CDR vs AI vs EPS vs SVG: Which Vector Format Should You Use?
If you work with design files regularly, you've encountered all of them: CDR, AI, EPS, SVG. They're all described as "vector formats." They're all supposedly scalable, editable, and professional. So why are there four of them? And when someone asks for a "vector file," which one should you actually send?
Here's the practical breakdown — not the technical deep-dive, but the information you actually need to decide which format to use and when.
What They All Have in Common
All four formats store design information as mathematical descriptions of shapes — curves, paths, fills, and strokes — rather than as pixels. This means they can be scaled to any size without quality loss. A logo in any of these formats looks just as sharp on a business card as on a banner. This is what "vector" means and why vector formats exist.
Beyond that shared characteristic, the formats diverge significantly.
CDR — CorelDRAW's Native Format
CDR is the file format used by CorelDRAW. It's a proprietary format, meaning only CorelDRAW can fully read and write it — other software has partial and unreliable support.
Use CDR when: you're working in CorelDRAW and saving your projects, a print shop running CorelDRAW has specifically asked for CDR, or you need to preserve CorelDRAW-specific features that no other format supports.
Don't use CDR when: you need to share a file with someone who doesn't have CorelDRAW, you're working with a designer who uses Illustrator, or you're delivering files for web use.
CDR's main limitation: It's locked to CorelDRAW. Outside of that ecosystem, it's a headache for everyone.
AI — Adobe Illustrator's Native Format
AI is to Illustrator what CDR is to CorelDRAW — the native, proprietary format for Adobe Illustrator. Technically, modern AI files are PDF-based under the hood, which is why some programs can partially open them using their PDF import.
Use AI when: you're working in Illustrator and saving your projects, sharing with another Illustrator user, or a client using Adobe tools asks for an "AI file."
Don't use AI when: the recipient uses CorelDRAW, you need a format that opens in web browsers or non-Adobe tools, or you're delivering to a print shop that runs CorelDRAW.
AI's main limitation: Like CDR, it's proprietary. Great within the Adobe ecosystem, less useful outside it.
EPS — The Universal Vector Standard (Sort Of)
EPS is the oldest of the four formats and was designed specifically to be a cross-application vector format. It largely succeeded at this for many years and is still widely supported.
Use EPS when: you need a vector file with the widest possible compatibility across design tools, you're supplying logo files to vendors or agencies who might use various software, or a print shop has asked for EPS.
Don't use EPS when: you're delivering files for web use — EPS isn't supported by web browsers — or file size matters, since EPS files can be significantly larger than SVG for the same design.
EPS's main advantage: Better cross-software compatibility than CDR or AI. If you're providing a "universal" vector file to a client, EPS has historically been the right call.
SVG — The Web Vector Standard
SVG is fundamentally different from the other three. It's an open standard defined by the W3C, designed specifically to work in web browsers. SVG files are actually text files written in XML — you can open one in a text editor and read the code directly.
Use SVG when: you're delivering graphics for a website or web application, you need icons or logos that display at multiple sizes on screen, you're working with a web developer, or you're using modern design tools like Figma or Sketch that use SVG as their primary format.
Don't use SVG when: you're sending to a traditional print shop, you need CMYK colour support (SVG only supports RGB), or you're preserving software-specific features from CorelDRAW or Illustrator.
SVG's main advantage: The only vector format that works natively in browsers, making it the right choice for any web-facing work.
Quick Decision Guide
Sending to a CorelDRAW print shop → CDR
Sending to an Illustrator-using designer → AI
Sending a logo to a client for general use → EPS (or SVG if they need web use)
Sending graphics for a website → SVG
Sharing with someone who might use any software → EPS
Working on a screen-based UI project → SVG
Working on a print project in CorelDRAW → CDR
Converting Between These Formats
If you need to move between any of these formats — CDR to AI, EPS to CDR, SVG to CDR, or any other combination — AsanConvert handles all of these conversions. Upload your source file, select the target format, download the result.
The conversion quality depends on how compatible the formats are: vector-to-vector conversions preserve editability. Conversions involving proprietary features that don't exist in the target format produce a visual approximation that's accurate for most real-world uses.
Which Format Do You Need?
Upload your file and convert it to whichever vector format your project requires.
