Logo file formats explained: SVG vs PNG vs PDF vs EPS
SVG, PNG, JPG, PDF, EPS, AI, ICO and WebP explained in plain words, plus exactly which logo file to send your web developer, printer, sign maker or embroiderer.
Updated October 13, 2026 · 6 min read
Vector vs raster: the distinction behind every format
Every logo file is one of two kinds. Raster files (PNG, JPG, WebP, ICO) are grids of pixels with a fixed size, sharp at that size and soft when stretched. Vector files (SVG, and usually PDF, EPS and AI) describe shapes with points and curves, so they scale from a favicon to a billboard without losing an edge.
Keep a vector master and export raster copies from it at the sizes you need. Going the other way, from a small PNG to a crisp large version, takes vectorizing or redrawing, which is why printers and sign makers ask for vector first.
The formats, one by one
SVG
Scalable Vector Graphics, an open web standard that stores shapes as text-based code, so files are small and stay sharp from a 16 px icon to a building sign. Every modern browser displays SVG, and Illustrator, Inkscape, Figma and Affinity Designer edit it. Many email clients won't show it, and some print, embroidery and cutting workflows prefer PDF or EPS.
PNG
A raster format with lossless compression and full transparency, so the logo sits on any background without a white box. Its limit is fixed size: a 500 px PNG is sharp at 500 px and soft at 2000 px. It's the everyday file for websites, documents, slides, social profiles and email signatures.
JPG
A raster format designed for photographs. Its lossy compression smears sharp logo edges into blotchy artifacts, and it has no transparency, so the logo always sits on a rectangle of background color. Avoid it for logos unless a platform accepts nothing else.
The print industry's default. A PDF can hold vector paths, pixels or both: one exported from vector artwork stays vector, while one made from a PNG is just a PNG in a PDF wrapper. Print shops like it because shapes, colors and fonts travel together in one file that opens anywhere.
EPS
Encapsulated PostScript, a decades-old vector format that some printers, sign makers and promotional-products suppliers still request. It handles transparency poorly, and many everyday apps no longer open it. Send it when someone asks; otherwise PDF or SVG is usually the better choice.
AI
Adobe Illustrator's native, proprietary format, which keeps layers, artboards and editing features but has patchy support outside Illustrator. Illustrator opens SVG, PDF and EPS directly, so when someone asks for "the AI file", one of those usually does the job. Ask them which they prefer.
ICO (favicon)
The Windows icon format, which packs several sizes, such as 16, 32 and 48 px, into one file and remains the most widely compatible favicon format. Modern browsers also accept PNG and SVG favicons. iPhones and iPads use a separate 180 x 180 px PNG (the apple-touch-icon) for home-screen shortcuts.
WebP
A modern web image format with transparency and files that are usually smaller than an equivalent PNG. It's handy when your website platform converts images automatically. Keep your master in SVG or PNG, and don't send WebP to printers.
Logo file formats compared
Swipe to compare →
| Feature | Best for | Scales without blur | Transparency | Editable as shapes | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SVG | Websites, apps, design edits | Web developers, designers | |||
| PNG | Screens, documents, social media | Almost everyone | |||
| JPG | Photos, not logos | Platforms that only accept JPG | |||
| Print-ready artwork | If built from vectors | If built from vectors | Printers, print shops | ||
| EPS | Legacy print and sign workflows | If built from vectors | Limited | If built from vectors | Some printers, sign makers, promo suppliers |
| AI | Illustrator working files | Usually | Designers, some agencies | ||
| ICO | Favicons | Web developers | |||
| WebP | Fast-loading web images | Some website platforms |
A PDF, EPS or AI file is only scalable if the logo inside was built from vector paths; any of them can also contain embedded pixels.
How many pixels does a PNG need?
Export from your vector master at the size each job needs.
- Website header: export at about twice the displayed width for high-density screens. A logo shown 200 px wide needs a 400 px file, and SVG avoids the question entirely.
- Print: at 300 pixels per inch, a 3000 px wide PNG prints about 10 inches wide and a 5000 px PNG about 16.7 inches. For anything larger, send vector.
- Social avatars: networks crop profile images to a square or circle and show them at a few hundred pixels. A 1000 px square with a comfortable margin gives headroom.
- Email signatures: a PNG roughly 300 to 600 px wide, displayed at half size, because many email clients don't render SVG.
- Slides and documents: a PNG around 2000 px wide covers a full-screen slide with room to spare.
