Convert to GIF only if you need animation capabilities or need compatibility with very old systems. For static images, PNG is superior with better quality and compression. GIF's main advantage is animation support and universal compatibility, even on ancient devices.
If the PNG uses more than 256 colors, yes. GIF reduces images to a 256-color palette, which creates visible color banding in photos and gradients. For simple logos and graphics with few colors, the quality loss may be minimal or unnoticeable.
For simple graphics with few flat colors, GIF might be slightly smaller. For complex images, photographs, or graphics with gradients, PNG typically provides better compression. PNG's compression algorithm is more sophisticated than GIF's.
This tool converts single PNGs to single GIFs. To create animated GIFs from multiple PNG frames, you'll need dedicated GIF animation software that can combine multiple images into an animated sequence.
For static images, keep PNG - it's superior in every way. For animations, consider WebP or MP4 video for better quality and compression. GIF is best only when you need maximum compatibility or are targeting very old systems.