AI Image Vectorizers: My Real-World Testing and Insights

Vectorizing raster images has always been possible, but it’s never been easy. However, this has changed since the introduction of artificial intelligence.

AI image vectorizers are becoming more and more popular. So, I was intrigued by their potential and decided to try them.

To get a well-rounded idea of their capabilities, I tested each with three distinct types of images that represent the different needs someone may have when using an AI image vectorizer.

I chose a photograph, a detailed illustration with many colors and gradings, and a logo with a few solid colors and curved lines. Each of these images represents a different type of challenge for vectorizing software.

Do you want to know how it went? Keep on reading as I share my impressions on their performance, accuracy, and overall results.

I’ll also tell you which ones are free and under which conditions. You’ll also find some details about the paid options. Of course, it’s always best to check those on the official website before buying or subscribing.

All this information will hopefully help you find a solution that suits your needs and budget.

Let’s jump in and learn about AI tools for turning raster images into vector files.

What is the Best AI Image Vectorizer in 2025?

SVG Converter App

I started the list with SVG Converter because it’s free to use online and includes free downloads.

It’s also the most affordable option if you decide to upgrade to Pro and get the desktop version. You can buy a lifetime license with eternal updates and upgrades for only $30.

The desktop app is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

The browser version is not only free but very easy to use. As you land on the home page, simply drag-and-drop or upload your image on the right side of the page.

Then, the image will open in the workspace. On the left side, you’ll find all the settings, which are either drop-down menus for you to choose from the options or things you can enable and disable. Everything is very intuitive.

If you open the Custom tab, you can edit the color palette. Here, you can choose the number of colors, adjust the palette or even change a single color from the palette.

If you need help, you’ll see a ‘play’ icon on the top bar, which will open a YouTube tab to their video tutorial.

Once you’re done, simply click Vectorize. You’ll see the progress bar advancing as your image is vectorizing.

I found the process quite fast with all the examples I tried – even the more complex ones. However, your experience may be different.

When your vector is ready, it will appear next to the original image. Now, you can send feedback, share on different social media, or download the result.

The file will download in SVG format, which makes sense of course given the app’s name. If you’re not familiar with his format and want to learn more, check out this guide to SVG files.

This is the most common vector file format – so it should fit most of your needs. However, many vectorizers also offer other formats like PDF. In this sense, the SVG Converter is limited.

The results were pretty good whether I uploaded a photo, a complex illustration, or a simple logo.

In my opinion, this is the best AI image vectorizer currently available. It’s free (or affordable, depending on your chosen version), easy to use, fast, and delivers good-quality results.

• More: Guide to Creating + Using Vector Logos

DGB.LOL

DGB.LOL is another free image vectorizer. Unlike SVG Converter is a platform with multiple AI tools – the vectorizer is one of them. Therefore, as you land on the home page, simply scroll down until you find it.

Since it’s a separate tool from the others, the interface is clean and intuitive.

Just upload your file, choose the color richness (it has an explanation to help you select the best one), select the detail level and the output file, and click submit.

Your project will be assigned to a queue – so it’s not as immediate as other vectorizers on the list.

However, the waiting time is quite reasonable. At least, that was my experience. Sometimes, it took less than a minute – the longest I’ve had to wait is three minutes.

I guess this will change from time to time. If you happen to be on a high-demand schedule, it will take longer. However, you can leave the projects working in the background and do something else. You can always go back and find your projects in the My Files section.

Those still processing are there together with the history of your past projects. The history doesn’t remain for long, so be sure you save your files. The settings you chose for each one are visible in the right column.

Once your project is ready, you can download it. You won’t get a comparison view or the possibility to keep working on the file.

The tools are simple but can give good results depending on the complexity of the original image. Oddly enough, the logo had the worst result, even though it has only a few colors and doesn’t have gradings.

Considering that it’s completely free, I feel I can recommend it if you don’t need too many customizations. However, keep in mind that it’s not consistent with the quality of the results.

I believe this tool is better if you want it to experiment for creative projects rather than for changing image formats while staying true to the original.

Recraft.ai

Recraft.ai is an easy-to-use AI image vectorizer that delivers excellent results.

Since Recraft offers multiple tools, you’ll land on the home page. To find the image vectorizer, open the menu Features and look for AI Image Vectorizer.

To try the vectorizer, you must sign in. You can use one of the many social sign-in options or provide your email. I chose the email option, and they sent me a code to sign in without having to create a password.

After answering some quick questions, you’ll be set up with a free account. I don’t particularly appreciate signing in and participating in their market research before even knowing if the tool is worth it, but OK.

This is where it gets interesting because, once you do that, you’ll have 100 credits to get started, and you’ll get 50 more every day. The AI image vectorizer uses one credit per image.

