In short
| Format | Type | Ideal for | Avoid for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PNG | Lossless pixel image | Social media, web, photo effects, grain | Large enlargements |
| SVG | Vector drawing | Editing in Illustrator, Figma or Inkscape, large-format print, patterns | Pixel effects, photos |
| MP4 | H.264 video | Stories, reels, animated posts, presentations | Print, editing |
PNG: the safe choice
A PNG is a grid of pixels, like a photo, but compressed without loss: unlike JPEG, it creates no smudges around edges and no blocks in flat areas. It is the ideal format for graphic visuals meant for screens: sharp text, clean colors, smooth gradients.
Its limit: its size is fixed. A 1080-pixel PNG enlarged to 3000 becomes blurry. Hence the importance of choosing the export resolution:
- ×1: the exact size of the format (1080 × 1350 for 4:5). Enough for most posts.
- ×2: double, for a sharp result on high-resolution screens and for visuals rich in fine detail (grain, halftone, small text).
- ×4: for print. Allow about 300 pixels per printed inch: a 1080-pixel visual exported at ×4 (4320 pixels) prints sharp up to about 14 inches (36 cm) wide.
In the photo tools, the “Original” resolution exports at the real size of the uploaded photo.
SVG: vector, sharp at any size
An SVG contains no pixels but drawing instructions: “a circle here, with this radius, in this color”. It therefore stays perfectly sharp at any size, from an icon to a thirty-foot banner, and every shape remains editable.
It is the format to choose when the visual is only one step along the way:
- Editing a pattern in Illustrator, Figma or Inkscape: changing a color, removing an element, adding a logo;
- Placing a pattern in a layout, a visual identity or packaging;
- Printing in large format, or cutting (vinyl, laser, embroidery machine) from the paths.
The generators’ geometric patterns, gradients and typographic compositions export as clean, editable SVG.
07Try the free toolShapes14 fully vector generative patternsOpen →An important detail: some effects only exist as pixels, such as grain, blur or photographic textures. In an SVG, they are either left out or embedded as an image. In the photo tools, the SVG contains the photo with the vector graphic elements on top: handy for reworking the composition, but the PNG is the reference for the final look.
MP4: movement, everywhere
MP4 (encoded in H.264) is the universal video format: every social network, phone, presentation and editing app plays it. It is much lighter than an animated GIF at equal quality and shows millions of colors, where GIF is limited to 256.
The animated generators export seamless loops: the last frame flows into the first without a jolt, giving a video that plays endlessly on social media.
- Duration: 5 to 6 seconds for a looping post, 10 to 15 seconds to serve as the background of a story with text.
- Frames per second: 30 for everyday use, 24 for a more “cinematic” look, 60 for very smooth movement (heavier file).
- Size: in 1080p, the long side is capped at 1920 pixels, the “Full HD” definition every social network accepts (1080 × 1920 for a story). A 4K option is also available.
Which format for which use?
- Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook post: PNG ×1 or ×2, or MP4 for an animated post.
- Story, reel, TikTok: MP4 in 9:16, or PNG if the image stays still.
- Website: PNG for a background or an illustration, SVG for a light, sharp pattern, silent MP4 for an animated background.
- Poster, flyer, card: SVG reworked in layout software, or PNG ×4 for a photo effect.
- Visual identity, packaging: SVG, to keep control over every shape and color.
- Presentation: PNG for illustrations, MP4 for an animated opening.
For the exact sizes of each network, see our guide to social media image sizes.
01Try the free toolPatternFragments, grids and offset inksOpen →