PNG vs JPG: When to Use Each Format (Complete Guide)
Quick Answer: Use JPG for photos (smaller files, 50-90% smaller than PNG). Use PNG for graphics/logos/text (lossless quality, supports transparency). Need to convert? Use our free converter tool—works offline, no uploads.
PNG vs JPG: Complete Comparison
| Feature | PNG | JPG/JPEG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless (no quality loss) | Lossy (some quality loss) |
| File Size | Large (2-10× bigger than JPG) | Small (efficient compression) |
| Transparency | Yes (alpha channel) | No (opaque only) |
| Colors | 16.7 million (24-bit) | 16.7 million (24-bit) |
| Quality After Editing | Perfect (no degradation) | Degrades with each save |
| Best For | Graphics, logos, text, screenshots | Photos, portraits, landscapes |
| Browser Support | 100% (all browsers) | 100% (all browsers) |
| Animation | Yes (APNG, rare) | No |
When to Use JPG (JPEG)
✅ Use JPG For:
1. Photographs
JPG designed specifically for photos. Lossy compression works great for photos because human eye can't detect small color variations. At quality 85-90, JPG photos are visually identical to originals but 50-90% smaller than PNG.
- Portraits: Family photos, headshots, profile pictures
- Landscapes: Travel photos, nature, scenery
- Product photos: E-commerce, catalogs (unless need transparency)
- Event photography: Weddings, parties, corporate events
2. Website Images (Non-Transparent)
File size matters for website speed. JPG loads 3-10× faster than PNG for photos. Better page speed = better SEO rankings + lower bounce rate.
- Hero images: Large banner photos at top of page
- Blog post images: Featured images, inline photos
- Background images: Full-width backgrounds (no transparency needed)
- Gallery images: Photo portfolios, image sliders
3. Social Media Posts
Platforms compress uploads. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter re-compress images. Starting with small JPG = faster upload, less re-compression artifacts.
- Instagram feed posts (photos, not graphics)
- Facebook timeline photos
- Twitter photos
- LinkedIn articles
4. Email Attachments
Smaller files = faster send/receive. Many email services limit attachment sizes (10-25MB). JPG keeps photos under limits without quality issues.
❌ Don't Use JPG For:
- Graphics with text: Compression artifacts around letters make text blurry
- Logos: Needs transparency + sharp edges (JPG adds white background)
- Screenshots: Text becomes blurry, hard to read
- Images needing transparency: JPG doesn't support alpha channel
- Files you'll edit multiple times: Quality degrades with each save
When to Use PNG
✅ Use PNG For:
1. Graphics with Text
Lossless compression preserves sharp edges. Text, lines, and hard edges stay crisp. JPG creates artifacts (blurriness) around text.
- Infographics: Charts, diagrams with text overlays
- Social media graphics: Quote cards, announcement graphics
- Presentations: PowerPoint/Keynote slides with text
- Educational content: Tutorials, how-to diagrams
2. Logos and Branding
Transparency essential for logos. PNG's alpha channel allows logos to sit on any background without white box. Sharp edges keep brand looking professional.
- Company logos: Website headers, email signatures
- App icons: Mobile apps, desktop applications
- Watermarks: Copyright marks on photos
- Badges: Award badges, certification logos
3. Screenshots
Text readability critical. Screenshots contain UI elements, buttons, text—all need sharp reproduction. JPG compression makes screenshots blurry and hard to read.
- Software tutorials
- Bug reports
- Documentation
- Interface mockups
4. Images Requiring Transparency
Only PNG supports transparent backgrounds. Essential for overlay elements that need to blend with various backgrounds.
- Product photos: Items on transparent background for e-commerce
- Cutouts: People/objects extracted from backgrounds
- Overlay graphics: Watermarks, badges, stickers
- UI elements: Icons, buttons with rounded corners
5. Images You'll Edit Multiple Times
PNG doesn't degrade with repeated saves. Working file for Photoshop/GIMP projects. Save as PNG while editing, convert to JPG for final export.
