PDF vs JPG: documents or page images?
PDF preserves layout, text and multiple pages in one file. JPG turns each page into a flat photo-style image that is easy to embed but not selectable text.
| JPG | ||
|---|---|---|
| Text | Selectable and searchable | Flattened to pixels |
| Pages | Multi-page document | One image per page export |
| File size | Varies | Compact per page |
| Best for | Forms, printing, archiving | Slides, chat previews, thumbnails |
Verdict
Use PDF when you need a real document. Export to JPG when you want lightweight pictures of pages without a PDF reader.