PNG vs JPG: Which Format Should You Use?

The core difference: lossless vs lossy

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) uses lossless compression: every pixel you save is exactly the pixel you get back. It shrinks files by finding repeated patterns, which works brilliantly on flat colors and sharp edges, and less well on the random-looking texture of a photograph.

JPG (or JPEG) uses lossy compression designed for photographs. It discards fine detail the eye is least sensitive to — subtle color variation and high-frequency texture — and a quality setting controls how much. At around 75–85% quality, most people can't see the difference in a photo, but the file is many times smaller than a PNG.

Why JPG can't do transparency

Every pixel a JPG stores has a color value, and there is no fourth "how see-through is this pixel" channel in the format. PNG supports an alpha channel alongside red, green and blue, so each pixel can be anywhere from fully opaque to fully transparent, with smooth partial transparency in between — which matters for soft edges like hair.

If you take a transparent image — like the output of the Background Remover — and save it as JPG, every transparent pixel has to be replaced with some solid color, usually white or black. Your subject ends up sitting on a flat rectangle instead of nothing at all. This is the single most common reason people ask "where did my transparency go?"

PNG vs JPG at a glance

When JPG is the better choice

PNG isn't strictly "better" — it's better for a specific job. For a normal photo with no transparency (a landscape, a portrait against its original background, anything straight from a camera), JPG produces a much smaller file at a visually similar quality. That matters for website speed, email attachment limits, and upload caps on forms and marketplaces.

Converting a PNG photo to JPG is often the quickest way to cut its size dramatically. The PNG to JPG converter lets you choose the fill color for any transparent areas, and the Image Compressor gives you a live size/quality preview.

When PNG is the better choice

• Anything with transparency — cutouts, logos, icons, signatures.
• Screenshots and images containing text — JPG blurs sharp letter edges and adds speckled "mosquito noise" around them.
• Graphics with flat colors — charts, diagrams, illustrations.
• Master copies you will edit again — lossless means no generation loss.

Need to go the other way? The JPG to PNG converter changes the format, but note that it can't restore detail JPG compression already removed, and it won't add transparency by itself.

What about WebP?

WebP is a newer format that can be lossy like JPG or lossless like PNG, supports transparency, and is typically 25–35% smaller than an equivalent JPG. Every modern browser supports it, so it's an excellent choice for websites. Some older desktop software and print services still expect JPG or PNG. Read our WebP guide for details.

Quick rule of thumb

• Need transparency, or plan to layer the image over something else? Use PNG (or WebP).
• Screenshot, logo or graphic with text? Use PNG.
• Flat photo, no transparency, want the smallest file? JPG is usually fine.
• Not sure, and file size isn't a concern? PNG is the safer default — you can always convert to JPG later, but you can't bring back transparency or detail JPG already threw away.

Frequently asked questions