SVG vs PNG: Which Format Should Your Website Actually Use?
SVG and PNG are both good formats, but they solve different problems. Most messy logo workflows come from using one format everywhere because it happened to be the file someone had on hand.
Use SVG when the artwork is shape-based
SVG is usually the better format for logos, icons, marks, badges, interface illustrations, and simple graphics. It scales without pixelation, can stay small when the geometry is simple, and can be recolored or inspected in code-friendly workflows.
The catch is that an SVG is only useful if it is a real vector file. An SVG that merely embeds a PNG is not solving the scaling problem. If the artwork came from a raster source, trace it and inspect the paths before publishing.
Use PNG when pixels matter
PNG is better when the image contains photographic detail, complex transparency, shadows, or raster effects that should not be interpreted as paths. It is also a safe fallback for systems that do not accept SVG uploads.
What to use by surface
Website header logo: SVG when possible. Social preview image: PNG, because Open Graph images are raster canvases. Favicon: a package of ICO, PNG, and sometimes SVG. App icon: PNG sizes generated from a clean master.
The practical rule
Keep a master SVG for the logo mark, then generate PNG derivatives for surfaces that require raster files. If all you have is a PNG, convert it to SVG only when the source is clean enough to trace without turning into a maze of paths.