JPEG vs PNG — When to Use Which Format
JPEG and PNG are the two most widely supported image formats on the web. Both have been around since the 1990s, and both remain essential in 2026 — for different reasons. Choosing the right one for each use case can mean the difference between a 400 KB file and a 40 KB file with identical visible quality.
The core difference
JPEG uses lossy compression: it permanently discards some image data to achieve smaller file sizes. PNG uses lossless compression: it retains every pixel exactly, but produces larger files for photographs.
When to use JPEG
- Photographs with many colors and gradients
- Camera images (hero shots, product photos, backgrounds)
- Anything where exact pixel accuracy doesn't matter
- Images that don't need a transparent background
- Email attachments where file size matters
A typical iPhone photo (3–5 MB) saved as JPEG at 80% quality is usually 200–600 KB with no visible quality difference on screen.
When to use PNG
- Logos, icons, and graphics with flat colors or sharp edges
- Screenshots with text (JPEG would introduce compression artifacts around text)
- Images that need a transparent background
- Diagrams, charts, and UI mockups
- Source files you'll edit repeatedly (no generation loss)
The transparency question
JPEG does not support transparency. If you need a logo on a non-white background, or an image that blends into a page, you need PNG (or WebP/AVIF, which both support transparency). PNG-24 supports full 8-bit alpha transparency. PNG-8 supports indexed transparency (one color as transparent).
File size comparison
| Content type | JPEG size | PNG size | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph (1920×1080) | ~180 KB | ~2.4 MB | JPEG |
| Logo (500×200, flat colors) | ~35 KB | ~12 KB | PNG |
| Screenshot with text | ~120 KB (blurry) | ~85 KB | PNG |
| Gradient background | ~40 KB | ~300 KB | JPEG |
What about WebP and AVIF?
In 2026, WebP and AVIF are supported by all major browsers and are strictly better than both JPEG and PNG in most cases:
- WebP: better compression than JPEG for photos, supports transparency like PNG
- AVIF: even better compression, HDR support, but slower encoding
For new projects, WebP is the recommended default. Picovert converts any JPEG or PNG to WebP in one click.
Quick decision guide
- Photo with no transparency? → JPEG (or WebP)
- Logo, icon, or transparent background? → PNG (or WebP)
- Screenshot with text? → PNG
- Web production with modern browser targets? → WebP or AVIF