PNG vs. JPG: What is the Difference and Which is Better?
In the world of digital imaging, two giants have dominated for decades: PNG and JPG. While both are used to display images on your screen, they are fundamentally different in how they handle data, color, and compression.
Choosing the wrong format can result in blurry logos, massive file sizes that destroy your SEO, or photography that looks "pixelated." This guide provides a deep technical dive into the difference between PNG and JPG to help you make the right choice for your website.
1. The Technical Heart: Lossy vs. Lossless
The primary difference between these two formats lies in their compression algorithms. Compression is necessary because raw image data is too large for web use.
JPG (Lossy)
Uses Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). It discards "redundant" data to shrink file sizes. Once data is gone, it cannot be recovered.
PNG (Lossless)
Uses the DEFLATE algorithm. It compresses data without discarding a single pixel. The image you save is identical to the original.
2. When to Use JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
JPG is the king of complex imagery. If your image contains thousands of colors, intricate gradients, and real-world textures (like a photo of a landscape or a person), JPG is your best friend.
Advantages of JPG:
- Small File Sizes: You can achieve a 10:1 compression ratio with almost no visible loss in quality.
- Universal Compatibility: Every device on the planet, from 20-year-old printers to the latest iPhones, can read JPGs.
- EXIF Data Support: JPGs store metadata like GPS coordinates, camera settings, and timestamps—essential for photographers.
3. When to Use PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
PNG was built specifically for the web to replace the aging GIF format. It excels at synthetic imagery—graphics created in software like Photoshop, Figma, or Canva.
The Power of Transparency (Alpha Channel)
The biggest advantage of PNG is its support for transparency. While JPGs must always have a solid background (usually white), PNGs can have transparent backgrounds. This is critical for logos that need to sit on top of different website background colors.
| Feature | JPG | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Best Use | Photography | Logos, Icons, Screenshots |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Quality Loss | Yes (Every time you save) | None (Lossless) |
| File Size | Small / Optimized | Large / High Res |
| Text Clarity | Poor (Blurry) | Excellent (Sharp) |
4. The SEO Perspective: Performance vs. Quality
In 2026, Google's Core Web Vitals prioritize page load speed. This is where the JPG vs. PNG debate gets tricky. Since PNGs are lossless, they are often 5x to 10x larger than a JPG of the same dimensions. If you use too many PNGs on a single page, your Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) score will plummet, hurting your search rankings.
The "Save as WebP" Solution
If you find yourself stuck—needing the quality of a PNG but the size of a JPG—modern SEO best practices suggest converting both to WebP. WebP offers 25-35% better compression than both formats while supporting transparency.
5. Visual Breakdown: The "Artifact" Test
If you zoom in 400% on a JPG, you will see small square blocks. These are called artifacts. If you zoom in 400% on a PNG, the edges remain perfectly crisp. For this reason, digital artists and UI designers always work in PNG until the final export phase.
Need to Switch Formats?
Convert your bulky PNGs to optimized JPGs or modern WebP files instantly with our free converter.
Convert Images NowFinal Verdict: Which Should You Use?
The answer depends entirely on your content:
- Use JPG if: You are uploading blog post headers, product photos, or gallery images where fast loading is more important than pixel perfection.
- Use PNG if: You are uploading a logo, a chart with text, or a graphic that requires a transparent background.
By understanding the difference between PNG and JPG, you ensure that your website stays fast for users and sharp for high-resolution retina displays. At ImageResizze, we recommend always compressing your PNGs if you must use them, to strike that perfect balance between beauty and speed.