A logo project is not finished when the design is approved. It is finished when the client can open a folder six months later, find the right file in ten seconds, and send it to a printer, a web developer or a t-shirt supplier without emailing you again.
That is the real job of a logo package. Below is a practical, client-first breakdown of the logo file formats for clients that actually get used, what each one is for, and how to name and organise the final delivery so nothing gets lost. Understanding your logo file formats tackles the same question from another angle.
Quick answer: the logo file formats every client should receive
| Format | Type | Main use | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI (or the native source file) | Vector, editable | Master artwork, future edits | Designers, agencies |
| SVG | Vector | Websites, apps, email signatures, sharp at any screen size | Web developers |
| EPS | Vector | Screen printing, embroidery, signage, vehicle wraps | Print shops, merch suppliers |
| Vector (when exported correctly) | Universal print file, easy to preview, opens everywhere | Printers, clients themselves | |
| PNG | Raster, transparent | Slides, social media, documents, quick everyday use | Everyone in the company |
| JPG | Raster, no transparency | Platforms that reject PNG, some directories and marketplaces | Third-party portals |
| ICO / favicon PNG set | Raster | Browser tab icon, app icon, bookmark | Web developers |
That is the short version. Everything else in this article explains why, and how to package it so the client never has to guess.
Vector vs raster: the one concept your client must understand
Before listing formats, put one paragraph in your handoff document explaining this. It prevents 90% of future problems.
- Vector files (SVG, EPS, PDF, AI) are built from mathematical shapes. They can be scaled from a business card to a building facade with zero loss of quality. These are the master files.
- Raster files (PNG, JPG, WebP) are built from pixels. They are fixed in size. Enlarge one and it goes blurry. These are the convenience files.
Simple rule to give the client: if a supplier asks for “the vector”, send the EPS or the PDF. If someone needs to drop the logo into a slide or a website, send the SVG or the PNG.
Format by format: what each file is actually for
1. The native source file (AI, or your editor’s equivalent)
This is the working artwork with layers, artboards and live effects. Formats vary depending on your tool: AI for Illustrator, AFDESIGN for Affinity Designer, CDR for CorelDRAW, or an SVG master if you work in Figma or Inkscape.
Should you hand it over? If the contract transfers full ownership, yes. Put it in a clearly labelled folder such as 07-source-files and add a short note: “For designers only. Do not send this file to printers.” Clients who receive an AI file with no explanation tend to email it to a printer who then cannot open it.
2. SVG: the web standard
SVG is the format every web developer will ask for. It is vector, it stays razor sharp on any screen and any zoom level, it weighs a few kilobytes, and it can be recoloured with CSS.
Practical tips when exporting SVG for a client:
- Convert all text to outlines so the font is not required to render correctly.
- Use RGB / HEX colours, never CMYK.
- Clean up the code on export: remove hidden layers, unused clipping paths and editor metadata.
- Deliver a version with a transparent background as standard.
3. EPS: the format print and merch suppliers still ask for
EPS is an older format, but it remains the request that lands in your client’s inbox from sign makers, embroiderers, screen printers and promotional product suppliers. It is the safest “send me the vector” answer for legacy production software. A comparable breakdown sits on stryvemarketing.com.
- Export in CMYK for print, and include a Pantone / spot colour version if the brand uses spot inks.
- Outline the fonts.
- Include a solid black and a solid white version, because merch production often needs single-colour artwork.
4. PDF: the universal, safe-to-forward file
PDF is the diplomat of the package. It keeps the vector data, opens on any computer without design software, previews as an image, and printers accept it without complaint.
Export it as a press-ready PDF (PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 depending on the workflow), CMYK, fonts outlined, with a transparent background where possible. If the client only ever learns one file to forward to a printer, make it this one.
5. PNG: what the client will use every single day
Realistically, the marketing assistant is not going to open an EPS. They will drag a PNG into a slide deck, a Word document, a newsletter or an Instagram post. So make the PNG folder generous and obvious. looka.com walks through the specifics.
Deliver each logo variant as PNG with transparent background, at a few practical widths:
- 500 px wide for documents, signatures and small web placements
- 1000 px wide for slides and general use
- 2000 px wide for large screens, banners and video
- 3000 px or more if the brand will use the logo in presentations projected at large sizes
Also include a PNG version on a white background and one on the brand’s dark background colour. Many clients do not know how to place a transparent logo on a coloured surface without ending up with a grey box.
6. JPG: include it, but keep it in its place
JPG does not support transparency, so it is never the ideal logo file. It is still worth including a couple of white-background JPGs, because some directories, job boards, invoicing tools and marketplaces refuse anything else. Two sizes are enough. A seasoned web design studio treats this as step one of any identity.
7. Favicon and app icon set
This is the deliverable most freelancers forget and every web developer appreciates. From the icon or monogram version of the mark, export:
favicon.ico(multi-size)- PNG at 32 x 32, 180 x 180 (Apple touch icon) and 512 x 512 (web app manifest)
- An SVG version of the icon for modern browsers
8. Optional extras worth adding
- WebP: smaller than PNG for web use, useful if the site is performance-focused.
- TIFF: only if a specific printer or publication requests it.
- Animated version (MP4, GIF or Lottie JSON) if the brand does video or digital ads.
- Social profile crops: square and circle-safe versions of the icon, already centred.
Logo variants: what to export, not just which formats
The format list is only half of the package. The other half is the set of variants, and this is where a professional handoff separates itself from a folder of random exports.
