Web photosJPEG
Photos at a reasonable quality setting
JPEG produces smaller photo files and is universally supported.
PNG vs JPEG
The classic image decision: lossless pixels with transparency versus small, lossy photos.
Practical notes
Use PNG when the image contains text, sharp edges, or transparency that must remain exact.
Use JPEG when the content is a photograph and a smaller file matters more than lossless pixels.
Criteria
PNG
JPEG
File size & compression
Lossless
Lossy
Transparency
Supported
Not supported
Animation
Partial
Not supported
Editing
Full editing in design and photo tools
Full editing in photo tools before re-encode
Openness
Open
Open
Browser support
Universal
Universal
Typical uses
Logos and UI assets, Screenshots, Images with transparency, Lossless web graphics
Photographs, Web images, Camera output, Social media uploads
Limitations
Larger files than lossy formats for photos, No native CMYK, Animation requires APNG support
No transparency, Recompression degrades quality, Poor for text and line art
Attribute values come from the reviewed records on each format page.Read the methodology for source and review rules.
Use-case verdicts
Winners are conditional. A format wins only when the stated condition matches your workflow.
Web graphicsPNG
Logos, UI, or screenshots with transparency
PNG supports lossless rendering and an alpha channel.
ArchivingPNG
Preserving original pixels without repeated recompression
PNG stores pixels losslessly and is an open format.
PrintPNG
Text, line art, or a lossless master
PNG avoids generation loss and preserves edges.
EditingPNG
Iterative editing without quality loss
PNG round-trips cleanly in design and photo tools.