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