A recent study found that there are 2.5 trillion PDF documents in existence. File types like PDF and JPEG are popular for sharing content; however, each has there own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to its display. So which file format is superior?

Don’t worry; with this guide, you can find out! We’ve investigated each format and compared them against one another for the ultimate test. 

Now, are you ready to get started? Here’s a quick look at JPEG vs. PDF: 

Compression 

The main use of a JPEG is for images, whereas PDFs can manage different types of texts and image-based documents. Since JPEGs compress the image data, the file size will be small in comparison to a PDF. This means that JPEGs are easier to send over digital messaging platforms and emails, whereas PDFs can be more difficult to send over the web.  

However, JPEGs do suffer from lossy compression, which means that every time you save your file, you will lose a bit of the image data, which will affect the overall quality of the image. Thus, PDFs are often the superior file type due to their multi-purpose capabilities and compression function, which won’t damage your file over time. 

Editability 

The main benefit of PDFs is that they maintain the layout of the document while allowing different parts of it to be edited. However, JPEGs can’t be separated into different parts because they are all compressed into one layer. This means that out of the two, PDFs are the only ones that let the owners copy and paste the text elsewhere. 

In fact, JPEGs can’t be edited or copied. The only benefit to using them is if you want to embed them on a site or share an image with a friend without having the viewer download a copy. Other than those scenarios, there are not many uses for a JPEG as it’s not as flexible as an aspose pdf.   

Storage 

Since JPEGs compress the image data, they have a smaller file size, which will take up less space on your computer or in your cloud. With that said, just because JPEGs are small does not mean they are of high quality. 

If you want quality images, PDFs are the file type for you. However, PDFs will take up more space because they consist of higher-quality images. 

So the question comes down to do you want more space or higher quality images? After all, you can always purchase more space, but a low-quality picture will always be a low-quality picture.   

JPEG vs. PDF: Which One Do You Prefer?  

Deciding between JPEG vs. PDF can be difficult, but thanks to this guide, you have a little cheat sheet. Now a JPEG does have a smaller file size, which will save on storage space; however, it has a lower quality and can’t be edited.

PDFs, on the other hand, have a larger file size which will take up more storage space, but they consist of higher quality and can be edited. If you’re ever not sure what file type to use, choose the PDF, it’s adaptable to any document. 

Now, for more information about jpg or pdf for printing, check out our other articles regarding information and technology. 

By Manali