People encounter and use various file formats, including SVG and PSD, each ideal for a specific case. However, deciding which image format to use depends on understanding the main features to ensure optimized design work and a better online user experience.
The article compares the technical features of PSD vs. SVG, such as structure, storage needs, image quality, file size, web performance, browser support, support for animation and transparency, and the compression method used to help web developers and designers choose an ideal format to meet project needs.
When is SVG better than PSD?
SVG images are smaller, widely supported, and highly web-responsive, while PSD images are larger and have limited software support because they are the native file format of Photoshop.
SVG file type is ideal for designing and presenting simple artworks, 2D pictures, animations, and charts. The advantages of SVG format include smaller file sizes, scalability without losing resolution levels, and support for animations and live images.
When is PSD better than SVG?
PSD images are non-scalable, info-rich, multilayered, and allow for a multi-dimensional, high-quality design outlook, while SVG images are less detailed, non-layered, and slightly low-quality, making them unsuitable for detailed and textured images, including photographs.
PSD file type is ideal for photo editing and retouching, web design, and professional printing because it structure supports print-ready content or materials such as brochures, posters, and business cards. The benefits of PSD files include non-destructive editing, the ability to allow for future manipulation, and higher quality.
Comparison Table
| Element | SVG | PSD |
| Transparency | Supports transparency | Supports transparency. |
| File Size | Smaller files compared to PSD files | Larger files compared to SVG files. |
| Image Quality | High-quality images. | High-quality images. |
| Performance | Increased image loading times than PSD. | Decreased image loading times the SVG. |
| Structure | Vector-based: Has XML markup language or code specifying shapes, paths, colors, and texts. | Raster-based: Has color mode data, file header, image resources, mask, layer data, and image data. |
| Animation | Supports animation | Does not support animation. |
| Storage | Minimal storage space demands than PSD. | More storage space demands than SVG. |
| Compression | Supports lossless compression | Uncompressed files. |
| Browser Support | Wider web browser support compared to PSD. | Limited browser support compared to SVG. |
Differences and similarities between SVG and PSD images
A comparison of PSD versus SVG shows that the file formats support transparency and high-quality images and differ in structure, file size, web browser support, storage demands, web performance, compression method, and support for animations.
Transparency
PSD and SVG file extensions inherently support alpha channel transparency. PSD files allow images with compound structures and transparent backgrounds to be produced and integrated perfectly into other animated objects and projects.
Likewise, SVG file extensions enable transparency data to be created, saved, and supported with lossless information at varying levels. The SVG format integrally has the 'Default' transparent background bearing features or elements embedded on HML that inherently support transparency.
File Size
PSD files are larger because they can contain multiple layers, high-resolution images, and various effects, leading to complex and uncompressed data storage. Due to these factors, a single PSD file can be 2GB in size. In contrast, SVG files are vector-based and generally non-layered, resulting in smaller file sizes. Although SVG files are lossless, their size remains relatively small compared to PSD files due to the nature of vector data storage.
Image Quality
PSD and SVG images are high-quality, though the PSD file extension stands out in image quality. PSD supports 1-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit per color channel but technically uses the 24-bit RGB color mode, which can be changed through the 'Image Mode Menu'. In contrast, SVG images are not bitmapped but can be scaled up or down without losing resolution levels and image quality. They preserve all image data to ensure image quality.
Performance
Because of their detailed and complex structures, multilayered PSD files are larger than SVG files. While SVG files have no definite size limits, they are compressed and store smaller individual files that need less bandwidth and consume fewer bytes to load on websites. SVG files optimize web responsiveness and demand less memory space, giving it a comparative advantage over PSD.
Structure
PSD is raster-based, while SVG is vector-based. Each has a different structural design, making them appealing to compare. PSDs are multilayered with file headers, image resources, color mode, mask, layer, and image data. The file header has primary image data: color depths, image channels, and file version.
The color mode data denotes the length of the color data, including the processed and stored duotone and indexed color data. The image resources detail a series of blocks, all with resource IDs and the data type. The block stores non-pixel data associated with the PSD image, including the pencil tool paths.
PSD has a mask and layer data section with mask factors, merger ranges, effect layers, layer channels, and numbers. The PSD image data has the actual image data, the compression method, and the image pixels’ data. PSDs are uniquely structured with multi-sample pixels that can hardly be compared to SVG.
SVG supports XML markup language, which uses mathematical formulas to define gridlines, colors, paths, and texts. The XML code is fixed into HTML or XML text files. The format uses Scripting languages like JavaScript to interactively manipulate all SVG features: lines, shapes, curves, and points.
Animation
SVG file extensions support animations and interactive images, while PSD files do not. However, PSD is a high-quality definition format with a multilayered structure that can be blended into the designs of other file extensions to support animations or create lively image content.
Unlike the PSD format, the SVG format structure has a markup feature that supports creating and displaying live images or animations on websites./ The markup module is accessible from JavaScript and enables SVG file extensions to support animated content and interactive images created using CSS or scripting.
Storage
SVG files support lossless compression, resulting in smaller than uncompressed PSD image files. PSD stores large quantities of multilayered image data, including various graphical elements, which necessitate more storage space than SVG since each PSD file can be 2GB.
Depending on handling procedures and storage conditions, the uncompressed PSD and the compressed but cramped SVG data can last indefinitely in Content Delivery Networks, Base64 Encoding, File Systems, Cloud, and Hard Drives. PSD files can also be stored in XML text files and HTML documents.
Compression
SVG file extensions support lossless compression, while PSD files are uncompressed. SVG multistage lossless compression begins by writing and storing data in XML text files. Then, the stored image information is losslessly compressed using the gzip algorithm to preserve all image data.
PSD files are detailed, and their uncompressed nature makes them larger, higher quality, and require more storage space than SVG files. No compression artifacts are experienced in both cases, but lossless compression results in 20-50% smaller SVG files than the original files.
Browser Support
SVG format has a comparative advantage over PSD regarding web browser support. PSD has limited web browser support and is compatible with top web browsers, including Safari, Firefox, Edge, Vivaldi, Chrome, and Opera. In contrast, SVG format is supported by all web browsers except Internet Explorer 8.
Web browsers like Firefox, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Discord, Opera, Chrome, Safari, and Samsung Internet all support SVG files. Unlike SVG, Brave, Discord, and all versions of Internet Explorer hardly support PSD files, although they can be viewed by installing additional extensions that display PSD as a thumbnail.
Convert SVG to PSD or PSD to SVG
Use Convertjack to convert SVG to PSD online. PSD files are scalable, permit future non-destructive editing, store lossless image information to ensure high-quality images, and are multilayered to enable the control and flexibility necessary for complex compositions and image manipulation.
Convertjack is the trusted and free online PSD to SVG converter, as it ensures image features are preserved during conversion. SVG files can be animated, support transparency information, are smaller, load faster on websites, and are widely supported across different browsers compared to PSD files.