TIFF vs PNG, side by side
| TIFF | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tagged Image File Format | Portable Network Graphics |
| Type | Raster image | Raster image |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Best for | professional photography, scanning and print archives | logos, icons, screenshots and graphics with sharp edges or transparency |
Choose TIFF if…
…you need professional photography, scanning and print archives.
Choose PNG if…
…you need logos, icons, screenshots and graphics with sharp edges or transparency.
Convert between them
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between TIFF and PNG?
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) is lossless and best for professional photography, scanning and print archives. Portable Network Graphics (PNG) is lossless and best for logos, icons, screenshots and graphics with sharp edges or transparency.
Is TIFF better than PNG?
Neither is universally better — it depends on your use case. Choose TIFF for professional photography; choose PNG for logos.
Should I use TIFF or PNG?
Use TIFF when you need professional photography. Use PNG when you need logos.
Can I convert TIFF to PNG?
Yes — you can convert TIFF to PNG (and back) for free, in seconds, right here.
Last updated July 2026