The two most common image formats on the web serve completely different purposes. Choosing the wrong one means either bloated file sizes or unnecessary quality loss.
JPG — Best for photographs
JPEG uses lossy compression that discards colour detail the eye barely notices. A typical 5MB phone photo compresses to 400KB at 80% quality with no visible difference. JPG is the right choice for: photographs, social media images, product shots, and any image with complex colour gradients.
PNG — Best for graphics
PNG uses lossless compression — every pixel is stored exactly. It also supports transparency (alpha channel). PNG is the right choice for: logos, icons, screenshots, illustrations, text-heavy images, and anything requiring transparency.
Quick decision guide
Is it a photo? → JPG. Does it have text or sharp edges? → PNG. Does it need a transparent background? → PNG. Are you uploading to a website and file size matters? → JPG or WebP.