AutoTracer vs PicSVG: which one a designer needs

Q: Is AutoTracer free to use?

AutoTracer's page calls it a free online image vectorizer . The page says no registration or email is required . It does not publish a price for business use, so check the site's terms before using it for paid client work.

Q: How much does VectorMagik cost for business use?

VectorMagik is free for everyone . Business use needs a licence under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 terms . The licence price is not published, so check the terms before you use it for paid client work. No card fee or payment service is stated for it.

AutoTracer vs PicSVG for designers: file limits, output formats, pricing and setup, compared from each tool's own pages, plus VectorMagik as one option.

By 2Dex · 2026-10-14

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

AutoTracer's page calls it a free online image vectorizer, and PicSVG's page calls it a free online converter that changes images to SVG ^[1] ^[2]. VectorMagik traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine ^[3]. Both pages state their own file limits, so check them against the files you work with.

Option	Price	Upload limit	Output formats	Colours
AutoTracer	Free; business use price not published ^[1]	6 MB per file ^[1]	SVG, PDF, AI, DXF, EPS, Sketch, XFIG ^[1]	Monochrome up to 256 colours ^[1]
PicSVG	Free; business use price not published ^[2]	4 MB, jpg, gif or png ^[2]	SVG ^[2]	Not published
VectorMagik	Free for everyone; business use needs a licence, price not published ^[3]	Not published	SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF, PNG ^[3]	1 to 64 colours ^[3]

The short answer

AutoTracer's page calls it a free online image vectorizer, and its output formats include SVG, PDF and AI ^[1] ^[1]. PicSVG's page calls it a free online converter that converts an image to an SVG file ^[2]. VectorMagik traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine ^[3].

Choose AutoTracer if you need a choice of output formats such as AI, DXF or Sketch, or if you do not want to register, because its page says no registration or email is required ^[1] ^[1]. Choose PicSVG if you need an SVG file from a jpg, gif or png file up to 4 MB ^[2]. Choose VectorMagik if you want to tidy the traced result, such as moving curve points or limiting the number of colours ^[3] ^[3].

What AutoTracer and PicSVG are built for

AutoTracer's page says it does not require registration or email ^[1]. Its maximum image dimension is 5000x5000 ^[1]. It can output SVG, PDF, AI, DXF, EPS, Sketch and XFIG ^[1].

PicSVG is a free online converter that converts images to SVG ^[2]. It accepts uploaded jpg, gif and png files up to 4 MB ^[2]. It saves converted SVG images locally for later, and only the user can see them ^[2].

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 control merges neighbouring curve pieces, and an automatic setting picks the largest merge that keeps the picture ^[3]. You can move or delete curve points and round individual corners after converting ^[3]. You can limit the result to between 1 and 64 colours ^[3].

It can add a sticker outline with a border, a white rim and an optional drop shadow ^[3]. You can click shapes to delete them, such as a background, or merge two shades into one ^[3]. You can compare the vector with the bitmap side by side, or switch between them ^[3].

A command-line version does the same work without a window, and it lets an AI assistant trace pictures on your computer ^[3]. A version also runs in the web browser using the same engine ^[3].

Pricing and fees

AutoTracer's page describes it as free ^[1]. The page does not publish a price for business use, so check its terms before you use it for paid client work.

PicSVG's page describes it as a free online converter ^[2]. No business use price is published there either, so check its terms before you use it for paid work.

VectorMagik is free for everyone, and business use needs a licence ^[3]. The licence is under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 terms ^[3], and its price is not published ^[3].

No payment service or card fee is stated for any of the three.

Getting started and everyday use

AutoTracer is an online tool, and its page says no registration or email is needed ^[1]. You upload a file, stay within the 5000x5000 maximum dimension, and then choose an output format from the list ^[1] ^[1].

PicSVG takes uploaded jpg, gif or png files of up to 4 MB ^[2]. Converted images are saved locally for later, where only you can see them ^[2].

VectorMagik installs with a Windows installer, a portable zip, a macOS zip, a Debian or Ubuntu package, or a Linux tar.gz file, all from GitHub releases ^[3]. Downloads exist for Windows x64, macOS on Apple Silicon and Intel, and Linux x64, plus the browser version ^[3].

Things to check before you choose

Are your files larger than the upload limit of each tool? Check the limits on AutoTracer and PicSVG against your own files, and check VectorMagik's own limit, since no figure is published for it.
Do you need a particular output format, such as AI, DXF or EMF? Check which of the formats each tool lists before you start a project.
Will you use the work for paid client projects? Read each tool's licence terms before you install it on a work machine.
Do you need to tidy curves or limit colours after tracing? Check which tool offers those controls.
Do your pictures have fine detail or many colours? Run the same sample file through each tool and compare the results side by side.
Do you need the work to run without a window or inside an AI assistant? Check which tool offers a command-line version.
Do you need to keep converted results for later? Check where each tool saves them.

How to choose

You need one of these output formats: AutoTracer's page lists SVG, PDF, AI, DXF, EPS, Sketch and XFIG ^[1].
An SVG file from a common picture format. PicSVG converts images to SVG and accepts jpg, gif and png files up to 4 MB ^[2] ^[2].
No registration or email. AutoTracer's page says none is required ^[1].
Colour limits and curve tidying after tracing. VectorMagik can limit results to between 1 and 64 colours and merge neighbouring curve pieces ^[3] ^[3].
A side-by-side check against the original picture. VectorMagik lets you compare the vector with the bitmap side by side ^[3].
Saved results visible only to you. PicSVG saves converted images locally, and only the user can see them ^[2].
A command-line version or AI assistant use. VectorMagik has a command-line version that lets an AI assistant trace pictures on your computer ^[3].

Frequently asked questions

Is AutoTracer free to use?

AutoTracer's page calls it a free online image vectorizer ^[1]. The page says no registration or email is required ^[1]. It does not publish a price for business use, so check the site's terms before using it for paid client work.

How much does PicSVG cost?

PicSVG's page describes it as a free online converter that converts an image to an SVG file ^[2]. The page does not publish a price for business use, so check its terms before paid work. Uploads accept jpg, gif and png files up to 4 MB ^[2]. Converted files are saved locally for later, and only you can see them ^[2].

How much does VectorMagik cost for business use?

VectorMagik is free for everyone ^[3]. Business use needs a licence under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 terms ^[3]. The licence price is not published, so check the terms before you use it for paid client work. No card fee or payment service is stated for it.

What file formats can AutoTracer export?

AutoTracer's page lists SVG, PDF, AI, DXF, EPS, Sketch and XFIG as output formats ^[1]. If you need a format outside that list, check the output options before you start. For comparison, VectorMagik can save as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG ^[3].

Can VectorMagik limit colours and tidy traced curves?

Yes. VectorMagik lets you limit the result to between 1 and 64 colours ^[3]. A control merges neighbouring curve pieces, and an automatic setting keeps the largest merge that still preserves the picture ^[3]. You can also move or delete curve points and round individual corners after converting ^[3].

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

Try VectorMagik