EPS vs SVG vs PDF: Which Logo File Format Do You Actually Need?

You get a folder from your designer labelled "Logo Files." Inside: an AI file, an EPS, two PDFs, an SVG, and a folder of PNGs at five different sizes. Your immediate question is: which one do I actually use?

The short answer: it depends entirely on what you're doing with the logo. The longer answer is what this article covers.

Understanding logo file formats is not optional if you want your brand to work correctly across every context. Send the wrong file to a printer and you get a rejection. Embed the wrong file in a website and you get a logo that looks blurry on retina screens. Use the wrong file for embroidery and the digitizer can't work with it.

This guide covers every major format, what it's for, and when you need it. For context on why file format matters so much for AI-generated logos specifically, see why AI logos get rejected by printers and our complete file formats overview.

The Two Fundamental Categories

Before going format by format, understand the distinction that governs everything else:

Raster formats store images as grids of pixels. They have a fixed resolution — a pixel dimension — and quality degrades when you scale them up. JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, WebP: all raster.

Vector formats store images as mathematical descriptions of shapes. An SVG file doesn't say "this pixel is blue" — it says "draw a circle of radius 50 at position (100, 100) with fill colour #1a1a1a." That instruction scales to any size and produces a perfect result at every resolution. SVG, EPS, AI, PDF (when vector-based): all vector.

For a logo, you need both: vector masters for production, raster exports for specific applications that can't use vector. Every professional logo vectorization delivers both.

SVG — The Modern Web Standard

What it is: Scalable Vector Graphics. An XML-based vector format that browsers render natively.

When to use it:

• Website logos (header, footer, favicon with some conversion)
• App icons and UI assets
• Any digital context where the logo needs to scale across screen resolutions
• Developer handoff — SVG can be embedded directly in HTML, animated with CSS, and styled programmatically

When not to use it:

• Printing via traditional print vendors who don't accept SVG
• Embroidery digitization systems (most don't support SVG natively)
• Microsoft Office or Google Workspace — use PNG for these

Technical notes: A well-optimised SVG logo is typically 1–5KB. A poorly constructed SVG from auto-trace can be 200KB+ and render slowly. See SVG optimization for web for the full cleanup process. The SVG conversion service handles this for AI-generated logos specifically.

EPS — The Print Industry Standard

What it is: Encapsulated PostScript. A legacy vector format that has been the print industry standard since the 1980s.

When to use it:

• Offset print vendors (commercial printers, packaging)
• Signage companies and large-format print shops
• Screen printing suppliers
• Any vendor who specifically requests "a vector file" — EPS is almost always what they mean
• Older design software compatibility

When not to use it:

• Web and digital applications (browsers don't render EPS)
• Modern design handoffs where SVG or AI is preferred
• Email or document embedding

Technical notes: EPS should be saved with vector paths only — no embedded raster images, no effects that require rasterisation. The colours in the EPS must be in CMYK for print use, not RGB. This is one reason why colour conversion is part of every professional vectorization workflow.

PDF — The Universal Presentation Format

What it is: Portable Document Format. When created from a vector source, PDFs preserve vector quality. When created from a raster, they're just a raster inside a wrapper.

When to use it:

• Sending your logo for a pitch deck or presentation
• Vendor submissions where you're unsure what format they accept
• Press submissions, award entries, publication use
• Colour proof review — PDFs accurately represent colours across devices

When not to use it:

• Web embedding (browsers render PDFs in a viewer, not as native images)
• Developer handoff (use SVG instead)
• As a substitute for EPS with print vendors who specifically require EPS

Technical notes: Always confirm your PDF was exported from a vector source, not flattened from a raster. "PDF" does not equal "vector" — a PDF created from a PNG is still a raster image.

AI — The Editable Master

What it is: Adobe Illustrator's native format. The working source file, not a delivery format.

When to use it:

• Making revisions or modifications to the logo
• Passing to another designer who uses Illustrator
• Agency work where the client wants full editing control

When not to use it:

• Sending to vendors — they can't open AI files without Illustrator
• Web use
• Anywhere a finalized, non-editable file is appropriate

Technical notes: AI files with embedded fonts require the recipient to have the same fonts installed, or the fonts need to be converted to outlines (Type → Create Outlines) before sharing. Always include "Create Outlines" in your delivery prep. The AI file should be organized with logical named layers — "Mark," "Wordmark," "Colour Swatches" — so anyone picking it up can navigate it immediately.

PNG — The Raster Companion

What it is: Portable Network Graphics. A lossless raster format with transparency support.

When to use it:

• Microsoft Office documents (Word, PowerPoint)
• Google Workspace (Docs, Slides)
• Social media profile images
• Email signatures
• Any software that can't handle SVG
• Small sizes where a vector isn't supported

When not to use it:

• Print at large sizes (degrades in quality)
• Any application that specifically requires vector

Technical notes: Request PNGs at multiple resolutions — 1x and 2x for web (72 DPI at the pixel dimensions you need), and 300 DPI for any print application. A "high resolution PNG" at 300 DPI for a specific size doesn't scale: a 300 DPI PNG sized for a business card looks fine on the card but breaks at poster size. Vector is the only format that truly scales.

Quick Reference: Format by Use Case

What This Means for AI-Generated Logos

If you started with an AI-generated PNG from Midjourney, DALL-E, Ideogram, or any other tool, you have exactly one of the formats listed above: PNG. And it's a low-DPI screen PNG, not even a print-resolution one.

To get the full file set above, the PNG needs to be professionally vectorized — rebuilt as mathematical paths in a vector application. Our AI logo vectorization service produces the complete file set as standard: SVG, AI, EPS, PDF, and PNG exports at multiple resolutions, with CMYK and Pantone colour values documented.

The SVG conversion service is specifically for situations where you have a vector file in one format and need it optimised or converted for a specific application.