PSD vs PNG: Which Format Should You Use for Web & Print?
PSD is Adobe Photoshop’s layered project file; PNG is a flat, lossless web image. One keeps every edit, the other delivers crisp pixels everywhere.
Designers email PSD “final logos” to clients, who can’t open them. Printers get PNGs with transparent backgrounds that refuse to separate colors. Everyone blames the other, so they keep swapping the wrong file.
Key Differences
PSD holds layers, masks, smart objects—huge but editable. PNG compresses losslessly, supports transparency, but flattens everything into a single raster. PSD is for making; PNG is for sharing.
Which One Should You Choose?
Web: PNG for speed, transparency, and universal view. Print: send PSD or a TIFF/ PDF export so printers can tweak layers and color profiles. Keep PSD as the master, export PNG for the preview.
Can a PNG keep layers?
No, PNG flattens everything into one bitmap layer.
Is PSD always larger?
Usually yes, because it stores editable data, masks, and adjustment layers.