Logo File Formats: Everything You Need to Know

A logo, as a visual embodiment of your brand, is an anchor that makes the first impression. However, it can easily lose all its magic if saved in an inappropriate format. And here a logical question arises: which file format would you use to create a logo to avoid such troubles?

Imagine a masterpiece of painting printed on toilet paper — a logo saved improperly produces about the same effect. To ensure that your logo always looks its best, let’s understand the intricacies of logo file formats and choose those worthy of your visual concept.

PNG – Transparency as a Superpower

We start our guide to logo formats with PNG, which is widely used in the digital world.

If we talk about what file type allows transparent background, PNG is the undisputed leader. 

Imagine the situation: your logo needs to fit organically into the design of a website with a gradient background or be superimposed on a photo on social media. PNG comes to the scene, silently removing the background and leaving only a clear outline of your brand. This is achieved through the support of the alpha channel, which allows you to set the degree of transparency of each pixel.

But transparency isn’t the only benefit of PNG logo files. It also offers lossless image compression, meaning your logo will retain its original clarity and rich colors, even after multiple saves and openings. PNG is the perfect choice when: 

• Transparency: For overlaying on any background.
• Quality: Lossless compression ensures clarity.
• Web graphics: Optimal for websites and online platforms.

Forget about annoying white rectangles around the logo on a colored background – this logo file type solves this issue neatly and effectively. However, it is worth remembering the nature of PNG – it is a raster format. When enlarged to gigantic sizes, you will see the very pixels that make up the image. But when you’re considering the best format for a website’s logo and other tasks on the Internet and digital environment where logo sizes are usually small, PNG is your reliable and irreplaceable assistant.

SVG – Vector Logo Format

SVG is a format that offers impressive capabilities, especially when it comes to scaling. Imagine a transforming logo that can be a tiny icon on a website or a giant banner on the street, and always remain crystal clear, without a hint of blur or pixelation.

Unlike different raster formats, SVG describes a logo’s image not with a set of dots, but with mathematical formulas — vectors. 

This allows you to scale the image to infinity without losing a drop of quality. SVG is a must-have for a modern brand that strives for:

• Adaptability: perfect look on any screen and size.
• Scalability: from favicon to billboard – without loss of quality.
• Lightness: small file size speeds up page loading.
• Interactivity: support for animation and scripts.

This logo file format allows for easy design changes without losing clarity. SVG also supports animation, which allows you to create memorable interactive logos and stand out on the web. Moreover, vector files for logos are usually very small, which has a positive effect on the loading speed of web pages and SEO indicators of your site. If you want your logo to always look professional and modern, regardless of the context of use, SVG is your key to success. 

EPS – Specialized Logo File Format for Printing

EPS is a veteran graphic solution, time-tested and proven by printing houses, ideal for various types of logo formats. If you are wondering what is EPS format for logos, know that it is irreplaceable when you need the highest quality printing. EPS, like SVG, is a vector format, so it has all the advantages of scalability.

But EPS logo format is a more “serious” and thorough option, created for professional printing. 

It supports the CMYK color model, necessary for typographic needs, and allows you to save complex vector illustrations with the smallest details. EPS logos are the choice of professionals when the following points are important:

• High quality printing: for business cards, banners, packaging.
• CMYK colors: for accurate color rendition in printing.
• Compatibility: with professional printing equipment.
• Vector graphics: EPS version of logo scales without loss of quality for various tasks of any size.

Together, these parameters ensure not only technically flawless printing, but also maximum flexibility in implementing your design ideas. You can be sure that your brand colors will be reproduced with absolute precision, and your logo will look clear and professional even in the smallest details or on large-format media. To work with EPS logo files you will need professional software such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW, but the result – impeccable print quality – is worth all the effort.

PDF – The Last But not Least

PDF is a versatile logo format, a true jack of all trades in the world of graphics. It is like a Swiss army knife – always at hand and ready to solve a variety of tasks, including working with logos, no matter the different logo formats. PDF is unique in that it can be both vector and raster, adapting to your needs. It is ideal for: 

• Storage and Sharing: universal compatibility and quality preservation.
• Approvals: convenient viewing and commenting.
• Printing: support for CMYK and vector graphics.

