HEIC and PNG are distinct file formats with remarkable differences, depending on the users' specific project priorities, goals, and needs. Choosing between HEIC and PNG can be difficult when storing images across devices, as the decision exclusively depends on the users’ specific requirements and preferences.
In this article, we compare and contrast these highly detailed next-generation raster file formats, HEIC vs. PNG, in terms of browser support, compression, storage, image quality, file size, performance, structure, support for animation, and transparency.
When is PNG better than HEIC?
PNG images are extensively supported and compatible with most applications, devices, and browsers, whereas HEIC is a comparatively newer file format. It has limitations in support and compatibility, particularly with older devices and software, and may necessitate specific software for compatibility.
The pros and cons of PNG are that it preserves transparency layers and is extensively supported online, making it more suitable for graphics or photograph composites than HEIC; however, the file format hardly supports animation, comprises larger lossless files, and hardly supports non-RGB colors.
When is HEIC better than PNG?
HEIC images use HEVC coding with more complex operations to significantly reduce file sizes and produce sparkling smaller images. In contrast, PNG uses lossless compression with Huffman algorithms, resulting in larger files than HEIC.
The efficient HEVC compression makes HEIC suitable for capturing, storing, and exchanging videos and images online or over mobile phone networks.
The pros of HEIC images include faster loading times on cloud storage platforms because they are smaller; efficient lossy and lossless compression; less bandwidth because HEIC images are comprehensively compressed using HEVC coding; and comprehensive metadata, resulting in high-quality images.
HEIC versus PNG Table Comparison
| Aspect/Factor | PNG | HEIC |
| Transparency | Supports alpha channel transparency | Supports alpha channel transparency. |
| File Size | Larger than HEIC files | Significantly smaller files than PNG files. |
| Image Quality | High-quality and detailed lossless images with remarkable crispiness and sharpness. | High-quality images with metadata. |
| Performance | It necessitates more bandwidth and loads slower than HEIC. | It necessitates less bandwidth and loads faster than PNG. |
| Structure | Starts with an 8-byte signature header followed by chunks with various types and data fields. | Uses a track-based structure within the HEIF/ISO Base Media File Format, containing image sequences and embedded metadata. |
| Animation | It does not support animation | HEIC supports still image animations. |
| Storage | Requires more storage space on cloud platforms than HEIC. | Requires less storage space on cloud platforms than PNG. |
| Compression | Uses lossless compression with LZ77 algorithms and Huffman coding. | Uses lossless and lossy compression with HEVC algorithms |
| Browser Support | Universally compatible and supported by almost all browsers except IE6. | Limited browser support. Compatible with Safari and Google Marketplace. |
Differences and similarities between PNG and HEIC images
HEIC and PNG are the two versatile and most commonly used image file formats for displaying, sharing, and storing digital images. They differ in animation support, lossy compression, structure, performance, storage, and file size.
The file formats are similar in transparency support, lossless compression, image quality, and browser support. The following table compares PNG versus HEIC file formats.
Transparency
HEIC files support alpha channel transparency in the same way as PNG files. However, HEIC's transparency support permits images, including logos and graphics, to merge flawlessly with the dominant webpage background. The file format has transparency information or an alpha channel.
PNG supports transparency levels through the alpha channel. All pixels in PNG files are set to varying transparency levels (completely transparent = 0 and completely opaque = 255) through the alpha channel. The tRNS ancillary chunk then controls the transparency subjects in PNG’s structure.
HEIC supports optional alpha mask or plane transparency data. It is loaded as 32-bit when using 8-bit components or 64-bit when using 10-bit components. Conversely, PNG supports the RGBA color scheme, adding the non-compulsory alpha channel with 256 levels of transparency.
File Size
HEIC files are significantly smaller than PNG files. However, both file formats support and store rich metadata, including higher bit depths and a wide color range. HEIC supports GPS coordinates, design dates, and file descriptions in a single file.
HEIC's additional information can be used to organize and search for an extensive collection of HEIC images. The maximum image dimension in a single code stream is 35 megapixels or 8,192x4,320.
