JPG and PNG are the two formats people reach for most. They are not interchangeable: each was built for a different job. Picking the wrong one means bloated websites, fuzzy logos, or huge email attachments.
PNG in one minute
PNG uses lossless compression. Every pixel is preserved, including fully transparent areas. File sizes are larger, but edges stay razor-sharp. Use PNG for logos, icons, screenshots, and UI graphics.
JPG in one minute
JPG uses lossy compression tuned for photographs. It does not support transparency. Complex photos shrink dramatically compared to PNG, with little visible difference at sensible quality settings.
Side-by-side comparison
- Transparency: PNG yes, JPG no.
- Best for photos: JPG (or WebP).
- Best for text and flat graphics: PNG.
- Typical file size on a photo: JPG much smaller.
- Repeated editing: PNG survives better; JPG accumulates artifacts.
When to convert between them
Convert PNG → JPG when you have a photo exported as PNG and need a smaller file. Convert JPG → PNG only when you need transparency or lossless editing — the file will grow and artifacts from the JPG will remain.
What about WebP and AVIF?
Modern formats like WebP and AVIF often beat both JPG and PNG on size for the web. Converty supports converting between all of these in the image category — try WebP when you control the browser audience.