Use SVG for your logo and icons on websites, because it is vector, stays sharp at any size and is usually tiny. Use PNG anywhere SVG is not accepted or displayed reliably: email signatures, social media, slides and documents. A complete logo package includes both, exported from one vector master.
SVG and PNG both handle transparent logos and icons, so they look interchangeable until something goes wrong: a blurry header logo, an email signature that shows a broken image, or a WordPress site that refuses the upload. This guide explains the real difference and gives you a simple rule for each place your logo goes.
SVG vs PNG at a glance
The core difference is how the image is stored. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) describes shapes as code, so the browser redraws it sharply at any size. PNG (Portable Network Graphics) stores a fixed grid of pixels, so it blurs when you enlarge it past its original size. If you want the longer background on that split, read raster vs vector.
| SVG | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Image type | Vector (shapes written as XML code) | Raster (fixed pixels) |
| Scaling | Sharp at any size, one file for every screen | Sharp only up to its pixel size, blurs when enlarged |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| File size | Tiny for simple logos and icons, can grow with very detailed art | Grows with pixel dimensions, larger copies needed for retina screens |
| Photos and textures | Poor fit | Works, though JPG or WebP is lighter for photos |
| Edit colors with CSS | Yes, when placed inline | No |
| Animation | Yes, with CSS or JavaScript | No (APNG is a separate variant) |
| Opens almost everywhere | All modern browsers, not every app or upload form | Yes, practically every app, platform and device |
| Best for | Website logos, icons, simple illustrations | Email, social media, slides, documents, screenshots |
Which one is better for a logo?
You need both. A logo is a shape, so the master file should be vector, and SVG is the right vector format for screens. But plenty of places where your logo appears do not accept SVG, so you also need PNG exports at fixed sizes. The question is never SVG or PNG for the brand. It is which file goes where.
That is why every logo package we deliver includes SVG and PNG side by side, plus AI, EPS and PDF for print. Our guide to logo file formats explains what each of those is for.
Which file to use where
| Where the logo goes | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Website header and footer | SVG | Sharp on every screen density, small file, one version to maintain |
| Website icons and simple illustrations | SVG | Can be recolored with CSS for hover states or dark mode |
| Email signature and newsletters | PNG | Gmail does not display SVG as a vector, it rasterizes it |
| Social profile pictures and posts | PNG (or JPG) | Most social platforms only accept raster uploads |
| Slides, Word and Google Docs | PNG | Works in every version and on every computer you present from |
| Favicon | ICO and PNG, SVG as an extra | Google Search does not list SVG as a supported favicon format |
| Print, signs, merch | PDF, EPS or AI | Printers expect print vector formats and CMYK or spot colors |
| Photos and screenshots | PNG, JPG or WebP | Pixel content cannot be stored efficiently as shapes |
For the exact favicon files and pixel sizes, see the favicon size guide.
Is SVG always smaller than PNG?
Usually, not always. For a simple logo or icon an SVG is often a few kilobytes, while a PNG has to be exported at 2x or 3x for retina screens, which multiplies its weight. But an SVG made from thousands of paths, gradients or a traced photo can be heavier than a small PNG.
The most common cause of a bloated or blurry SVG is a fake SVG: a PNG or JPG embedded inside an SVG file. It has the .svg extension but none of the benefits. To check, open the file in a text editor. If you see a long block of random characters starting with data:image/png;base64, there is a pixel image inside, not real vector shapes.
Where SVG causes problems
- Email. According to Can I email, Gmail webmail renders SVG images rasterized as PNG, and the Gmail mobile apps only show them for non Google accounts. Outlook and Apple Mail handle them, but your signature has to work in all of them, so use PNG.
- WordPress uploads. WordPress core does not allow SVG uploads by default, because SVG is XML and can carry scripts. You need a plugin such as Safe SVG that sanitizes the file. Webflow, by contrast, accepts SVG in the Assets panel directly, alongside PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP and AVIF.
- Files from unknown sources. Because SVG can contain code, only upload SVGs you or your designer created, and never allow anonymous users to upload them to your site.
- Complex artwork. Detailed illustrations with textures or shading are better exported as PNG or WebP than forced into vector.
Can you convert PNG to SVG?
Converting SVG to PNG is easy: open the SVG in any design tool or browser and export at the pixel size you need. The other direction is harder. Renaming a .png to .svg does nothing, and online converters either wrap the pixels inside an SVG (the fake SVG above) or auto trace the shapes, which often produces wobbly edges, extra nodes and slightly wrong colors.
For a logo, the reliable route is:
- Find the best source you have. The largest, cleanest PNG or JPG, or an old PDF from the original designer.
- Trace or redraw it in a vector tool. Image Trace works for simple, high contrast marks. Text and geometric shapes are better redrawn. Our how to vectorize a logo guide walks through three methods.
- Clean it up. Remove stray points, fix curves, replace traced lettering with the real font, and set exact brand colors.
- Export SVG for the web, then export PNGs at the sizes you need from that same master.
- Check both in context. Put the SVG on the live site and the PNG in an email signature before you send files to anyone.
From the studio: before we export a client's SVG for a website, we convert all text to outlines and run the file through an optimizer like SVGO. Live text in an SVG falls back to a default font on any computer that lacks the brand font, and design apps leave editor metadata that adds weight without changing how the logo looks. Those two steps fix most "my SVG logo looks wrong on the site" messages we get.
How to tell which one you have
- Check the extension and file size. A real logo SVG is usually a few kilobytes to a few dozen.
- Zoom in. Open the file in a browser and zoom to 400%. A true SVG stays crisp, a PNG or fake SVG shows soft or blocky edges.
- Open it in a text editor. Real SVG code shows readable tags like path and circle.
If all you have is a small PNG with a white box behind it, start by removing the background as a short term fix, then get it vectorized so you never have to repeat it.
Related guides
We redraw it as a clean vector and deliver SVG, PNG, AI, EPS and PDF files ready for web and print.
FAQ
Is SVG better quality than PNG?
For logos, icons and flat graphics, yes, because SVG redraws sharply at any size. For photos and detailed textures, PNG or JPG keeps more detail.
Should my website logo be SVG or PNG?
SVG, as long as it is a real vector file without an embedded image inside. Keep a PNG copy for email, social profiles and places that do not accept SVG uploads.
Can I use an SVG in my email signature?
It is not recommended. Gmail does not display SVG as a vector, so use a PNG exported at twice the display size to keep it sharp on retina screens.
Does converting PNG to SVG make it a vector?
Not by renaming or wrapping it. A real vector needs the shapes traced or redrawn, and logos usually need manual cleanup after automatic tracing.
Founder of SkyDesigner. Fiverr Pro Vetted designer, selling on Fiverr since 2014 with 24,500+ reviews.