On the other hand, PNG files have no size limit and can be as large as 140GB or more. The maximum file dimension in PNG is 2G x 2G pixels. The lossless compression, leading to more data retention, also contributes to the larger file sizes of PNGs than HEICs.
Image Quality
HEIC is a superior image format with an edge over PNG regarding high image quality. Compared to lossless PNG, the format uses efficient HEVC compression that ensures all image data during lossless compression. This results in higher-quality HEIC images with smaller file sizes than PNG files.
In contrast, PNG produces high-quality images using its lossless compression technique. The Huffman compression algorithms preserve alpha transparency data and all other image details, resulting in highly detailed, quality images with varying color depths.
Conversely, HEIC images encounter compression artifacts as excessive image data is deleted, leading to less vibrant and low-quality images than PNG. Nonetheless, HEIC and PNG file formats capture, retain, and store detailed image data, giving them richer color depths and expansive resolution levels.
Performance
HEIC uses efficient HEVC lossless and lossy compression algorithms, significantly reducing its file sizes compared to PNG files that use lossless compression techniques. Thus, HEIC requires less bandwidth than PNG, optimizing search engines and increasing user experience.
Structure
HEIC and PNG are both raster-based formats. PNG is a universal file format used to convey still images. PNG files contain an 8-byte signature header and various chunks with image, metadata, and control data. PNG commences with a magic signature; subsequent chunks have uniform syntax.
Each PNG chunk has three usual fields: 4-byte length, 4-byte type code, and 4-byte CRC, plus many internal fields depending on the kind of chunk. Conversely, HEIC stipulates the storage of specific images, image sequences, and their metadata in a container file compliant with the ISO Base Media File Format.
The HEIC file format further integrates the arrangement for compressing images and image sequences following the High-Efficiency Video Coding. The chunks and PNG header structure can hardly compare to HEIC’s format sequence structure.
Animation
The HEIC format supports animations. It can store multiple images in a single file and create short animations. HEIC can also store a sequence of images, which can be played back as slideshows or short animated or lively content.
In contrast, PNG files hardly support animation. Nonetheless, PNG specs are protracted in APNG, allowing animation or lively content to be created by introducing the animation control chunk.
Storage
Compressed HEIC files require less storage space than compressed PNG files, which store image data in an interlaced order to allow progressive display.
HEIC stores individual image files indefinitely in EXIF/TIFF files, the cloud, CDN, and ISO Base Media Files, while PNG compressed data can be stored forever in file systems, DVDs, CDs, Content Delivery Networks, Base64 Encoding, and cloud.
Compression
HEIC uses lossless and lossy compression techniques, and PNG only uses lossless compression. HEIC’s advanced algorithms create smaller file sizes with higher quality levels depending on the compression method.
Lossy HEIC files use Highly Efficient Video Coding (HEVC) to minimize image sizes but delete some details. As a result, HEIC files are significantly smaller than PNG files. Similarly, lossless HEIC creates significantly smaller, higher-quality images than lossless PNG images. In both cases, the compressed HEIC images reduce website loading times and increase user experience compared to the compressed PNG images.
Browser Support
HEIC is a new file format, while PNG has lasted for decades. HEIC files encounter challenges in most operations systems and compatibility with different web browsers. Only Safari, Google Workspace, or Google Marketplace natively support the HEIC file format.
HEIC files are yet to be supported by top web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Discord, Brave, and Internet Explorer. Conversely, PNG is supported by most web browsers, namely Opera, Safari, Brave, Discord, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, but IE6 does not.
Converting PNG to HEIC or HEIC to PNG
Convert PNG to HEIC files using Convertjack to enjoy efficient storage space, higher-quality images, comprehensive metadata, efficient loading times, and advanced lossy and lossless compression offered by the HEIC file format. HEIC files are smaller and information-rich, save bandwidth, and increase loading times.
On the other hand, Convertjack, the HEIC to PNG converter, helps users enjoy more comprehensive color depth, excellent image editing, lossless compression, and sharp-edge and solid-color images associated with PNG images.