Should I auto-trace my AI logo or pay for a redraw?
Auto-trace when the logo is flat: solid colors, clear edges, correct text. A good tracer gives you a clean vector in seconds for under a dollar. Pay a designer to redraw (typically $15-75 on freelance sites) when the logo depends on texture, 3D lighting or photographic detail, or when the lettering needs fixing anyway.
How do I tell which one my logo needs?
| Your logo has… | Auto-trace | Redraw |
|---|---|---|
| Flat colors, clear shapes | Yes | Only for style changes |
| Soft edges, JPEG artifacts, near-duplicate shades | Yes, if the tracer handles them | Not needed |
| Misspelled or melted letters | Trace, then retype the text | Yes, if you want it done for you |
| Gradients, glow, shadows | Traced as flat steps | Yes, to keep smooth gradients |
| 3D, texture, photo detail | No | Yes |
What makes a trace good?
- Few nodes: a designer draws a circle with 4 points; a bad trace uses 200. Fewer nodes mean smaller files, smooth curves and easy editing.
- No gaps: neighboring colors share one edge, so no white hairlines show when scaled or cut.
- True corners and smooth curves: corners stay sharp, curves do not wobble.
- The right colors: the five colors the design has, not fifty AI shades.
You can check all four in the SVGProof editor, zoomed in, before you pay anything.
What about Illustrator Image Trace or free online tracers?
They work on clean inputs and need tuning on AI renders: soft edges become wobbly outlines and noisy colors become extra shapes. Try your logo in two tools and compare the node count and the edges zoomed in; the better file is obvious.
When is SVGProof the wrong tool?
- A logo you want changed, not copied: tracing keeps the design as it is.
Questions
How much does a redraw cost?
On freelance marketplaces, typically $15-75 for a simple logo, with a turnaround of one to a few days. A complex illustration costs more.
What does a trace cost on SVGProof?
Converting, comparing and editing are free and need no account; a PNG up to 512 px is free too. The SVG and full-size PNG of one logo cost one credit ($10 buys 25). On the API, plans start at $29 / month for 1,500 images ($0.019 each) and go down to $0.01 per image.
Checked against the product on 2026-10-19. Numbers are measured by the engine, prices come from the checkout. This page as Markdown · Facts with sources