---
title: "Cheetah vs snow leopard — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Cheetah is somewhat greater than snow leopard on weight — about 1.3×. Compared on 4 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-snow-leopard/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Cheetah vs Snow leopard

**Cheetah vs snow leopard: Cheetah is larger on weight**

Cheetah is somewhat greater than snow leopard on weight — about 1.3×.

A cheetah and a snow leopard can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | Cheetah | Snow leopard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 34–72 kg | 22–55 kg |
| Height | 0.7–0.9 m | 0.6 m |
| Length | 1.1–1.5 m | 0.9–1.2 m |
| Typical lifespan | 8–17 yr | 10–21 yr |

## What the numbers say

- Cheetah is somewhat greater than snow leopard on weight — about 1.3×.
- Cheetah is somewhat greater than snow leopard on height — about 1.3×.
- Cheetah is somewhat greater than snow leopard on length — about 1.2×.
- Snow leopard is somewhat greater than cheetah on typical lifespan — about 1.2×.

*Weight compared.*

- Cheetah: 34–72 kg
- Snow leopard: 22–55 kg

## Cheetah

The fastest land animal, with a lightweight frame and semi-retractable claws for traction.

## Snow leopard

A high-altitude cat of Central Asia with a tail almost as long as its body, used for balance.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, cheetah or snow leopard?

Cheetah is somewhat greater than snow leopard on weight — about 1.3×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do cheetahs and snow leopards compare on height?

Cheetah: 0.7–0.9 m. Snow leopard: 0.6 m. Cheetah is somewhat greater than snow leopard on height — about 1.3×.

### How do cheetahs and snow leopards compare on length?

Cheetah: 1.1–1.5 m. Snow leopard: 0.9–1.2 m. Cheetah is somewhat greater than snow leopard on length — about 1.2×.

## Related pages

- [Cheetah vs gray wolf](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-gray-wolf/)
- [Cheetah vs leopard](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-leopard/)
- [Cheetah vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [Cheetah vs cougar](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-cougar/)
- [Cheetah vs jaguar](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-jaguar/)
- [Gray wolf vs snow leopard](https://atoneplace.net/vs/gray-wolf-vs-snow-leopard/)
- [Cheetah vs chimpanzee](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-chimpanzee/)
- [Leopard vs snow leopard](https://atoneplace.net/vs/leopard-vs-snow-leopard/)
- [Cheetah vs red kangaroo](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-red-kangaroo/)
- [Cheetah vs warthog](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cheetah-vs-warthog/)
- [Capybara vs cheetah](https://atoneplace.net/vs/capybara-vs-cheetah/)

## Sources

- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)