I started by vectorizing a photograph, which, of course, generated a considerable number of swatches. It was easily visible on the left panel, and I could play around with it by changing the number to make an illustration effect and even changing the spectrum for a funky design.

None of the color changes require more credits. I also tried vectorizing a complex design and a simpler logo. In both cases, I got one of the best results from all my trials.

It’s also important to mention that you can use the free credits on their other tools like the upscale, background remover, mockup generator, etc. All the tools are very useful, but they make the workspace less intuitive than other vectorizers.

It helps that you can hover over the icons to get an idea of what everything does. To vectorize an image, simply click on the import icon on the top left panel. Then, click the vectorize icon directly above the image.

Beware that as of August 2024, the free account is meant for you to try the services – you don’t own the images until you subscribe, and they may be public on Recraft’s gallery.

You can upgrade your free account to one of the three membership tiers if you need ownership, commercial licenses, private images, more credits, or any of the other perks.

• More: What’s the Best Design Software for Working With Vectors?

Vectorizer.ai

Vectorizer.ai is one of the most popular AI image vectorizers online. Not only because of its high-quality results but also because it used to be free. This isn’t the case anymore.

While you can still upload and vectorize an image, you have to subscribe to their monthly membership. There’s just that one option – a monthly subscription for unlimited use.

I do appreciate that it’s an easy and transparent scheme. There aren’t any hidden fees, multiple options where it’s difficult to understand which is best for you, etc.

It’s also an acceptable price if you use it often. If you only need to vectorize a couple of images, then it’s too expensive. The fact that there’s no annual or long-term commitment does help.

You may not realize right away that it’s not free, as you don’t need to sign in to try it. As you land on the home page, simply upload your picture. The process bars will pop up, but the processing is so fast that you won’t even have to consider them.

The result comes up on a clean interface with multiple zoom and viewing options – I really liked that.

The color palette options are less visible, and they’re not as intuitive to use as others.  You can see a small watermark at the top.

If you’re happy with the result – which I was every time – click Download. This will take you to the second step, where you can thoroughly customize your download.

There are multiple options, and if you’re not an expert on vector files, you’ll be as lost as I was. I would’ve appreciated some tutorials, FAQs, or any type of guideline to help me choose the best settings.

In any case, you can simply trust the program and leave the default settings, or you can do some research. Then, you’ll be asked to subscribe to continue downloading the file.

On the plus side, since you get unlimited uses when you subscribe, you can try all sorts of combinations to find the best download settings.

• More: 13 Incredible AI Websites That Make Life Easier

Vectormagic.com

Vectormagic is the flagship service of the company that developed Vectorizer.ai. The technology behind the company, as stated on their website, “was developed as part of a Standford University Artificial Intelligence Research Project.”

This leads me to believe that Vectormagic is powered by AI. However, it may just be an automated vector, and they left the AI only on Vectorizer.

So, I’m not sure where the magic comes from, but it’s a great vectorizer and therefore, I decided to include it on this list.

Just like Vectorizer.ai, you can use Vectormagic for free. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to download the results unless you pay. I use the term “pay” instead of “subscribe” or “buy” because both options are available.

If you wish to use Vectormagic online, you need a subscription that grants unlimited use and renews monthly.

You can also buy a desktop version. In this case, it’s a one-off payment available for Mac and Windows. The same license works for both operating systems, so you only have to buy it once, even if you own a Windows laptop and a Mac desktop or vice-versa.

Aside from downloading it, you can also generate a private link to share so others can edit the result. This is something I haven’t come across on any of the other vectorizers, and I think it may be very valuable to some users.

You or a collaborator with the link can customize the colors and the export format. All this is done with ease and there’s a quick tutorial in case you need help.

I found Vectormagic easy to use and highly customizable. It also gave me great results on most of the tests I did. Regardless of the technology it uses, I think this is an excellent choice.

• More: The Pros and Cons of AI in Graphic Design

Kittl.com

Kittl is a design platform similar to Canva. So, even though it’s not a dedicated AI image vectorizer, it has a very good built-in one.

To use Kittl, you need to create an account. It supports Facebook or Google login, but you can also create an account with your email. The good news is that it offers a free account with five projects and 20 AI credits.

This allows you to try the AI image vectorizer for free and even download the results. If you need more credits, you’ll need to get a subscription to one of the two membership tiers. The plans are available monthly or yearly.

The AI image vectorizer in Kittl is very easy to use. Simply drag and drop or upload the file you want to vectorize. Then, set the number of colors you want it to use – there’s a slider for this under the photo. Once set, click Vectorize.

The result will appear on the editor page, where you can keep working on the image. If you’re familiar with Canva, you’ll feel right at home. On the right side, you’ll find a panel to experiment with the color palette. On the left, you’ll find the other editing tools.

I found the whole process quite intuitive, and the interface was very user-friendly. The results were very good – although it supports 16 colors max, while others go to 256 and more.

