# PNG, JPG or WebP: which format to use on each network
> When PNG, JPG or WebP makes sense on social media: transparency, weight and quality, a comparison table and how to pick the output format in SocialCutter.
- URL: https://socialcutter.theboomer.dev/en/guides/formatos-redes-sociales/
- Idioma: en
- Familia: seo
- Actualizado: 2026-09-24
- Palabras clave: PNG, JPG, WebP, image format, transparency, compression, image weight
## The three output formats

SocialCutter generates the same image cropped to the catalogue dimensions and lets you choose which format it comes out in. There are three: PNG, JPG and WebP. The difference is not image quality as such, but how it is stored: whether it supports transparency, how much it weighs and how much information is discarded during compression.

| Format | Transparency | Relative weight (photo) | Compression | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNG | Yes, alpha channel | High | Lossless | Logos, screenshots with fine text, designs with a transparent background |
| JPG | No | Low | Lossy (tunable) | Photographs and creatives with a filled background |
| WebP | Yes | Lowest of the three | Lossy or lossless | Web, CMS and whenever weight really matters |

## Transparency, weight and quality

Three questions settle almost every case.

**Do I need transparency?** If the design has a transparent background so it can sit on a colour or a photo, the answer is PNG. JPG has no alpha channel: whatever was transparent gets filled with a solid colour. WebP does support transparency, but if you are handing the file to a system that handles it poorly, PNG is the safe bet.

**How much does it weigh?** At the same dimensions, JPG and WebP weigh considerably less than PNG on images with many tones (photos, gradients). PNG wins on flat-colour images (logos, icons, UI screenshots), where there is barely any gradient to compress.

**How much quality do I need?** JPG and lossy WebP discard information as they compress. For photos, a `quality` between 80 and 90 is almost never distinguishable from the original and saves a lot of weight. PNG loses nothing, but takes up more.

## How to pick the format in SocialCutter

The format is set in the request `options` object. Its three fields are `format`, `quality` and `background_color`:

```bash
curl -s -X POST "https://api.socialcutter.theboomer.dev/api/v1/images/process" \
  -H "X-API-Key: sc_your_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "source": { "type": "url", "value": "https://example.com/master.jpg" },
    "destinations": [
      { "platform": "instagram", "format": "post" },
      { "platform": "linkedin", "format": "post" }
    ],
    "options": { "format": "jpg", "quality": 88 }
  }' | jq
```

- `format`: `png`, `jpg` or `webp`. **The default is `webp`.**
- `quality`: an integer from 1 to 100. **The default is 85.** It affects the lossy formats (JPG and WebP); with PNG it does not change quality.
- `background_color`: padding for `contain` mode. **The default is `#000000`.**

Scope note: `format` is a **request** option, not a destination one. It applies to every output in that call. If you want PNG for one output and JPG for another, that is two requests, and each charges 1 use per destination. The same goes for `quality`.

## Which format to recommend per destination

| Destination | Recommended format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Product photo or creative with a filled background | JPG or WebP | Less weight, same perceived quality |
| Design with a transparent background or a logo | PNG | Keeps the alpha channel with no doubt |
| UI screenshot or fine text | PNG | Avoids the JPG artefacts on sharp edges |
| Destination for your own site or CMS | WebP | The lightest and compatible with current browsers |
| When the network is strict about uploads | JPG | The most universal format for publishing |
| YouTube channel banner | JPG or PNG | Large size (2560x1440): control the weight with `quality` |
| Cover or thumbnail with fine text | PNG | Small text appreciates the absence of loss |

## WebP on social networks: read the fine print

WebP is the default because it is the lightest, and it is an excellent choice for your website, your CMS or your media library. But do not assume every social network accepts a WebP upload.

Each platform sets which formats it accepts, which it recommends and how it recompresses what it receives. That list changes over time, and we do not publish it here as if it were fixed: before automating a publish, **check the network's official help centre** and, when in doubt, generate the output as JPG or PNG, the most universal upload formats. Our job is to give you the file in all three formats; which one each network accepts is up to the network.

One more honest detail: many networks recompress on publish, so an immaculate PNG can end up as JPG. When the goal is to publish rather than archive, JPG is the most predictable option.

## We are not a generic converter

Worth clarifying, because the name misleads: SocialCutter **is not a file format converter**. You do not upload any file and download it in another format. What it does is take a raster image and generate the catalogue destinations (6 platforms, 13 destinations) at their exact dimensions; the output format is an option inside that process.

That means:

- It does not accept SVG, PDF or documents: the input is a raster image (JPG, PNG or WebP).
- It does not take arbitrary dimensions: you do not ask for "800x400", you ask for a catalogue destination.
- It does not convert loose files without going through the crop to the destinations.
- It does not edit the image: no retouching, no compositing, no background removal.

To change format without touching dimensions there are conversion tools; to get every exact size the networks ask for, there is SocialCutter. The destinations and their pixels are in [Social media image sizes: dimensions and ratios](/en/guides/medidas-redes-sociales/).

## Cost

- 1 use per destination (platform and format) per request.
- The output format does not change the price.
- Duplicate destinations in one request are not charged twice.
- Failed processing jobs are refunded.
- Plans at 0, 3, 9 and 29 EUR, with the API and the MCP server included.

## Typical errors

| Error | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Asking for PNG on a large photo | The file is heavy and may exceed 5 MB | Use JPG with `quality` 80-90, or WebP |
| Asking for JPG with transparency | The transparent background is filled with colour | Use PNG |
| Expecting a different format per destination | `format` is per request, not per destination | Split into two requests |
| Lowering `quality` with PNG | It does not change quality, only weight | For variable quality, use JPG or WebP |
| Uploading a file over 5 MB | The API returns 413 | Compress beforehand or request a lighter output |
| Publishing WebP where the network only takes JPG | The platform rejects or recompresses the upload | Check the network help centre and generate JPG |

## Next steps

- Sizes and ratios: [Social media image sizes: dimensions and ratios](/en/guides/medidas-redes-sociales/)
- Automation: [Automating social media images: 4 real paths](/en/guides/automatizar-imagenes-redes-sociales/)
- Design source: [Canva + SocialCutter: one design, every size](/en/guides/canva/)
- Terminal: [Process images with the API from the terminal (curl)](/en/guides/curl/)
- Code: [Process images with the SocialCutter API from Python](/en/guides/python/)
- API documentation: https://docs.socialcutter.theboomer.dev