WEBP vs AVIF vs PNG vs JPG: What’s the Best Format for Speed and SEO?

Choosing the right image format for your website is more important than ever. It affects how fast your site loads, how it looks across devices, and how it ranks on Google. With newer formats like WEBP and AVIF gaining attention, many people are asking: which image format is best for the web?

This guide is written to keep it simple. Whether you are a designer, developer, or startup founder, this breakdown will help you pick the right format every time.

What Makes an Image Format "Best" for the Web?

The best image format depends on three things: speed, quality, and compatibility. You want images that load fast, look sharp, and work across all major browsers. It also helps if they are easy to manage inside platforms like Webflow.

In short: smaller file sizes mean faster websites. Faster websites mean better SEO and happier users.

JPG: The Old Reliable

JPG (or JPEG) has been the go-to format for web images for years. It works well for photos and images with lots of color.

Use it for: photography, hero images, background visuals
Pros: small file sizes, high compatibility, works everywhere
Cons: lower image quality after compression, no transparency

PNG: Sharp with Transparency

PNG is great for crisp images and graphics. Unlike JPG, it supports transparency, which is useful for UI elements and logos.

Use it for: logos, icons, transparent graphics
Pros: high quality, supports transparency
Cons: larger file sizes, slower load times if not optimized

WEBP: The Balanced Performer

WEBP was made by Google to be a better option than both JPG and PNG. It creates smaller file sizes while keeping quality high.

Use it for: almost everything, especially on modern websites
Pros: small size, good quality, supports transparency
Cons: not supported by some older browsers like Internet Explorer
Bonus: Webflow supports WEBP directly

AVIF: The New Contender

AVIF is the newest image format on the web. It can deliver even smaller files than WEBP with great quality. But it's still not supported everywhere.

Use it for: high-performance sites, hero sections, portfolios
Pros: very small file sizes, top image quality, HDR support
Cons: limited browser support

When to Use Each Format

• Use JPG for big, detailed photos when quality loss is acceptable.
• Use PNG for small graphics or logos that need transparency.
• Use WEBP for most use cases, it’s a great all-rounder.
• Use AVIF if your site needs to be as fast as possible and supports modern browsers.

How Image Format Affects Speed and SEO

Image size affects page speed. And page speed affects SEO. Google wants sites that load fast, especially on mobile. Using the right format can reduce image size by 50–70%, which can improve your rankings and user experience.

Smaller images mean:

• Faster load times
• Better Core Web Vitals scores
• Lower bounce rates

Image Support in Webflow

Webflow lets you upload JPG, PNG, AVIF and even WEBP. It also uses its own CDN to serve images faster. You can control image size and compression in the Designer and CMS.

Real-Life Example

One of our client sites had a homepage hero image that was 1.4MB as a PNG. We switched it to WEBP, and it dropped to 360KB. Same visual, way faster page load. That’s the power of choosing the right format.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Using PNG for big photos
• Uploading images way bigger than needed
• Forgetting to compress

What’s the Future?

AVIF may become the standard for high-quality compression. But WEBP is safe and supported right now. Keep an eye on browser support.

Final Thoughts: What Should You Use?

If you want the short answer:

• Use WEBP by default
• Use PNG for logos and icons
• Use JPG if you need wide compatibility
• Use AVIF for extra speed if your stack supports it

Call to Action

Need help optimizing your Webflow site for speed, visuals, and SEO? I help designers and devs build smarter. Let’s make your site lighter and faster. Contact me

FAQs

What image format should I use for my Webflow site?

Use WEBP for most cases also AVIF if it is for modern browsers. PNG for logos. JPG for wide compatibility.

Can I use AVIF images in Webflow?

Yes you can use it directly in webflow.

Will converting images to WEBP or small size will improve SEO?

Yes. Smaller images mean faster load times, which help your SEO and user experience.

How do I check which image formats my site uses?

Use browser dev tools or run your site through PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.