What is the difference between vector and raster images?

Raster images (JPG, PNG, WebP) are made of pixels and blur when enlarged. Vector images (SVG, EPS, AI, PDF) are made of shapes and stay sharp at any size.

Every image file is one of two kinds. Knowing which one you have tells you whether it can be enlarged for a sign or a banner.

Raster images

A raster image is a grid of tiny colored squares called pixels. Photos are always raster. Common raster formats are JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF and HEIC.

Good for: photos and detailed artwork.
Limit: a raster image has a fixed number of pixels. Enlarging it past that makes it blurry or blocky.

Vector images

A vector image stores shapes, lines and curves as math. The computer redraws them at whatever size you need. Common vector formats are SVG, EPS, AI and some PDFs. SVG is the open web standard for vector graphics, published by the W3C.

Good for: logos, icons, illustrations and type.
Limit: vector cannot hold a photo's natural detail.

How to tell which one you have

Zoom in a long way. If edges turn into visible squares, it is raster. If edges stay crisp, it is vector.
Check the file name ending. .jpg, .png, .webp and .heic are raster. .svg, .eps and .ai are vector.
A PDF can hold either, so zoom in to check.

Why this matters for your business

Your logo should exist as vector, so it works on a website, a business card and a billboard.
Saving a raster file as SVG or PDF does not make it vector. It must be redrawn.

Common problems

If a printer says your logo is "low resolution", they need a vector file or a much larger raster file.
If a logo looks fuzzy on a large screen, ask us to use the SVG version.
If you only have a raster logo, a designer can redraw it as vector.

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