WebP is an image format developed by Google that provides both lossy and lossless compression for web images. It typically produces files 25-35% smaller than equivalent JPEG or PNG files while maintaining the same visual quality.
As of 2026, WebP is supported by all major browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. This makes it safe to use as the primary image format for web content. For the rare legacy browser, you can provide PNG or JPG fallbacks.
Smaller file sizes mean faster page loads, reduced bandwidth costs, and improved Core Web Vitals scores. WebP supports both lossy and lossless compression, transparency (alpha channel), and even animation — combining the best features of JPG, PNG, and GIF.