❌ Don't Use PNG For:
- Photographs (unless need transparency): 2-10× larger than JPG with no visible quality difference
- Large website backgrounds: Slow page load, wastes bandwidth
- Email attachments: Huge file sizes hit email attachment limits
- Social media photos: Platforms re-compress to JPG anyway—PNG just takes longer to upload
File Size Comparison: PNG vs JPG
Real-world examples (1920×1080 images):
Example 1: Portrait Photo
- Original PNG: 4.2 MB
- JPG Quality 90: 850 KB (80% smaller, visually identical)
- JPG Quality 85: 620 KB (85% smaller, no visible difference)
- JPG Quality 70: 380 KB (91% smaller, slight artifacts in detailed areas)
Conclusion: For photos, JPG at quality 85-90 is ideal—massive file size savings with no visible quality loss.
Example 2: Logo with Text (Transparency)
- PNG: 45 KB (sharp edges, clean transparency)
- JPG Quality 90: 28 KB (but: no transparency, blurry text, white background)
Conclusion: For logos, PNG is only option (transparency required). File size difference minimal for graphics.
Example 3: Screenshot with UI Elements
- PNG: 320 KB (text perfectly readable)
- JPG Quality 90: 180 KB (text slightly blurry, harder to read)
- JPG Quality 85: 140 KB (text noticeably blurry, colors muddy)
Conclusion: For screenshots, PNG worth the extra file size—text readability essential.
How to Convert Between PNG and JPG
PNG to JPG (Common: Reduce File Size)
Use case: Photo saved as PNG by mistake, need smaller file for website/email.
Steps:
- Open PNG to JPG Converter
- Upload PNG file (any size)
- Set quality to 85-90 (sweet spot—great quality, small file)
- Choose background color (if PNG has transparency—white/black/custom)
- Download JPG (typically 50-90% smaller than original PNG)
⚠️ Important: PNG → JPG conversion is irreversible. Transparency becomes solid color (usually white). Save original PNG as backup before converting.
JPG to PNG (Less Common: Need Transparency or Editing)
Use case: Need to edit photo (remove background, add transparency) or overlay on different backgrounds.
Steps:
- Open JPG to PNG Converter
- Upload JPG file
- Convert to PNG (lossless conversion—no quality loss)
- Optional: Remove background using Background Remover
- Download PNG (larger file but lossless quality + transparency support)
💡 Note: JPG → PNG doesn't recover lost quality (JPG is lossy). Converts to PNG format but doesn't magically add back compression artifacts. For best results, always start with highest quality source.
Common Misconceptions
Myth 1: "PNG is always better quality than JPG"
Reality: For photos at quality 85-90, JPG and PNG are visually identical. PNG's "lossless" advantage only matters for graphics with sharp edges (text, logos). For photos, JPG quality 85-90 = no visible difference but 80% smaller files.
Myth 2: "Convert JPG to PNG to improve quality"
Reality: Conversion doesn't recover lost quality. JPG uses lossy compression—data permanently removed. Converting to PNG just changes container format, doesn't restore lost data. Like photocopying a photocopy—quality doesn't improve.
Myth 3: "Always use PNG for web images"
Reality: PNG photos slow down websites significantly. 4MB PNG vs 400KB JPG = 10× slower load time. Google penalizes slow sites in search rankings. Use JPG for photos (unless transparency needed), PNG for graphics/logos.
Myth 4: "JPG quality 100 = lossless"
Reality: JPG is always lossy, even at quality 100. Quality 100 still applies compression algorithm—just less aggressive. For truly lossless, use PNG. However, JPG quality 90 is usually indistinguishable from quality 100 but 50% smaller file size.
Best Practices: Choosing PNG vs JPG
Decision Flowchart
- Does image need transparency?
→ Yes: PNG (only option)
→ No: Continue... - Is it a photograph?
→ Yes: JPG quality 85-90
→ No: Continue... - Does image contain text or sharp edges?
→ Yes: PNG (logos, screenshots, graphics)
→ No: JPG quality 85-90 - Will you edit image multiple times?
→ Yes: PNG while editing, convert to JPG for final export
→ No: JPG quality 85-90
Website Performance Tips
- Hero images: JPG quality 85 (large files, quality matters)
- Thumbnails: JPG quality 75-80 (small display size, lower quality acceptable)
- Logos: PNG (transparency + sharp edges required)
- Icons: SVG if possible (scalable), PNG fallback
- Consider WebP: 25-35% smaller than JPG, supported by 95%+ browsers. Use WebP Converter
Email Best Practices
- Photos: JPG quality 75-85, resize to 1920px max (large originals waste bandwidth)
- Signatures: PNG logos (transparency), keep under 50KB
- Attachments: Compress large JPGs before sending using Image Compressor