When is SVG a better choice than a raster image for a simple graphic?

Start with what the graphic is made of and how you will use it. SVG describes shapes as vectors, while a raster image represents the graphic as an array of pixels. [S1] If you may need to resize a simple logo for different spaces, SVG is often a useful starting format: vector graphics can remain crisp when resized, unlike raster graphics, which can lose clarity when enlarged. [S2]

That does not make SVG the right choice for every destination. The application or service receiving the file may support SVG, support only some SVG features, or require a raster export. Check the intended destination before settling on a format.

For a graphic built from a few clean shapes and lettering, consider SVG when you need to reuse it at different sizes. The key question is whether resizing matters and whether the destination accepts the file, rather than whether the graphic contains text or shapes alone.

Also consider whether you will need to edit the original elements later. An SVG may contain vector objects, but an application does not necessarily preserve them as editable objects when it imports the file. For example, GIMP is mainly a raster editor, and its manual notes that its handling of SVG elements is limited. [S1] Keep a working copy in the format your design app edits best, and export a separate copy for the destination.

Check the exact destination rather than relying on a general claim that SVG is supported. Look for its accepted file formats and any stated import or upload requirements. Then make a test export and open or upload that file in the intended application or service. The web-compatibility discussion in the cited Microsoft article is from 2012; it does not establish current support across browsers or compatibility with non-web destinations. [S2]

If the logo is headed to more than one place, check each destination separately. Inspect the result at the sizes you expect to use, and check that shapes and lettering appear as intended. If the SVG does not work there, export a raster copy in the format and size that destination requests. A file extension alone does not confirm compatibility.

Suppose you have a logo made from a circle, a few straight shapes, and a short name. You want to use it at two different sizes, and you have a particular app or service in mind. Here is a practical process:

1. Identify the destination and check its accepted formats.
2. Export the logo as SVG and open or upload that file in the destination.
3. Inspect the result at both intended sizes, including the lettering.
4. If it works as needed, use the SVG there; if the destination requires another format or the test fails, export a suitable raster copy.
5. Keep a working copy in the format your design app can edit.

The example does not assume that any particular destination accepts SVG. The choice depends on the result of your own check. As a rule of thumb, SVG is a sensible option when resizing matters and the destination passes the test; use the destination’s required format otherwise. [S1][S2]