The choice between PNG and JPG (JPEG) is one of the oldest design decisions. While both formats have been web standards for decades, they serve entirely opposite use cases.
| Feature | PNG | JPG / JPEG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression Type | Lossless (no quality loss) | Lossy (discards detail) |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| Ideal Content | Graphics, screenshots, text | Photographs, colorful banners |
| Average File Size | Heavy | Lightweight |
When to choose PNG
Choose PNG when you require transparency and cannot afford compression artifacts. This includes website logos, graphics with crisp margins, software screenshots, and icons.
When to choose JPG
Choose JPG when saving photos or complex landscape images. JPG sacrifices microscopic color information to save massive amounts of data, leading to lightweight files that load instantly.
Convert files instantly
Switch formats locally in your web browser memory. No files are uploaded to any server.