Vector File Formats: AI, EPS, SVG, PDF, DXF & When to Use Each
Vector file formats store artwork as paths and shapes rather than pixels, but each one was built for a different job. This guide compares AI, EPS, SVG, PDF, DXF and CDR, shows which one a printer, web developer or cutting machine expects, and explains what to do when the file you have is a JPG or PNG instead.
- What each format is for
- Which one printers, websites and machines ask for
- How to tell a real vector from a wrapped bitmap
- Conversion help from $7 per image
How Vector File Formats Differ
All of these formats can hold the same vector paths, yet they differ in what else they carry. Some keep layers, artboards and editable text for designers; some are built for reliable printing; one is written in code that browsers read; another is designed for CAD and machine tool paths. Picking the right one is mostly about who opens the file next and what software they use.
- Editing formats keep layers and artboards
- Exchange formats travel between programs
- Machine formats carry clean, closed paths
The Main Vector File Formats Compared
What each extension means and who usually asks for it.
AI (Illustrator)
Adobe Illustrator’s working format. Keeps layers, artboards and swatches; share it with designers who use that program.
EPS
An older PostScript-based exchange format still requested by sign makers, embroiderers and promotional product suppliers.
SVG
An open, code-based format for websites, apps and cutting machines; it scales with the screen and stays lightweight.
A universal format for client review copies and press-ready print files; it can hold true vectors when exported correctly.
DXF
A CAD exchange format read by laser, plasma, CNC and router software; it needs closed, single-line paths.
CDR
CorelDRAW’s native format. If a supplier sends CDR, an EPS, PDF or AI copy is usually the easiest way to share it.
Which Format Each Job Usually Needs
A quick guide to what people ask for when they say they need a vector file.
Need a Vector File Made?
If your artwork only exists as a JPG, PNG or low-resolution scan, saving it with a new extension will not make it vector. Our artists redraw it by hand from $7 per image for simple designs, with detailed pieces quoted after review. You get the exact price by email before paying.
- Conversions usually back within 24 hours
- Rush delivery from 6 hours (extra charge may apply)
- Pay safely by PayPal, Visa or Mastercard
- AI, EPS, SVG, PDF and PNG in one order
Collecting Files for a Whole Brand?
Companies often discover that their logos and graphics live in a mix of formats. Send the full set; we convert each piece once and return a matched package for print, web and machines.
- Every asset in matching formats
- Consistent color modes
- Clear, versioned file names
- One quote for the package
To have a file redrawn, start with image to vector conversion. For web and cutting files specifically, our SVG converter page explains the process, and the vector converter page covers moving artwork between AI, EPS, PDF and DXF.
How to Check That a File Is Truly Vector
Zoom far in
Edges that stay razor sharp under heavy magnification are vector; soft, blocky edges mean pixels.
Look at the outline view
In a vector editor, outline mode shows thin paths; a placed photo appears as a box with a cross.
Check the file size
A simple logo as vector is usually small; a large file can signal an embedded bitmap.
Ask how it was made
A JPG renamed to EPS or PDF is still a JPG inside. Real conversion means redrawing.
A raster image saved as EPS or PDF
- Still made of pixels inside
- Blurs when enlarged
- Rejected by cutters and engravers
- Colors cannot be separated
A redrawn vector file
- Paths and shapes throughout
- Sharp at every size
- Accepted by machines and printers
- Each color an editable fill
One Logo, Four Suppliers, Four Formats
Example: a small brewery’s printer wants PDF, its sign maker EPS, its web developer SVG and its laser engraver DXF.
- The situation
- The brewery only has a PNG of its logo, and each supplier is asking for a different file type.
- The fix
- An artist redraws the logo once as a vector master, then exports each format with the right settings.
- The result
- A matched package of PDF, EPS, SVG and DXF files, plus PNG copies for social media.
How It Works
Check what you have
Open the file and zoom in; if it pixelates, it is raster.
Send it for a quote
Upload the image; we email an exact price and you pay to start.
We rebuild it
An artist redraws the artwork as clean vector paths, checked by QC.
Get every format
Download AI, EPS, SVG, PDF and PNG, with two free revisions.
What Clients Say About Our Vector Files
“I often receive jpg logos from clients who need to do signage or embroidery, where vector art is required. I’ve used Vector Design for several years and they are always extremely quick and the quality of their vector files is excellent.”Merili LoucksSignage & embroidery · Google review
“I’ve been in the promotional products industry for 45 years and they are the most efficient design company I have worked with.”Don GardinerPromotional products · Google review
“I have used their services on several projects, always timely and very professional. They are our go-to partner.”Scott TurnerRepeat client · Google review
Rated five stars in 500+ Google reviews.
Vector File Formats FAQ
What are vector file formats?
Vector file formats are file types that store images as mathematical paths, points and fills instead of pixels. The most common are AI, EPS, SVG, PDF, DXF and CDR. Because the shapes are recalculated at any size, artwork saved in these formats stays sharp from a business card to a billboard.
How much does it cost to convert an image into vector file formats?
Our artists redraw simple artwork from $7 per image and return it as AI, EPS, SVG, PDF and PNG in one order. Detailed illustrations and difficult sources are quoted individually. Upload the image and we email the exact price before you pay.
Which format should I send to a printer?
Most printers prefer a PDF exported with fonts outlined and the correct color mode, or an EPS. Large-format and sign printers often accept AI as well. When in doubt, ask the printer for their specification sheet and send the format it lists.
Which format is right for websites and cutting machines?
SVG suits websites because browsers read it natively and it stays light. Cutting plotters and craft machines also read SVG, while laser, plasma and CNC software generally expect a DXF file with closed, non-overlapping paths and no stray points.
Can I open an AI file without Illustrator?
Recent AI files usually contain a PDF-compatible copy, so many PDF viewers and other vector programs can display them. Editing layers and effects reliably still needs the original software, so ask the sender for an EPS, PDF or SVG copy if you cannot open it.
Does renaming a JPG to EPS or SVG make it vector?
No. Changing the extension or using Save As simply wraps the same pixels in a new container. To get true vector artwork, the image has to be traced or redrawn as paths, which is what our artists do by hand.
Get Your Artwork in Every Vector Format
Upload the JPG, PNG or scan you have. We email an exact price and delivery time and start redrawing once payment is confirmed.