Most icon libraries offer both SVG and PNG, and the choice is rarely about "which is better". It is about where the file will live. This guide walks through the real constraints of each format so you can pick once and stop second-guessing.

What SVG does well

SVG is a text-based vector format. It describes lines, curves and fills mathematically, which gives it three superpowers: infinite scaling, tiny file sizes for simple artwork, and full programmability. You can recolor an SVG with one CSS property, animate individual paths, and embed it in React as a component.

  • Web UI: SVG renders crisply on every pixel density and lets `currentColor` inherit theme colors.
  • Print: vector artwork at any size stays sharp, including large posters.
  • Design tools: Figma, Illustrator and Sketch import SVG geometry as editable paths.
  • Docs and code: an inline SVG can be styled by the same design tokens as the rest of the site.

What PNG still does well

PNG is a raster format that stores pixels plus an alpha channel. It is the safest universal image format: every email client, CMS, chat app, social platform and old browser can render it. For icons, PNG is the pragmatic choice when you need a static file that cannot be edited or styled.

  • Email: many email clients strip SVG or block it; export PNG at 2x instead.
  • Marketplace listings: upload forms accept PNG far more reliably than SVG.
  • Word and Google Docs: dragging a PNG into a document just works.
  • Video and slides: tools like Keynote and PowerPoint handle PNG predictably across machines.

How to choose in 30 seconds

  1. Will the icon live in code, web UI or a design tool? Choose SVG.
  2. Will it go into email, a CMS upload, a document or a social post? Choose PNG at 2x.
  3. Does it need to change color or size at runtime? Choose SVG and style it.
  4. Does the platform choke on vector? Choose PNG and stop negotiating.

PNG size and export notes

PNG resolution matters. A 24-pixel icon looks fine in an app toolbar, but the same file will blur on a high-DPI phone screen or a 2x marketing asset. Export common sizes at 24, 32, 48, 64 and 128 pixels, and name the file with the size: `icon-name-48.png`. For retina displays, a 48-pixel logical icon should be exported at 96 or 128 pixels.

Transparency is the other thing to verify. Icons saved with a white background instead of alpha will show up as white squares on dark surfaces. Open the PNG in a viewer with a checkerboard background before shipping it.

SVG quality checks before production

A clean SVG is small, has a viewBox, uses consistent stroke attributes, and does not rely on external fonts or raster images. Run these quick checks:

  • Open the file and confirm the `viewBox` matches the artwork bounds.
  • Check that `stroke` and `fill` are present where the design needs them.
  • Remove unused `id`, `data-*` and editor metadata before committing.
  • Compress with SVGO so whitespace and redundant groups do not inflate the bundle.

The Sendafun pipeline runs every icon through SVGO before it becomes downloadable, so the SVG files are already optimized. The PNG strategy is size-based: common dimensions are pre-generated, while on-demand rendering covers the long tail.

The hybrid workflow most teams use

Keep SVG as the source of truth and generate PNG exports when a destination requires them. That way design tokens stay centralized, marketing can grab a PNG without asking engineering, and nobody has to redraw an icon because someone exported it at the wrong size. Most icon sets, including this one, make both formats available from the same detail page so the source and the static export never drift apart.