Adobe Illustrator Image Trace vs Linearity Curve: which one a designer needs

Q: Is VectorMagik free to use?

VectorMagik is free for everyone . The licence is PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 , and business use needs a licence under it . Read those licence terms before you use the tool on paid work. A command-line version does the same work without a window , and a browser version runs on the same engine .

Adobe Illustrator Image Trace and Linearity Curve compared for designers: exports, editing, offline use, pricing and setup, with notes on VectorMagik.

By 2Dex · 2026-10-18

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

This page compares Adobe Illustrator Image Trace, Linearity Curve and VectorMagik using only what each one's sources say. Where those sources are silent, it points to what to check instead.

Option	Own price	Card fee	Exports	Offline use
Adobe Illustrator Image Trace	not published	not published	not published	not published
Linearity Curve	Studio plan: $30 per editor per month billed monthly, or $25 per editor per month billed annually ^[1]	not published	PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF and Linearity document formats ^[1]	Usable offline, and core features such as creating, editing and exporting work without an internet connection, though cloud features may be limited ^[2] ^[2]
VectorMagik	Free for everyone; business use needs a licence ^[3]	not published	SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG ^[3]	not published

The short answer

Linearity Curve's sources say it exports designs as PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF and Linearity document formats ^[1], lets you import and apply your own logos, colour palettes and fonts ^[1], and keeps generated vectors, text layers and paths fully editable inside its editor ^[1]. VectorMagik traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine ^[3]. The facts on this page do not say what Adobe Illustrator Image Trace does, so check Adobe's own page first. If you need exports to SVG, PDF or PNG with your own logos and fonts, Linearity Curve's sources cover those needs ^[1] ^[1]. If you need a traced picture saved as DXF or EMF, or cut out as a die-cut sticker, VectorMagik's claims cover those needs ^[3] ^[3].

What Adobe Illustrator Image Trace and Linearity Curve are built for

This page has no published facts about what Adobe Illustrator Image Trace does. Check Adobe's own page for its features, exports and setup. Linearity Curve's pages say it exports to PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF and Linearity document formats ^[1]. They also say you can import and apply your own custom logos, colour palettes and custom fonts ^[1]. Generated vectors, text layers and paths are fully editable inside the Linearity editor ^[1]. For the Adobe option, the same checks belong on its own page, which this comparison cannot confirm.

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]. A control you can adjust merges neighbouring curve pieces, and Auto picks the largest setting that keeps the picture ^[3]. You can move or delete curve nodes and round individual corners after converting ^[3]. You can limit the result to between 1 and 64 colours ^[3]. You can click shapes to delete them, such as a background, or merge two shades into one ^[3]. It can add a die-cut sticker outline with a border, white rim and optional drop shadow ^[3]. You can compare the vector with the bitmap side by side, or flip between them with B and V keys ^[3]. A command-line version does the same work without a window and lets an AI assistant trace pictures on your computer ^[3].

Pricing and fees

The table above sets out each option's price. Adobe Illustrator Image Trace has no published price on this page, so check Adobe's own page before you compare. Check the Linearity Curve price in the table against the number of people who will use it. No card fee is published for any of the three options, so check each page's payment terms before you buy. VectorMagik is free for everyone ^[3]. Business use needs a licence under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 ^[3].

Getting started and everyday use

Adobe Illustrator Image Trace's installation and daily steps are not set out on this page, so check Adobe's own page for them. Once a design is ready, Linearity Curve's sources say you can export it as PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF or Linearity document formats ^[1], and generated vectors can be changed inside its editor ^[1]. 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) and Linux x64, plus a browser version ^[3]. A version runs in the web browser using the same engine ^[3].

Things to check before you choose

Which systems do you work on? Check that each tool's page lists the systems you use, since the facts here cover only some of them.
Will the result go into paid client work? Read the licence terms for each tool before you install it on a work machine.
Do you need your traced file saved as DXF, EMF or EPS? Check which formats each tool lists.
Do you need to work without an internet connection? Check each tool's offline details, since this page has none for Adobe Illustrator Image Trace.
Do you need to edit curve nodes after tracing? Check which tool lists that step.
Do you need your own logos, palettes and fonts inside the file? Check each tool's page for that feature.

How to choose

You want to export a design as SVG, PDF or PNG and apply your own logos and fonts: Linearity Curve ^[1] ^[1].
You want generated vectors, text layers and paths to stay editable in an editor: Linearity Curve ^[1].
You want a traced picture saved as DXF or EMF: VectorMagik ^[3].
You want a die-cut sticker outline around a traced picture: VectorMagik ^[3].
You want to limit a traced result to a set number of colours: VectorMagik ^[3].
You want to trace with Adobe Illustrator Image Trace: check Adobe's own page first, since this page has no details for it.

Frequently asked questions

Is VectorMagik free to use?

VectorMagik is free for everyone ^[3]. The licence is PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 ^[3], and business use needs a licence under it ^[3]. Read those licence terms before you use the tool on paid work. A command-line version does the same work without a window ^[3], and a browser version runs on the same engine ^[3].

Can Linearity Curve apply custom logos, colour palettes and fonts?

Linearity Curve's sources say you can import and apply your own custom logos, colour palettes and custom fonts ^[1]. Its sources also say you can export outputs as PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF and Linearity document formats ^[1]. Check the export format you need against that list before you start a project. Then import one of your own logo or font files to confirm it works in the tool before you rely on it.

Can Linearity Curve edit generated vectors and text layers?

Linearity Curve's sources say generated vectors, text layers and paths are fully editable inside its editor ^[1]. That covers the shapes the tool generates, so editing happens inside the editor. Check whether your work needs edits in another program, since this page holds no facts about that. For Adobe Illustrator Image Trace, this page has no details, so check its own page for what can be edited.

Can VectorMagik limit a traced picture to a few colours?

VectorMagik lets you limit the result to between 1 and 64 colours ^[3]. After tracing, you can click shapes to delete them, such as a background, or merge two shades into one ^[3]. You can also move or delete curve nodes and round individual corners after converting ^[3]. Check that the colour limit suits the palette your project needs before you export.

Does Adobe Illustrator Image Trace have a free version?

This page has no published details on Adobe Illustrator Image Trace, including whether it has a free version or what it costs. Check Adobe's own page for its plans, prices and any trial. Compare what that page says with the Linearity Curve and VectorMagik rows in the table above, and check it against the export formats and offline use you need.

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

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