Adobe Illustrator Image Trace vs Vector Magic: which one a designer needs

Q: Which payment methods does Vector Magic accept?

Vector Magic accepts all major credit cards and PayPal . It does not accept purchase orders and does not issue invoices . If your company pays by purchase order or needs an invoice before buying, check whether that works for you before you choose a plan.

Compare Adobe Illustrator Image Trace, Vector Magic and VectorMagik on conversion features, pricing, platforms, and everyday use for designers in 2026.

By 2Dex · 2026-10-18

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

Adobe Illustrator Image Trace is part of Adobe Illustrator, and its feature page lists no separate price. Vector Magic converts JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF bitmaps to SVG, EPS and PDF online, with no software to install ^[1], and its desktop edition also produces AI and DXF output ^[1]. The Online Edition is $9.95 a month and the Desktop Edition is $295 once, paid one time ^[2] ^[2]. VectorMagik traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine ^[3], saves the result as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG ^[3], and is free for personal use ^[3].

Option	Personal use price	Commercial use price	Systems	Features
Adobe Illustrator Image Trace	Not published	Not published	Windows, macOS (desktop) not published	Converts raster images to editable vector paths inside Illustrator
Vector Magic	$9.95 / month for Online Edition ^[2]	$295 one‑time for Desktop Edition ^[2]	Desktop and laptop browsers: latest Chrome, Firefox, Edge ^[1]	Online converts JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF to SVG, EPS, PDF ^[1]; Desktop adds AI, DXF output ^[1]; Full transparency support in Desktop ^[1]
VectorMagik	Free for everyone ^[3]	Licence required for business use ^[3]	Windows x64, macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel), Linux x64, browser version ^[3]	Trace bitmap to vector shapes ^[3]; export SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF, PNG ^[3]; simplify curves ^[3]; node editing ^[3]; colour limit 1‑64 ^[3]; sticker outline ^[3]; click shapes to delete them or merge shades ^[3]; command‑line version ^[3]; browser version ^[3]; overlay compare ^[3]

The short answer

Vector Magic offers an online service that automatically converts JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF files to SVG, EPS or PDF ^[1], and a desktop edition that adds AI and DXF output ^[1]. The online edition costs $9.95 / month ^[2] and the desktop edition costs $295 one‑time ^[2]. VectorMagik traces pictures into vector shapes with its own engine ^[3], lets users export to SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG ^[3], and provides curve simplification, node editing and colour limiting ^[3] ^[3] ^[3].

What Adobe Illustrator Image Trace is built for

Adobe Illustrator Image Trace is part of Adobe Illustrator, and the feature’s page lists no separate price for it.

What Vector Magic is built for

The service automatically converts JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF bitmap images to SVG, EPS and PDF vector images online by uploading them ^[1]. The desktop edition also produces AI and DXF output ^[1]. It officially supports the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge on desktops and laptops ^[1]. The maximum allowed image size is 1 megapixel, regardless of aspect ratio ^[1], but there is currently no image byte size limitation ^[1]. The online editor allows a maximum of 1,000 edits per session ^[1].

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]. You can limit the result 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]. You can click shapes to delete them or merge two shades into one ^[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

Adobe Illustrator Image Trace is part of Adobe Illustrator, whose separate pricing is not listed on the feature’s page. Vector Magic’s Online Edition costs $9.95 per month, billed monthly, with unlimited use and the ability to cancel anytime ^[2]. The Desktop Edition costs $295 as a one‑time charge per licence, also with unlimited use ^[2]. VectorMagik is free for everyone for personal use, and business use requires a licence under the PolyForm Non‑commercial 1.0.0 licence ^[3].

Getting started and everyday use

VectorMagik can be installed from GitHub releases as a Windows installer, portable zip, macOS zip, Debian/Ubuntu .deb or Linux tar.gz ^[3]. The tolerance slider merges neighbouring curve pieces, and Auto picks the largest tolerance that keeps the picture ^[3]. Curve nodes can be moved or deleted, and individual corners rounded after converting ^[3]. A command‑line version does the same work without a window and lets an AI assistant trace pictures on your computer ^[3], and a version runs in the web browser using the same engine ^[3].

Things to check before you choose

Which operating system(s) do you work on? Verify that the tool lists support for your machines.
Do you need a free personal solution or are you willing to pay for commercial licences?
Is a browser‑only workflow sufficient, or do you need a desktop application that works offline?
How large are the images you plan to convert? Some services limit pixel dimensions.
Do you require advanced export formats such as AI, DXF or EMF, or is SVG enough?

How to choose

If you already use Adobe Illustrator, Image Trace is part of it; Adobe’s own page lists no price for the feature.
If you need a quick online conversion with automatic handling of JPG, PNG, BMP or GIF and are comfortable with a $9.95 / month subscription, Vector Magic’s Online Edition meets that requirement. ^[2]
If you prefer a desktop tool that produces AI and DXF output, and you are okay with a $295 one‑time purchase, the Vector Magic Desktop Edition is appropriate. ^[1] ^[2]
If you want a free personal tool that exports SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF and PNG ^[3], simplifies curves ^[3], edits nodes ^[3], limits colour ^[3], adds sticker outlines ^[3] and offers a command‑line version ^[3], VectorMagik does those things, free for personal use ^[3].
For business use that requires a licence, VectorMagik needs a business licence ^[3], while Vector Magic’s Desktop Edition costs $295 ^[2] and its Online Edition costs $9.95 per month ^[2].

Frequently asked questions

Does Adobe Illustrator Image Trace require a separate purchase?

Adobe Illustrator Image Trace is part of Adobe Illustrator, and the feature’s page does not list a separate price.

How much does Vector Magic cost for the online service?

The Online Edition costs $9.95 per month, billed monthly, with unlimited use and the ability to cancel anytime ^[2].

Which payment methods does Vector Magic accept?

Vector Magic accepts all major credit cards and PayPal ^[2]. It does not accept purchase orders and does not issue invoices ^[2]. If your company pays by purchase order or needs an invoice before buying, check whether that works for you before you choose a plan.

Is VectorMagik free for personal projects?

VectorMagik is free for everyone for personal use, and business use requires a licence under the PolyForm Non‑commercial 1.0.0 licence ^[3].

What export formats does VectorMagik provide?

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

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

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