PSD and GIF are versatile file formats widely used in the digital world. Each file type has advantages and disadvantages depending on the technical features, which users must understand before deciding when to use a particular format for optimized design functionality and better user experience.
This article compares PSD vs. GIF in terms of structure, performance, file size, image quality, compression technique, transparency and animation support, browser support, and storage needs.
When is GIF better than PSD?
GIF images are smaller, web-friendly, require less storage space, and support the creation and consumption of animations on different devices, while PSD images are larger, require more storage space, are unsupported by most browsers, and do not support animation.
A GIF format is suitable for creating multilayered graphical elements and user interfaces, which readily support alpha channel transparency, lively photos, humorous clips, animations, logos, and flip-book effects.
When is PSD better than GIF?
PSD images are made up of multiple files produced using filters, non-destructive editing, fusing images, or retouching certain parts, while GIF images are hardly editable because their frames and animations are encoded inside the files.
A PSD file format is ideal for professional printing because it produces print-ready content or materials, such as brochures, posters, and business cards. A PSD file extension can be manipulated, edited, and resaved easily at high quality and high resolution to ensure wider color simulation and professional printouts.
PSD versus GIF Comparison Table
| Element | PSD | GIF |
| Transparency | Supports transparency. | Supports transparency |
| File Size | Larger files than GIF files. | Smaller files compared to PSD files. |
| Image Quality | High-quality images than GIF images. | Low image quality than PSD. |
| Performance | Loads slower online compared to GIF. | Loads faster online compared to PSD. |
| Structure | Raster-Based: Has a file header, image data, image resources, color mode data, mask and layer data. | Raster-based: Has a header, screen descriptor, and color table blocks and ends with a trailer block. |
| Animation | Does not support animations or animated images. | Supports simple animations. |
| Storage | Larger with more storage space needs than GIF. | Smaller with less storage space needs than PSD. |
| Compression | Uncompressed files. | Support lossless compression with LZW algorithms. |
| Browser Support | Limited browser support compared to GIF. | Wider browser support compared to PSD. |
Differences and similarities between GIF and PSD images
GIF and PSD file extensions support transparency. They also differ in structure, file size, browser support, performance, storage demands, image quality, compression methods, and animation support.
Therefore, based on the aforementioned technical features, users should understand PSD versus GIF to make informed decisions about the image format that suits their project needs.
Transparency
GIF and PSD files integrally support transparency. For example, a PSD file extension supports alpha channel transparency by letting images with complex compositions and transparent backgrounds be produced and integrated seamlessly into other objects or projects.
Likewise, GIF files support alpha channel transparency through the GIF89a format, which allows the palette colors to be arranged in the image background while ignoring solid or opaque colors, including black.
File Size
While the GIF format also stores multiple files, each with a size limit of 2-3MB, it is comparatively smaller than the multilayered and detailed PSD files. Each PSD file can be 2GB since it stores very complex, high-resolution, high-quality designs. When pooled together, multiple PSD files can be larger than GIF.
Image Quality
GIF images are low-quality. A GIF file supports 8-bit per channel, while a PSD file supports 24-bit RGB colors. PSD also supports multichannel color modes, including Duotone, RGB, Indexed Color, Grayscale, CMYK, Bitmap, LAB color, and Monochrome. GIF's lossless compression technique preserves all image data, but its limited color support makes its images low-quality and low-resolution. On the other hand, uncompressed PSD images are detailed, data-rich, high-quality, and high-resolution compared to GIFs.
Performance
GIF files are smaller than PSD files, which are made of numerous layers. A PSD file can be 2 gigabytes compared to GIF's 2-3MB. The size of PSD files makes them load slowly on websites, consume more bytes, and limit user experience compared to GIFs.
Structure
PSD and GIF are raster graphics image formats, making their structures easy to compare. GIF files have fixed-length headers, namely GIF89a or GIF87a. The logical screen descriptor and file version have fixed lengths, although the file format specifies the logical screen scales in pixels and other GIF features.
The GIF's logical screen inspects whether the Global Color Table and size description exit. It then divides the screen into segments, beginning with a one-byte sentinel with a trailer, extension block, and images. The image module starts with a fixed-length picture and image data with the unencoded icon width.
In contrast, the PSD file extension is multilayered with many graphical elements, texts, and images. Its structure starts with the file header, followed by image resources, color mode data, mask and layer data, and image info.
The file header comprises the primary image data, including color depths, image channels, and the file version. Its image header channels ranged between 1 and 56. The color mode data specifies the length of color data and processes and stores PSD's duotone image color and indexed color data.
Animation
PSD files do not support animations; their multilayered structure and high-quality definitions can be assimilated into the designs or formats with different file extensions to create lively content and animations.
On the other hand, GIF files support animation through the GIF89a, which has specifications that integrate several enhancers to the GIF image file header and enable browsers to express different GIF pictures in encircled or scheduled series.
Storage
GIF stores lossless files, but PSD stores uncompressed image data. While both file formats store multilayered files or graphical elements, the uncompressed nature of PSD files typically results in a larger file size than GIFs.
GIF and PSD multilayered files are stored on Floppy Drives, Cloud services, Content Delivery Networks, File Systems, Base64 Encoding, and Hard Drives. While both formats' data can last forever, the storage period is subject to the storage mediums used, handling process, and storage conditions.
Compression
PSD files are uncompressed, while GIF files are compressed using the lossless LZW compression method. Compressed PSD files and lossless GIF files preserve all image data, but PSD files are of higher quality than GIFs.
The file format uses Lempel Ziv Welch's (LZW) lossless compression technique to compress its files by allowing images to fit into smaller pictures and files. The LZW compression algorithm exploits repetition in data streams to efficiently store simple graphical images using flat colors.
Browser Support
GIF format enjoys a comparative advantage over PSD format regarding browser support. GIF files and images are compatible and widely supported by Internet Explorer, Firefox, Brave, Chrome, Discord, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Samsung Internet, and Safari.
On the other hand, PSD files and images are widely compatible and supported by only top legacy and modern web browsers, including Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Vivaldi. Internet Explorer, Brave, and Discord hardly support PSD files. However, users can install third-party software that readily displays PSD files as thumbnails to view such files.
Convert GIF to PSD or PSD to GIF
Enjoy using Convertjack to convert GIF to PSD files for free online. PSD files are info-rich and high-quality and permit non-destructive editing because they offer the control and flexibility necessary for precise editing, complex compositions, and image manipulation.
The most viable and open-source online PSD to GIF converter is convertjack. The image conversion tool hardly distorts the file format features and ensures your GIF files are smaller, web-responsive, universally supported across web browsers, and need less storage space.