.
However, JPG still holds value for photographs or images with gradients where transparency is not needed, as it can maintain reasonable quality with reduced file size.
Speed and Compatibility
WebP images are designed to load faster due to advanced compression techniques, including predictive encoding, which reduces the data needed to represent an image. This results in smaller file sizes and quicker loading times.
Conversely, while optimized for web use, JPG images cannot match the speed of WebP due to less efficient compression algorithms. Despite the advantages of WebP, JPG remains important in scenarios where compatibility with older browsers and devices is crucial.
The simpler and less resource-intensive compression process of JPG can be more practical in situations with limited computing resources.
WebP is great for the web because it compresses images better and makes them smaller. However, JPG is still useful because it works well with older browsers, is simpler to use, and sometimes has better quality for certain images.
Which Image Format is Preferable for Website Owners?
Knowing about WebP vs JPG and choosing the right image format is crucial for website owners to ensure their site performs well and looks great. Both WebP and JPEG (JPG) have their strengths, but WebP often stands out as the better option for several reasons.
Why WebP is Preferable:
- Faster Loading: WebP images are smaller in size, which makes them load faster on websites.
- Superior Quality: Despite being compressed, WebP images remain sharp and visually appealing.
- Transparency and Animation: WebP supports transparency and animated images, offering versatility for various design needs.
- Wide Browser Support: Most modern browsers now support WebP, ensuring a seamless experience for visitors.
- Optimized Performance: The combination of smaller file sizes and high-quality images leads to better overall website performance.
While JPEG is still useful for its compatibility and quality, WebP’s ability to optimize website performance with faster load times and superior image quality makes it the preferred choice for website owners.
Comparison Table: WebP vs JPG
| Feature | WebP | JPG (JPEG) |
| Compression Type | Lossy and Lossless | Lossy |
| File Size | Smaller (25%-34% smaller than JPG) | Larger compared to WebP |
| Image Quality | High, maintains quality with smaller size | High, but can show artifacts with heavy compression |
| Transparency | Supported | Not supported |
| Animation | Supported | Not supported |
| Browser Support | Most modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) | Universally supported |
| Editing Software Support | Limited, requires third-party tools | Widely supported |
| Ideal Use Case | Websites needing faster load times and animations | Photographs and images with gradients |
| Compatibility | Good with modern browsers, less with older ones | Excellent across all browsers and devices |
| Quality Control | Flexible with both lossy and lossless options | Adjustable compression level |
| Use of Transparency | Supports PNG-like transparency | Does not support transparency |
| Efficiency for Simple Graphics | Efficient with both small and complex images | Less efficient for simple graphics |
| Speed of Loading | Faster due to smaller file sizes | Slower compared to WebP due to larger file sizes |
| File Extension | .webp | .jpg or .jpeg |
Ways to Convert JPG Images into WebP
For converting website images from JPG to WebP, two common methods are using an online converter and utilizing a plugin. Here are the details:
1. Online Converter
Using an online converter is an easy method for converting individual JPG images to WebP format. Here are some steps and popular online converters:
Go to the website of an online image converter.
Upload your JPG image.
Choose WebP as the output format.
Convert and download the WebP image.
2. Using a Plugin
You can convert your website images using an effective plugin. Especially for WordPress websites, automates the process of converting images to WebP format. If you know about WebP vs JPG and want to convert image for your convenience, here are some popular WordPress plugins that can handle this conversion:
Plugins:
- Next3 Offload: Next3 Offload is one of the best plugins for image conversion and optimization. Next3 Offload offers comprehensive image compression to compress all inserted images.
- ShortPixel Image Optimizer: ShortPixel is another widely used image optimization plugin that supports WebP conversion.
- WebP Express: WebP Express is a dedicated plugin for converting images to WebP format and serving them to browsers that support WebP.
- Smush: Smush is a popular image optimization plugin for WordPress that also supports converting images to WebP.
These plugins not only convert existing images but also handle new uploads automatically, ensuring your website always serves optimized WebP images to users.
Which Tool is the Best for Converting Website Image Format?
You can find so many image-converting online tools and plugins in the market. As a website owner or user, you need to find the perfect plugin for your website that makes your website perform better.
Let’s explore top 3 plugins for image converting.
1. Next3 Offload
Next3 Offload is an exceptional image optimizer WordPress plugin. It allows you to offload all your existing WordPress media files to the cloud, optimizing images and rewriting media URLs.
With Next3 Offload, you can optimize images, convert them to WebP format, and effortlessly offload files to the cloud.
Next3 Offload is popular for its comprehensive features for optimizing and managing your media files. Its integration with CDNs and cloud services ensures that your website runs efficiently and loads quickly.
Key Features of Next3 Offload:
- Next3 Offload automatically converts your JPG images to the efficient WebP format. It works to ensure that your media files are always optimized without any manual intervention.
- The plugin works seamlessly with CDNs like Amazon CloudFront and Cloudflare, delivering optimized WebP images quickly to users. It significantly improves website load times.
- It offloads your media files to cloud services such as Amazon S3, DigitalOcean Spaces, Bunny CDN, and Wasabi Cloud. It supports freeing up local server space and ensuring reliable storage.
- With its user-friendly setup and automation features, Next3 Offload makes it easy for users to optimize and convert images without requiring technical expertise.
- The plugin provides backup options for your offloaded and optimized media files. This ensures that your data is secure and retrievable if needed.
- By converting images to WebP, Next3 Offload helps future-proof your website, as WebP is widely supported by modern browsers and offers superior compression.