I really liked how it vectorized the photograph, and the logo was perfect. The complex illustration was my least favorite, perhaps because of the color limit. However, it was better than many others I tried.

Kittl, like Vectormagic, lets you invite people to collaborate on your project. In this case, it’s even more relevant because there’s more to do than just vectorize an image.

If you want to continue using Kittl without subscribing, you can earn rewards and credits by sharing and inviting friends.

• More: Best AI Image Describers

Vectorizer.com

To be honest, I don’t think this is an AI image vectorizer. It doesn’t mention AI anywhere on the website and doesn’t feel like it. However, I found it’s called an AI image vectorizer on different sites. So, I decided to include it in the list with this short disclaimer.

The fact is that whether it’s AI or not, it doesn’t matter if you’re only looking to convert your files to SVG – which is a vector file format. What made me include Vectorizer.com, despite my doubts, is that it supports batch converting without upgrading to any paid memberships.

This feature may be helpful for some of you, but it’s not available in the other vectorizers – at least not for free.

So, if this is what you’re looking for, go ahead and try Vectorize.com. It’s hassle-free, and it effectively does what it offers. I found it did an OK job with all types of images.

When there’s too much grading, it segments it into random puzzle-shaped pieces, but it doesn’t look bad overall. When it comes to the logo, there are no problems with the colors, but the curved lines are a little jagged.

Try it and see if it works for you. Don’t forget to download your images because they get deleted after an hour. If you use the batch feature, you can download all the photos in bulk.

• More: Best AI Tools for Fixing Blurry Images

Vectorizer.io

Since I’ve already stepped outside the AI area, I’ll jump in with two feet and tell you about one more image vectorizer. I chose vectorizer.io because it has multiple settings to customize.

You can also try it for free, although you have to pay to download the resulting image. I appreciated the quick tutorials you can find on the home page. However, you can also ignore them and learn by doing.

Simply upload your file. This will open a different workspace where you can customize the process step by step. Everything is well explained, but if you need further instructions, just scroll to the bottom of the page to read their short guide.

In the first step, select the type of image you’re working with (photo, sketch, etc.). Then, you can adjust the settings for the layers – it’s possible to click on each option and see a preview of the changes.

Step three regards color, and step four is for the output settings. These steps also have advanced options, such as enhancing the original or removing noise to achieve a higher-quality vector.

Once you’re satisfied with all the settings, you can choose the file format and download your file.

You need to subscribe to download the file, though. There are two options that have to do with the duration of the membership: weekly or monthly access. The other perks and features are the same regardless of your subscription.

I really appreciate that the access you purchase doesn’t renew automatically. So, you don’t have to remember to deactivate it before the next charge if you don’t want to continue. Instead, you can simply renew it whenever you want the next period to start.

• More: 9 Graphic Design Trends to Watch

What is the difference between pixels and vectors?

Pixels and vectors are two different ways to create and save images. One is not better than the other; they’re simply different, and that’s why sometimes it’s preferable to use one over the other.

Raster images are made of pixels, which are small colored squares. You’re probably familiar with the term pixelated when referring to a low-quality image where you can start to see the edges of each square or pixel.

That’s because images formed by pixels are resolution-dependent. Therefore, the more pixels you have, the bigger the picture. If you don’t have enough pixels, once you zoom or enlarge the image, it will look blurry and lose quality.

The most common raster images are photographs, but they can also be drawings, digital illustrations, etc. They’re saved in image file formats like JPG, PNG, TIFF, and others.

Instead, vector images are made of paths and mathematical equations. These images can be shrunk and enlarged infinitely and never lose quality.

SVG, EPS, and AI are the most popular vector file types.

What Is an AI Image Vectorizer and When Should I Use It?

An AI image vectorizer uses artificial intelligence to retrace an image with lines, shapes, and curves formed by mathematical equations. Then, it can be saved as a vector.

You may want to do this when your logo is saved as a raster image. This allows you to use the same logo in small prints like your business cards and large prints like a billboard.

Another widespread use for AI image vectorizers is to change photographs into illustrations. How much detail they lose in the transition has to do with the number of colors and the AI model used. You can see in this article many vector examples made from the same photograph – they vary greatly.

Frequently Asked Questions about AI Image Vectorizers

Can AI vectorize an image?

Yes. AI tools can retrace your image using vectors. Remember that this process is not just about converting file types but reinterpreting the original image. Therefore, the results may vary.

Is Vectorizer AI still free?

No. In the past, the website vectorizer.ai used to offer a free tool to vectorize your images. While it’s still free to use, now you must pay if you want to download the vector image.

Why do I need an AI image vectorizer?

You need an AI image vectorizer when your file is a rasterized image such as JPG or PNG, and you need it to be infinitely scalable.