Adobe Illustrator Image Trace vs Inkscape (Potrace): which one a designer needs

Compare Adobe Illustrator Image Trace, Inkscape (Potrace) and VectorMagik for tracing bitmaps into vectors, with pricing, platforms and everyday use.

By 2Dex · 2026-10-13

2Dex is published by the makers of SageThumbs 2K, RēDesign and VectorMagik, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Inkscape (Potrace) is free, GPL-licensed software whose learning resources include written tutorials, among them a Bitmap Tracing tutorial ^[1] ^[2]. For Adobe Illustrator Image Trace, check Adobe's own pages for what the tool does and what it costs. VectorMagik traces pictures into vector shapes with its own engine and exports to SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG ^[3] ^[3]. It is free for everyone, with business use needing a licence ^[3].

Option	Price	Platforms	Export formats
Adobe Illustrator Image Trace	not published	not published	not published
Inkscape (Potrace)	Free, GPL-licensed ^[1]	not published	broad file format compatibility ^[1]
VectorMagik	Free for everyone; business use needs a licence ^[3]	Windows x64, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Linux x64, browser ^[3]	SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF, PNG ^[3]

The short answer

Inkscape (Potrace) is free and open source software licensed under the GPL ^[1]. Its learning resources include written tutorials, among them a Bitmap Tracing tutorial ^[2]. Adobe's own pages are the place to confirm what Image Trace does and what it costs. VectorMagik traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine ^[3]. It can save the result as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG ^[3]. It is free for everyone, and business use needs a licence under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 ^[3]. Inkscape (Potrace) provides bitmap tracing learning resources and other listed features ^[2] ^[1]. Adobe's own pages are the place to confirm what Image Trace does for a designer. VectorMagik traces pictures into vector shapes and provides the listed export and editing features ^[3] ^[3] ^[3] ^[3].

What Adobe Illustrator Image Trace, Inkscape (Potrace) is built for

Inkscape (Potrace) is free and open source software licensed under the GPL ^[1]. Its current stable version is 1.4.4 ^[1]. Its page lists flexible drawing tools, broad file format compatibility, a text tool, and Bezier and spiro curves ^[1]. Inkscape's page lists written tutorials, among them a Bitmap Tracing tutorial ^[2]. Adobe's own pages are the place to confirm what Image Trace converts, which export formats it offers and what it costs.

What VectorMagik is built for

VectorMagik is made by the team that publishes this site. It traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine ^[3]. You can save the result as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG ^[3]. A tolerance slider merges neighbouring curve pieces, and Auto picks the largest tolerance that keeps the picture ^[3]. You can move or delete curve nodes and round individual corners after converting ^[3]. The result can be limited to between 1 and 64 colours ^[3]. It can add a die-cut sticker outline with a border, white rim and optional drop shadow ^[3]. Shapes can be clicked to delete background or merge shades ^[3]. A command-line version does the same work without a window and lets an AI assistant trace pictures on your computer ^[3]. A version runs in the web browser using the same engine ^[3]. You can compare the vector with the bitmap side by side, or flip between them with B and V keys ^[3].

Pricing and fees

Inkscape (Potrace) is free and open source software licensed under the GPL ^[1]. Adobe's own pages are the place to check Image Trace's price. VectorMagik is free for everyone, and business use needs a licence under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 ^[3]. It is licensed under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 ^[3]. No card or payment service fee is published for these tools.

Getting started and everyday use

Inkscape offers flexible drawing tools, broad file format compatibility, a text tool, and Bezier and spiro curves ^[1]. Inkscape's page lists written tutorials, among them a Bitmap Tracing tutorial ^[2]. Adobe's own documentation is the place to check the exact steps. VectorMagik installs with a Windows installer, a portable zip, a macOS zip, a Debian/Ubuntu .deb or a Linux tar.gz, all from GitHub releases ^[3]. Downloads exist for Windows x64, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Linux x64, plus a browser version ^[3]. In everyday use, VectorMagik lets a designer adjust curve simplification with a tolerance slider and compare the vector with the bitmap side by side ^[3] ^[3].

Things to check before you choose

Which operating systems do you work on? Verify that the tool supports Windows, macOS or Linux as needed.
Do you need a free, GPL-licensed solution, or are you willing to pay for a commercial suite?
Is bitmap tracing a core part of your workflow, and do you need advanced node editing after tracing?
Will you export to specific formats such as AI, DXF or EPS? Check which tool lists each one.
Do you prefer a standalone app, a feature inside a larger suite, or a dedicated tracing tool?
Do you need to limit the number of colours in the traced result? Check whether each tool offers colour control.
Do you need a die-cut sticker outline with a border and white rim? Check whether each tool can add one.

How to choose

Inkscape (Potrace) lists flexible drawing tools, broad file format compatibility, a text tool, and Bezier and spiro curves, plus written tutorials including a Bitmap Tracing tutorial ^[1] ^[2]. Check that those listed features cover the tracing and drawing you plan to do.
You already use Adobe Illustrator and want to check its tracing feature: Adobe's own pages for Image Trace.
You want a dedicated tracer with multi-format export, curve simplification and node editing: VectorMagik ^[3] ^[3] ^[3] ^[3]. Business use needs a licence under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 ^[3].
You need to limit colours or add a die-cut sticker outline: VectorMagik ^[3] ^[3].
You want to compare the vector and bitmap side by side while you work: VectorMagik ^[3].
You need Bezier and spiro curves and broad file format compatibility: Inkscape (Potrace) ^[1].
You want to trace from a web browser or a command-line tool: VectorMagik ^[3] ^[3].

Frequently asked questions

Is Inkscape (Potrace) free for commercial projects?

Inkscape is free and open source software licensed under the GPL ^[1]. Read the GPL terms on Inkscape's own page before using it for paid work.

What file formats can VectorMagik export?

VectorMagik can save the traced result as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG ^[3].

Does Adobe Illustrator Image Trace have a trial version?

Pricing information for Adobe Illustrator Image Trace is not published. Any trial details would need to be checked on Adobe's official site.

Can you simplify curves when tracing with VectorMagik?

Yes. VectorMagik provides a tolerance slider that merges neighbouring curve pieces, and an Auto mode that picks the largest tolerance that keeps the picture ^[3]. You can also move or delete curve nodes and round individual corners after converting ^[3].

Are tutorials available for bitmap tracing in Inkscape?

Inkscape's page lists written tutorials, among them a Bitmap Tracing tutorial ^[2]. Interactive versions of these tutorials can be found from within Inkscape via the Help menu.

Free for everyone; business use needs a licence (PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0). ^[3]

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