Export every format below for each variant the brand actually needs:
- Primary logo (the main lockup, usually horizontal)
- Secondary logo (stacked or vertical version for narrow spaces)
- Icon / symbol / monogram (for avatars, favicons, app icons, stamps)
- Full colour version
- One colour black version (for faxes, engraving, stamps, single-ink printing)
- One colour white / knockout version (for dark backgrounds and photos)
- Reversed or inverted version if the brand uses two colours on dark backgrounds
Not every brand needs all seven. Deliver what is genuinely useful and skip the rest. A logo kit with 400 files is not more professional, it is just harder to use.
Colour spaces: get this right or the print will look wrong
| Colour space | Use it for | Formats |
|---|---|---|
| RGB / HEX | Screens, websites, social, video, slides | SVG, PNG, JPG, WebP |
| CMYK | Offset and digital printing | EPS, PDF, AI |
| Pantone (spot) | Exact colour matching, merch, packaging, signage | EPS, PDF, AI |
Include the colour codes in writing too, not only inside the files: HEX, RGB, CMYK and Pantone references belong in a one-page reference sheet.
How to name the files so the client can find them
A consistent naming convention is the cheapest value you can add to a handoff. Use lowercase, hyphens instead of spaces, and always follow the same order:
brandname-variant-colour-colourspace-size.format
Examples:
artenlinea-logo-primary-fullcolour-rgb.svgartenlinea-logo-primary-fullcolour-cmyk.epsartenlinea-logo-stacked-white-rgb-2000px.pngartenlinea-icon-black-cmyk.pdfartenlinea-favicon-512.png
Avoid spaces, accents, capital letters and words like “final”, “final2” or “new”. Web servers dislike them and so do clients.
A folder structure that explains itself
Brandname-Logo-Package/ ├── 00-START-HERE.pdf ├── 01-web-rgb/ │ ├── svg/ │ └── png-transparent/ ├── 02-print-cmyk/ │ ├── pdf/ │ └── eps/ ├── 03-print-pantone/ ├── 04-social-and-favicon/ ├── 05-jpg-white-background/ ├── 06-brand-guidelines/ └── 07-source-files/
The numbered prefixes force the folders to stay in a logical order on every operating system. The 00-START-HERE.pdf is the single most valuable file in the package: one or two pages showing thumbnails of each variant, which folder it lives in, and which file to send in which situation.
What to include beyond the files
- A mini usage guide: clear space, minimum size, approved backgrounds, and a short “do not do this” list (do not stretch, do not recolour, do not add drop shadows, do not rebuild it in Word).
- Colour and typography reference: HEX, RGB, CMYK, Pantone, font names and where to buy or download them.
- Font licences: the client needs their own licence for commercial fonts. Say so in writing.
- Ownership and rights transfer: a line confirming what the client owns once the invoice is settled.
- Delivery method: a ZIP is fine for email, but also keep the package on cloud storage and give the client a permanent link. Logo files get lost with staff turnover, and being the person who still has the originals is good for repeat business.
Common handoff mistakes to avoid
- Sending only PNGs. The first sign quote will bounce straight back.
- Forgetting to outline fonts in EPS, PDF or SVG.
- Delivering RGB files for print work, which shifts the colours.
- Exporting PNGs at 300 px wide because they looked fine on your screen.
- No white or knockout version, so the client places a dark logo on a dark photo.
- Cryptic file names like
logo_v7_FINAL_ok.eps. - Dumping 300 files with no README and calling it thorough.
The one-page delivery checklist
- Primary, secondary and icon variants exported
- Full colour, black and white versions of each
- SVG (RGB, outlined, transparent) for web
- EPS (CMYK, plus Pantone if used) for print and merch
- PDF (press-ready, CMYK, outlined) as the universal print file
- PNG transparent at 500, 1000 and 2000 px minimum
- JPG on white background, two sizes
- Favicon and app icon set
- Social avatar crops
- Consistent lowercase file naming
- Numbered folder structure
- START-HERE guide with thumbnails
- Colour codes, fonts and usage rules documented
- Source files in a clearly labelled folder
- ZIP delivered plus a permanent cloud link
FAQ
What are the best file formats for logos?
The four essentials are SVG for web, EPS for print and merchandise suppliers, PDF as the universal print-ready file, and PNG with transparency for everyday use. Add the native source file for future editing and a JPG for platforms that will not accept anything else.
Should a logo be JPEG or PNG?
PNG in almost every case. PNG supports transparent backgrounds and keeps sharp edges, while JPEG always fills the background with a solid colour and adds compression artefacts around fine lines and text. Keep JPEG only for platforms that specifically require it.
What is the single best format if the client can only keep one file?
A vector PDF. It preserves scalable artwork, opens on any device without design software, previews instantly and is accepted by virtually every printer. From it, any designer can regenerate every other format.
Do I need to give the client the AI or source file?
It depends on your contract. If the agreement transfers full ownership of the artwork, include it. If you only licensed usage rights, deliver the production formats and state clearly what is and is not included. Either way, put it in writing before delivery, not after.
What resolution should PNG logo files be?
Think in pixel dimensions rather than DPI, because DPI is meaningless on screen. Supply at least 500, 1000 and 2000 px wide versions. For print, the client should use the vector PDF or EPS instead of a PNG.
How should I deliver the logo package?
A single ZIP with numbered folders and a START-HERE guide, sent by email or transfer link, plus a permanent cloud folder the client can return to at any time. Keep your own archived copy as well.
Final thought
A logo package is a usability product, not a file dump. If your client can open the folder, understand it without calling you, and send the correct file to a printer on the first attempt, you have delivered a professional handoff.
Need a brand identity delivered with a complete, properly organised file package? Get in touch with the team at Art en Línea and we will build the logo, the variants and the documentation your business will still be using years from now.