- Never upscale a small PNG to make a bigger one; it only adds blur. Export again from the vector file instead.
Which file do I send?
Match the file to the person and the machine at the other end.
Website developer
SVG for the header and anywhere the logo appears in the page, a transparent PNG as a fallback, and a favicon set (ICO plus PNG sizes). Add the white or knockout version if the site has a dark footer or hero image.
Printer (business cards, flyers, letterhead)
A vector PDF with text converted to outlines, or EPS if they specifically ask for it. Mention that your colors are RGB so they can convert to CMYK or match Pantone colors, and ask for a proof on color-critical jobs.
Sign maker or vinyl cutter
Vector only: SVG, EPS or PDF. A plotter cuts along paths, so a PNG can't be cut without being traced first. Include a one-color version for single-vinyl jobs, and say which color goes where on multicolor signs.
Embroidery shop
Embroiderers digitize your design into a stitch file for their machines, in formats such as DST or PES. Send a vector file or a large transparent PNG, plus the icon-only version for caps and chest logos. Thin lines and small text may be simplified because thread can't hold that much detail, and digitizing is often a separate charge.
Social media profiles
A square PNG, usually the icon-only version, centered with generous margin, because most networks crop profile pictures to a circle.
App stores
A square PNG of your icon-only mark. Apple's App Store asks for a 1024 x 1024 px icon without transparency, and Google Play asks for 512 x 512 px. Store requirements change, so check the current guidelines before submitting.
Video editor
A large transparent PNG (3000 px or more covers 4K footage) for overlays and end cards, plus SVG or PDF if they plan to animate the logo. Include the white version for dark footage.
Color variants and lockups: the rest of a complete logo set
A single full-color file won't cover every use. A complete set adds one-color black for stamps, engraving and single-ink printing; white (knockout) for photos, dark shirts and vehicle doors; and an on-dark version whose colors are adjusted so nothing disappears against a dark website or slide.
It also has lockups, meaning arrangements of the symbol and name. Horizontal suits website headers, email signatures and letterhead; stacked fits square spaces such as packaging, signs and social covers; and icon-only covers favicons, app icons, avatars and embroidered caps.
Name files so anyone can tell them apart, such as yourbrand-horizontal-fullcolor.svg or yourbrand-icon-white.png, and keep them in one shared folder. Every Graphivo package includes the full color, black and white versions and all three layouts.
RGB, CMYK and Pantone in brief
Screens mix red, green and blue light (RGB, often written as HEX codes such as #1B2A41), while most printing mixes cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink (CMYK). Pantone is a system of premixed, numbered spot colors, used when a color must match exactly across print runs or for one- and two-color jobs such as screen printing.
Printers routinely convert RGB artwork to CMYK or match it to Pantone references. Very vivid screen colors, especially bright greens and blues, can print a little duller, so ask for a proof when exact color matters for signage, uniforms or packaging.
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Questions
FAQ
Which logo file format is best for printing?
A vector PDF is the safest default, because print shops widely accept it and it stays sharp at any size. Send EPS if your printer asks for it. A PNG sized at 300 pixels per inch at the printed dimensions works for small items, but it can't be enlarged later without losing quality.
Is SVG better than PNG for a logo?
For websites and apps, usually yes: an SVG stays sharp on every screen and is often the smaller file. PNG is still the right choice for email signatures, many social platforms, office documents and anywhere SVG isn't supported. Keep both versions in your logo folder.
Do I need an EPS version of my logo?
Only if someone asks for it. EPS is an older vector format that some print, sign and promotional-products workflows still use, while SVG and PDF cover most of the same needs. Having it ready saves a scramble on deadline.
What does a transparent PNG actually mean?
It means the file has no background, so the logo sits on a colored header, a photo or a dark slide without a white box around it. JPG can't do this. If a gray checkerboard still shows once the logo is placed on a page, it was baked into the pixels, which often happens with images copied from search results.
Does Graphivo provide CMYK or Pantone files?
No, all Graphivo files are RGB, a format print shops routinely accept and convert to CMYK. When a job needs exact color, ask your printer to match your colors to Pantone spot colors and send you a proof.
Can I open SVG or EPS files without Adobe Illustrator?
Yes. Any modern browser displays SVG, so you can check a file by dragging it into a browser window. Inkscape (free) opens SVG and PDF and can import EPS (some systems need Ghostscript for that), Affinity Designer opens all three, and Figma imports SVG.