Vector vs raster: what's the difference, and which file do you need?

The vector vs raster question decides whether your artwork prints crisp or comes out fuzzy. It's also the first thing a print shop, sign maker or embroiderer will ask about. Here's the difference in plain words, and how to know which file you actually need.

Raster images are made of pixels

A raster image is a grid of tiny colored squares called pixels. Photos from your phone, screenshots, JPGs and PNGs are all raster files. Zoom in far enough and you'll see the squares.

Because a raster image has a fixed number of pixels, it has a fixed amount of detail. Stretch a 500-pixel-wide logo across a 4-foot banner and each pixel becomes a visible block. That's the blurry, jagged look you get when a small image is printed large.

Common raster formats:

• JPG: photos; small files, but compression adds smudgy artifacts around edges and text

• PNG: graphics and transparent backgrounds; lossless, so edges stay clean (our PNG guide)

• TIFF, PSD, WebP: print photography, layered Photoshop files and web images

Vector graphics are made of math

A vector file stores shapes as points, lines and curves, described by math instead of pixels. When you resize it, the software redraws those shapes at the new size, so the edges stay perfectly sharp whether the art is a 1-inch sticker or a 40-foot wrap.

Vectors also keep every element separate and editable: you can change a color, swap a font or move one shape without touching the rest.

Common vector formats:

• AI: Adobe Illustrator's editable master file (what is an AI file?)

• EPS: an older exchange format many printers still ask for (EPS explained)

• SVG: the open format for cutting machines, lasers and websites (SVG guide)

• PDF: can hold vectors, and is the standard for sending print jobs (print-ready PDFs)

• DXF: CAD geometry for CNC routers and lasers (DXF guide)

Vector vs raster at a glance

• Scaling: vectors scale to any size; rasters blur when enlarged

• Best for: vectors suit logos, text, icons and cut lines; rasters suit photos and painterly artwork

• Editing: vectors let you change colors and shapes freely; rasters are edited pixel by pixel

• File size: vector files stay small; large rasters can be huge

How to tell if your file is a vector

• Check the extension. AI, EPS, SVG, PDF and DXF can hold vectors. JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP and TIFF are always raster.

• Zoom in a long way. Vector edges stay razor sharp at 1600%; raster edges turn into squares or blur.

• Use outline view. In Illustrator or Inkscape, outline view (Ctrl/Cmd+Y) shows vector shapes as thin paths. A raster image shows up as an empty box.

• Watch for fake vectors. A JPG placed inside an EPS or PDF is still a raster, so the extension alone doesn't prove anything.

Which one do you need?

It depends on what's going to happen to the file:

• Screen printing, vinyl, embroidery, signs, laser and CNC: vector. These processes follow edges and paths, so they need clean shapes.

• Cricut and Silhouette: vector (SVG or DXF) for anything you cut. Raster works only for print-then-cut. See the best file formats for Cricut and Silhouette.

• DTF, DTG and sublimation: a high-resolution raster PNG at 300 DPI, ideally exported from a vector master.

• Websites: SVG for logos and icons, PNG or WebP for photos.

The safest setup is to keep one vector master of your logo and export raster versions from it whenever you need them. You can always make a perfect raster from a vector. Going the other way takes redrawing.

What if you only have a raster?

Most people only have a JPG pulled from a website or a photo of a business card. That's fine: the artwork can be traced, which means redrawing every shape as a clean vector path. Software can auto-trace simple shapes, but logos with text, thin lines or gradients come out lumpy. We explain why in auto-trace vs hand tracing.

If you need a vector version of an existing logo, our vector tracing service redraws it by hand from $25, with unlimited revisions.