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PNG vs JPG

PNG and JPG are both extremely common image formats, but they solve different problems. PNG is usually better for crisp graphics and transparency, while JPG is usually better for photos and lighter everyday sharing.

What is PNG?

PNG is a clean image format known for strong graphic quality and transparency support.

  • Transparency support
  • Great for graphics and screenshots
  • Usually larger than JPG

What is JPG?

JPG is a photo-friendly compressed image format built for smaller files and broad compatibility.

  • Smaller file size
  • Great for photos
  • Very common everywhere

PNG vs JPG: Key Differences

Feature
PNG
JPG
Compression
Lossless-style workflow
Lossy
Transparency
Excellent
None
Photo use
Good
Excellent
Graphics/UI use
Excellent
Good
Best use
Graphics and screenshots
Photos and sharing

When to use PNG

Use PNG when you need transparency, crisp edges, screenshots, logos, UI assets, or cleaner graphic quality.

When to use JPG

Use JPG when smaller file size and photo sharing matter more than transparency or lossless-style clarity.

Convert between PNG and JPG

Once you know which format suits your workflow better, you can convert in either direction or open the related format guides for more context.