2. ShortPixel
ShortPixel is a top-tier plugin for converting JPG to WebP due to its simplicity and efficiency. ShortPixel simplifies image management for websites of all sizes. Whether you manage one site or hundreds, it ensures your images are automatically resized and optimized.
ShortPixel supports modern image formats like WebP and AVIF, which provide better quality at smaller sizes compared to traditional JPEGs. Using these formats can improve your site’s speed and SEO rankings. ShortPixel makes it easy to convert all your images to these next-gen formats with just a few clicks.
ShortPixel offers an effortless way to enhance your website’s performance by compressing and optimizing images. With this tool, you can speed up your site without the hassle of manually adjusting image sizes or handling complex optimizations.
Key Features
- ShortPixel automatically resizes, rescales, and optimizes new images in the background. It ensures your site always has the best image quality.
- Compresses JPG (including variations like JPEG, JPEG 2000, JPEG XR), PNG, GIF (still or animated), and PDF documents.
- The plugin converts any JPG, PNG, or GIF (even animated ones) to WebP and AVIF formats.
- It is compatible with WP Retina 2x, ensuring all retina images are automatically compressed. It Optimizes thumbnails and featured images, ensuring all site visuals are optimized.
- ShortPixel can compress common image types like JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, and AVIF, as well as PDF files, providing extensive optimization options.
- The plugin offers both lossy and lossless compression techniques, allowing you to choose the best method for your needs.
- ShortPixel provides a high-quality lossy optimization technique called glossy JPEG compression, ensuring excellent image quality.
3. Imagify
Imagify is a WordPress plugin to optimize your website’s images by converting them to modern formats like WebP. This advanced tool enables you to resize and compress images effortlessly. It always tries to maintain high quality. By converting traditional JPG images to WebP, Imagify significantly reduces file sizes, leading to faster website loading times and enhanced SEO performance.
With Imagify, converting images to WebP is a simple process. The plugin automatically handles the conversion, ensuring that your images are optimized for the best performance. This not only improves your site’s speed but also provides a better user experience. Imagify’s seamless integration and automation make it an essential tool for any WordPress site.
Key Features
- Imagify allows for one-click image optimization for compressing images.
- The plugin supports asynchronous bulk optimization, enabling the simultaneous processing of multiple images.
- Imagify supports modern image formats, including WebP and AVIF, for superior compression and quality.
- Imagify provides easy one-click conversion of JPG images to WebP format.
- The plugin automatically optimizes and converts images upon upload.
- Imagify ensures high-quality compression, maintaining image clarity.
- Users can easily restore images to their original versions if needed.
Why is Next3 Offload a Great Plugin to Convert JPG to WebP?
Next3 Offload is one of the best plugins for image conversion and optimization. Next3 Offload offers comprehensive image compression that allows you to compress all inserted images simultaneously. It eliminates the need for individual compression before adding images to your site.
You can choose to compress and offload either future images or existing ones stored on your local server. Next3 Offload includes features like Image Compression, WebP Image Conversion, and Database Optimization.
Let’s explore the plugin features that make the plugin exclusive.
Image Compression: You can initiate media compression with a single setting, avoiding the need to compress images individually before uploading them to your website.
WebP Conversion: Next3 Offload allows you to convert your website images to WebP, reducing their size while maintaining quality.
Database Optimization: Next3 Offload enables weekly database cleanups. It helps maintain a fast and efficient database by deleting post and page drafts, items in the trash, spam comments, and expired transients.
Compression Quality: the plugin maintains image clarity and sharpness while reducing file size. Neither over-compresses images, ensuring a good user experience.
Compression Methods: It offers lossy and lossless compression methods for various optimization needs.
Single Optimization: The plugin provides the ability to optimize individual images as needed.
Image Format Support: It supports multiple image formats, including JPEG, PNG, and GIF.
User-Friendly Interface: The plugin has simple and intuitive interfaces for easy navigation and management.
Regular Updates and Support: It offers regular updates and reliable support to address issues and ensure compatibility.
Backup Options: It provides backup options to safeguard your original images.
Considering all the requirements for an offload media plugin, Next3 Offload comes out on top with its comprehensive features and user-friendly approach.
How to Convert JPG to WebP Image Format Using Next3 Offload?
Converting JPG to WebP image format is an easy process, if you are using the Next3 Offload media plugin. For this, you need to install and activate the plugin first.
After completing the installation process, you will get the Next3 Offload tab. Go for the tab.
Then click on the Optimization tab.
You can see here the WebP Images features for image format conversion.
Enable the option for WebP image conversion to convert all of your website images in WebP format. After enabling the option don’t forget to click on Save Settings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The difference between JPG and JPEG is only in the file extension length, with JPG used due to historical three-letter limits in older Windows systems.
WebP was invented by Google in 2010. Its initial release was on 30 September 2010
JPG and JPEG both are the same. There is no difference between them.
JPG image format is great for those who have limited storage or manage websites with lots of imagery. JPG is good for websites due to its small file size, and compatibility.
Yes, converting your JPG to WebP can improve website performance by reducing file sizes and maintaining image quality.
Yes, WebP is a modern image format. You can use WebP images on your website, as they offer smaller file sizes, and are supported by most modern browsers.
Final Words
Hope this blog will help you a lot to understand the comparison of WebP vs. JPG image format. You need to know every detail about the image formats and decide which will suit your requirements.
Nowadays if we talk about WebP vs JPG, WebP image format is the preferable one for website owners. So, you need to pick wisely and know the image-converting process properly.
