PNG to SVG converters compared: what they cost and what you actually get

The short version

• Need one paid tool for one job? Vector Magic and Vectorizer.AI both let you cancel any time, so it can cost a single $9.99 month.
• Need anything other than SVG for free? Of these eight, SVGFormat is the only one listing DXF, EPS, AI or embroidery files at no cost.
• Working with large artwork? Every tool has a limit, and a limit in megapixels is smaller than it sounds. Crop tightly first.
• Care most about trace quality? We haven't run a test across all eight, and you shouldn't trust a list that doesn't show one. Below is a ten-minute way to test them on your own image.

What it really costs

Headline prices are hard to compare because some tools charge per file, some per month and one just once. Here's what each costs for the same amount of use, before any tax. The longer periods assume you stay subscribed throughout, with up to 25 files a month on Vectosolve. We left Canva out because its page doesn't say which plans include its vectorizer.

Three things stand out:

• You may only need one month. Vector Magic and Vectorizer.AI both say you can cancel at any time and keep using the subscription until the billing period ends. For a one-off batch, that's $9.99 in total.
• Vector Magic's desktop licence takes a while to pay off. At $295 against $9.99 a month, it costs less than the online edition only after 30 months. The better reason to buy it is what it adds: batch conversion, larger images, and DXF and AI files.
• Vectosolve's per-file price only wins for a single file. Two files at $6.99 cost more than its $7.99 monthly plan, which covers 25.

How much of your image each tool keeps

Limits are quoted in different units, which makes them easy to misread. A file size limit tells you very little about detail, while a megapixel limit caps the total area of the image. Vector Magic, for example, says larger images are shrunk to fit. Here's what those limits mean in pixels:

SVGFormat and Adobe Express also accept files up to 40 MB, and PicSVG up to 4 MB, but those are file sizes rather than detail limits. Vector Magic's desktop edition handles larger images than its online one.

The practical effect shows up with small details. A 4,000 px square scan would come down to about 35% of its width on Vector Magic online, 43% on Vectorizer.AI and 60% on SVGFormat, and small text suffers first. Whichever tool you use, crop away empty space before you start, so more of the limit goes on the artwork.

Which tools can make the file you need

The right converter often comes down to the format your machine or printer wants. This covers what each tool lists on its own site. Canva is left out here too, since we could only confirm SVG.

One caution on embroidery: an automatic converter suits flat logos and bold text. For detailed designs, dedicated digitizing software such as Ink/Stitch gives you far more control over the stitches.

Where your image goes

This matters if the artwork is unreleased or belongs to a client. Vector Magic online, Vectorizer.AI, Vectosolve, Adobe Express and Canva all work from an uploaded image. Vectorizer.AI says it keeps uploads and results for 24 hours, and Vectosolve says it doesn't store originals. PicSVG doesn't say where processing happens, and PNGtoSVG calls itself private without saying how on its main page. SVGFormat traces in your browser, so your file isn't sent to us.

You don't have to take anyone's word for this, including ours. On a computer, you can check in about a minute:

1. Open the converter in Chrome, Edge or Firefox and open the developer tools (F12, or Cmd+Option+I on a Mac).
2. Go to the Network tab and clear the list.
3. Convert a harmless test image, not the private one.
4. Look for new requests that send data, usually marked POST or PUT. Click each one and open its Payload or Request tab. If your image or its file name is there, it was uploaded.

How to judge quality yourself

Vendors' demo images are chosen to look good. So use your own hardest image, the one with small text or fine lines, and run the same file through your shortlist. The paid tools here offer free previews, which is enough for the first check. Then look at four things.

1. Zoom in on the edges

Look at curves and small text at 400% or more. Edges should be smooth, letters should keep their shapes, and corners should stay sharp where the original had them. Here's a real example from our own tool:

2. Put it on a dark background

Older-style tracers can leave hairline gaps where two colours meet. They're invisible on white but show up on a dark background, on a printed T-shirt or as stray cuts on a machine. Place the SVG over a dark shape and zoom in along the colour boundaries.

3. Check the file size

A clean trace of simple artwork is small. An oversized file usually means thousands of tiny shapes or wobbly curves, which are slow to edit and slow to cut. For a rough idea, here's how large our 18 sample images came out. They're our own results, so treat them as a guide rather than a benchmark.

4. Open it where you'll use it

A file can look perfect in a browser and still give you trouble later. Load it into Cricut Design Space, LightBurn or Illustrator, and check that the colours separate into the layers you expect. If you're paying, you can check this during the month you subscribe.

Which one to pick

• SVGFormat: free cutting, CAD, print and embroidery files, without uploading your image. It works best on logos, icons, clipart and line art, and it has no shape-by-shape editor or API.
• Vector Magic: a built-in vector editor, or a desktop app for larger images and batches. SVGFormat vs Vector Magic
• Vectorizer.AI: harder artwork such as scans and sketches, fine control over corners and shapes, or an API. SVGFormat vs Vectorizer.AI
• Vectosolve: AI extras like a logo generator, or a person to redraw difficult artwork. SVGFormat vs Vectosolve
• PicSVG: a simple free SVG converter with effects to adjust the result, for JPG, GIF and PNG files up to 4 MB.
• PNGtoSVG: a free SVG converter with no signup and adjustable detail, which also accepts WEBP and AVIF.
• Adobe Express: a free converter that suits you if you already work with Adobe, for JPG and PNG files up to 40 MB.
• Canva: the natural pick if the design already lives in Canva. Check that your plan includes the vectorizer.

If you'd like to start with the free option, try your hardest image in SVGFormat, then compare the result with the others using the checks above.

Product names are trademarks of their owners. SVGFormat isn't affiliated with or endorsed by them.

Last updated November 1, 2026