Images are usually the heaviest part of a web page. WebP is a modern image format created by Google that makes images much smaller without a visible loss in quality, so your pages load faster. In 2026 WebP is supported by all major browsers, which makes it one of the easiest speed wins for any blogger.
What is WebP?
WebP was introduced by Google in 2010. It supports both lossy compression (like JPG) and lossless compression (like PNG), plus transparency and animation (like GIF). One format can replace JPG, PNG and GIF for most website images.
How much smaller is WebP?
According to Google, lossy WebP images are about 25–34% smaller than comparable JPG images, and lossless WebP images are about 26% smaller than PNGs. On an image-heavy blog post, that can cut hundreds of kilobytes.
Benefits of using WebP
- Faster loading – smaller files mean quicker pages, especially on mobile data.
- Better Core Web Vitals – a faster Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) helps user experience and SEO.
- Less bandwidth and storage – useful on free or limited hosting.
- Transparency and animation in one format.
Does every browser support WebP?
Yes. Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera and Safari (since Safari 14 / iOS 14) all support WebP, so you can use it safely for almost every visitor.
WebP vs JPG vs PNG vs AVIF
| Format | Best for | File size |
|---|---|---|
| JPG | Photos (old standard) | Medium |
| PNG | Logos, screenshots, transparency | Large |
| WebP | Almost all website images | Small |
| AVIF | Photos where the smallest size matters | Smallest, but slower to encode |
For most blogs, WebP is the best balance of size, quality and compatibility.
How to convert images to WebP
- Online: use our free WebP converter – upload JPG or PNG files and download WebP.
- WordPress: plugins like LiteSpeed Cache, Jetpack Boost or other image optimisers can convert uploads to WebP automatically.
- Blogger: convert images to WebP before uploading.
- Photoshop / GIMP: export directly as WebP.
Want the converter on your own site? Download the script:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WebP better than JPG?
For websites, yes. WebP gives similar quality at a noticeably smaller file size.
Does WebP reduce image quality?
Lossy WebP removes some data like JPG does, but at normal quality settings the difference is not visible. Lossless WebP keeps every pixel.
Can I use WebP for my featured images?
Yes. WordPress and Blogger both support WebP images.
