Cheetahs and leopards can be confusing sometimes especially they are highly similar to each other. But for you to distinguish a cheetah from a leopard, a cheetah has tear lines from their eyes running down to their mouth while the latter does not have.
A leopard has black and brown spots that resemble of a flower that helps it camouflage in the bushes while it hunts for a prey. Cheetahs have longer tails, smaller jaws, and are known for their speed. Leopards, on the other hand, are slightly bigger and bulkier than cheetahs as they use their body strength to drag their meal up the trees and eat there.
These are actually different species. The main difference between a cheetah and leopard is the markings. The leopard has a pattern of clusters, like a rosette on its fur whereas the cheetah has spots.
The leopard is one of the big cat family, having strong muscles and larger form. Its strong teeth also help in tearing its prey apart. It is best in surprise attacks. The cheetah is slimmer, built for speed, and it can outrun its prey. It is a solitary animal and does not hunt in packs. It is one of the small cat family.