PDF is a multifaceted format for sending your logo to a client, printer, or partner, knowing that the file will open on any device and operating system, while maintaining the original image quality and fonts. 

Once you understand how to create a logo file, you can choose PDF, saving the logo in vector format for scaling or in raster format if necessary. PDF supports transparency and both CMYK and RGB color models. This makes it convenient for a variety of purposes, from on-screen viewing to professional printing.

PDF also allows you to password protect your file, which can be useful when handing over your logo to a customer. If you need one format for all occasions, PDF is the best file format for logos. While there are more specialized formats for the web or direct printing (SVG, PNG, EPS), for storage, sharing, and overall versatility, PDF is hard to beat.

What format should a logo be in: Raster vs. Vector

Picking a logo file format is like a confrontation between two philosophical schools of thought in the world of images, and understanding their differences is the key to choosing the right format for your logo. Imagine two approaches to creating a painting:

Raster

A mosaic of millions of tiny colored squares called pixels. Each pixel carries color information, and together they form an image. Raster images, like photographs, are rich in detail and halftones, but when enlarged, they begin to “crumble” into pixels, losing their clarity. It’s like trying to enlarge a mosaic — instead of a smooth surface, you see individual tiles. The following extensions belong to raster logo formats:

• PNG: Transparency and quality make it perhaps the best format for a website logo.
• JPEG: Lossy compression for photographs and complex images.
• GIF: Animation and simple graphics with a limited palette.
• TIFF: High quality for printing and professional image processing.

Vector

A mathematical description of lines, curves, and shapes. A vector image is like a blueprint created using coordinates and formulas. As mentioned earlier, logo design in these file formats will always remain perfectly clear, as if you were looking at the original through a magnifying glass. It’s as if you were drawing the logo not with a brush, but with a laser, which draws the contours with mathematical precision. Vector formats include:

• SVG: The modern standard for the web, scalability and interactivity.
• EPS: A veteran of printing, reliability and high quality.
• PDF (vector): Versatility and scalability for different tasks.
• AI, CDR: Formats for working in Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW, respectively.

So what format should you choose for your logo?

In most cases, the best file type for logos is considered to be vector. Any logo needs to be versatile and scalable to look great on a business card or on a huge billboard.

Vector formats like SVG and EPS ensure that your logo will always look sharp and professional, no matter the size.  

When considering the best format for a logo on a website, raster formats, especially PNG, are great for web versions of a logo when transparency and small file size are important, but they should be used in predetermined sizes to avoid blurring when scaling.

Remember, vector is flexible and future-proof, raster is detail and nuance, but with limitations in scale. The choice is yours, but for a logo designed for versatility and scalability, vector formats are the best option.

Interesting points to consider:

• Raster logo file formats are well-suited for textures and effects: If your logo is designed with complex textures, photorealistic elements, or shadow and volume effects, raster is preferable. A professionally made raster logo can look stunning, especially in a web environment where image sizes are controlled. The key is to use a high resolution and keep in mind the scaling limitations.   
• Vector for flexibility and the future: vector logo format is an investment in the future of your brand. It gives you the freedom to scale, edit, and adapt the logo to any needs. Vector logos are easier to animate, use in 3D modeling, and integrate into various digital platforms. If you plan for your brand to grow and develop, a vector base is a strategically correct decision. 

Conclusion

Don’t let technicalities dim your brand’s shine. Luckily, tools like Turbologo simplify the design process, ensuring that you end up with the best logo format. Armed with this knowledge, and with Turbologo’s convenience, you can confidently choose formats that highlight the professionalism and quality of your logo, and by extension, your entire business.

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Victoria Maybach

Blog editor and content marketing specialist at Turbologo. Writing about Marketing and design. Victoria’s articles contain useful tips on how to build a brand and promote it online.