JPG vs PNG vs WebP: Which Image Format Should You Use for E-Commerce Product Photos?

If you sell online, you have probably seen the file format dropdown in your editing software and wondered whether it actually matters. Should you save your product photos as JPG, PNG or WebP? The answer is not the same for every situation, and getting it wrong can cost you in slower page loads, blurry zooms, or even a marketplace rejecting your listing. This guide cuts through the noise and tells you exactly which format to use for which job in 2026.

The three formats explained in plain English

Before comparing them, here is what each format actually does under the hood. Understanding this makes every other decision easier.

JPG (also called JPEG)

JPG is a lossy format, which means it throws away small bits of image data to make the file smaller. It has been the default for photographs since the 1990s. JPG is great for photos with lots of colour gradients, like a real-world product shot. The trade-off is that you cannot save a JPG with a transparent background, and saving and re-saving the same JPG repeatedly slowly degrades quality.

PNG

PNG is a lossless format, meaning the file keeps every pixel exactly as it was. It also supports transparency, so you can have a product cut out on a see-through background. The downside is file size: a PNG product photo can easily be three to five times larger than the same image saved as a JPG.

WebP

WebP is a newer format from Google that combines the best parts of JPG and PNG. It can do lossy or lossless compression, supports transparency, and is roughly 25 to 34 per cent smaller than JPG at the same visual quality. Browser support is now around 97 per cent, so almost every visitor will see them correctly.

Quick comparison table

What each marketplace actually accepts in 2026

This is where the format choice starts to matter for sellers. Marketplace requirements have not all moved at the same speed, and a format that works perfectly on your own Shopify store may be rejected on Amazon.

Shopify

Shopify accepts JPG, PNG, GIF and WebP. Even better, it automatically serves WebP versions of your images to browsers that support them, so you can upload a JPG and Shopify will quietly do the optimisation work for you. If you want maximum control, upload WebP at quality 80-85 directly. The recommended size is 2048 by 2048 pixels for square product shots.

Amazon

Amazon accepts JPEG, PNG, TIFF and GIF. WebP is not supported, despite its popularity on the rest of the web. Amazon prefers JPEG because it offers the best compression-to-quality balance and loads quickly across regions. Files must be under 10 MB and at least 1,000 pixels on the longest side, with 2,000 pixels recommended.

Shopee

Shopee accepts JPG, JPEG and PNG with a hard cap of 2 MB per image and a minimum size of 500 by 500 pixels. WebP is not on the accepted list. The 2 MB ceiling is strict, so a high-resolution PNG will often need conversion to JPG before it uploads cleanly.

Lazada

Lazada is the most restrictive of the major Southeast Asian marketplaces. It accepts JPG only, with a recommended pixel range of 500 to 2,000 on the longest side. PNG and WebP are not officially supported, so always export as JPG before uploading.

Carousell and Qoo10

Both platforms accept JPG and PNG. WebP is not officially supported on either, so stick with JPG for product shots and PNG only when you need transparency.

So which format should you actually use?

Here is the simple rule: match the format to where the image is going, not to your editing habit. Most sellers default to whatever their phone or camera saves to, then upload that same file everywhere. That is the wrong instinct because every destination has different priorities.

For marketplace listings (Amazon, Shopee, Lazada, Qoo10, Carousell)

Use JPG at quality 85-90. It is universally accepted, keeps file sizes well under platform limits, and looks indistinguishable from a higher-quality save in real-world viewing. Save PNG for the rare cases where you genuinely need transparency, such as a category banner or an infographic with cut-out product elements.

For your own Shopify store or website

Use WebP at quality 80-85. Pages load noticeably faster, your Core Web Vitals scores improve, and Shopify will fall back to JPG automatically for any older browser that cannot read WebP. Faster pages directly correlate with higher conversion rates, especially on mobile.

For graphics, logos and overlays with transparency

Use PNG. This is the one job WebP cannot completely replace yet because some marketplace tools strip alpha channels from WebP uploads. PNG remains the safest bet for any image that needs to sit cleanly on a coloured background.

The mistake that kills product photo quality

One of the most common errors we see is sellers exporting a PNG out of habit, then converting it to JPG by re-saving multiple times in different tools. Every time you save a JPG it loses a tiny bit of quality. By the third or fourth save, edges start looking fuzzy and colour gradients show banding.

The fix is simple: keep one master file in a lossless format (PNG or the original RAW from your camera), then export final JPGs or WebPs from that master each time you need them. Never edit a JPG, save it, then edit the JPG again.

How to convert between formats without losing quality

Most sellers do not need fancy software for format conversion. The key is to start with the highest-quality master image you have, then export to the format you actually need. Tools like PixelPrep handle the resize, compression and format conversion in one step, so you can take a 4 MB PNG straight from your camera and produce a marketplace-ready JPG that fits Shopee's 2 MB limit without you doing the maths.

If you sell on multiple marketplaces, the workflow saves a lot of time: upload your master once, get back perfectly sized JPGs for Amazon, Shopee, Lazada and a WebP version for your Shopify store, all in one batch.

Common myths to ignore

• "PNG is always higher quality than JPG." Technically true that PNG is lossless, but for a photograph saved at JPG quality 90, no human eye can tell the difference. PNG just makes the file larger.
• "WebP works everywhere now." It works on the web, but most marketplaces still reject it. Always check before uploading.
• "Higher resolution always means better quality." If your original photo is blurry or poorly lit, upscaling it to 4,000 pixels does not fix the underlying problem. Quality starts at the camera.
• "You should always use the maximum file size allowed." Larger files load slower, which hurts conversion. Aim for the smallest file that still looks sharp at the display size.

Quick checklist for choosing a format

1. Where is the image going? Marketplace listing, Shopify, social media, or print?
2. Does it need transparency? If yes, PNG (or WebP for your own website only).
3. Is it a photograph? Default to JPG at quality 85-90 for marketplaces, WebP for your own site.
4. Have you checked the file size limit for the destination platform?
5. Are you starting from a master file rather than re-editing an already-compressed image?

Get those five questions right and you will avoid almost every format-related issue that causes blurry product photos, slow page loads, or rejected listings.