7 Best Free SVG Converters You Should Try

The Scalable Vector Graphics or SVG makes use of a two-dimensional, XML-based vector image format created by the World Wide Web Consortium. Any text editor can be used to create SVG images. Still, it is usually more convenient to use a free SVG converter since they have some additional features like animation, color replacer, and extension manager. SVG converters support multiple picture formats such as BMP, ICO, WMF, TIFF, PCX, WebP, etc., and also, the conversion process becomes easier.

Here you will learn about some of the free SVG converters for Windows and Mac. Also, the comparison between them will help you decide the SVG converter you should go for as per your requirements.

• Part 1. Top 3 Free SVG Converters for Windows (Recommended)
• Part 2. Top 3 Free SVG Converters for Mac (Recommended)
• Part 3. The Top Free Online SVG Converter for Windows and Mac Systems
• Part 4. Comparison Table Among These 7 Free SVG Converters

Part 1. Top 3 Free SVG Converters for Windows (Recommended)

If you are a Windows user (assuming that you are using Windows 10 at the time of this writing), there are plenty of SVG conversion tools available for the platform, and many of them are free to use.

Here is a list of the top 3 best free converters for Windows:

1. RealWorld Paint (http://www.rw-designer.com/image-editor)

RealWorld Paint can be considered the best free SVG converter whose main function is to create vector graphics and illustrations, add touchups to the pictures, etc. When you create a vector-based image with RealWorld Paint or import a rasterized photo to the application, you can save the file as SVG, and the software takes care of all the calculations and modifications in the background. This makes RealWorld Paint an SVG conversion app as well.

Pros

• It supports many image formats like .jpg, .png, .bmp, .gif, .webp etc.
• It is lightweight and doesn’t require many hardware resources.

Cons

• No offline help is available.
• It can be complex for new users.

2. Inkscape (https://inkscape.org/release/inkscape-0.92.4/)

A free, open-source SVG converter, Inkscape is an appreciable vector image creator that can also be used to convert images of any format to SVG with ease. What makes Inkscape the best free SVG converter is that it uses *.svg as its standard extension, and therefore any time you attempt to save a project, by default, it is saved in SVG format.

Pros

• It has powerful editing tools.
• It is free to use.

Cons

• At the time of this writing, Inkscape doesn’t support CMYK color types, and you are required to use some workaround to get the task done.

3. Converseen (http://converseen.fasterland.net/download/)

Converseen can be considered a good and sophisticated free SVG file converter due to its ability to convert multiple files in a single go. Not only this, while using Converseen, but all the source files also don’t necessarily have to be of the same format, and as long as they are added to the task list, all of them can be converted to your preferred output format, i.e., SVG in this case.

Pros

• It doesn’t require any complicated process to convert the files to SVG.
• Lets you set other preferences like compression percentage, background-color management, etc. before/during conversion.

Cons

• It doesn’t have advanced editing tools to make major modifications to the images.

Part 2. Top 3 Free SVG Converters for Mac (Recommended)

If you use Mac, you are not as privileged as Windows users are. Since Apple is quite efficient in hiding its codes, the apps cannot intrude into the operating system that easily. Therefore, it could be a bit challenging to find free SVG converter software for the Macintosh computer.

Nevertheless, for your convenience, here is a list of the top 3 best free SVG converters that can be installed on your macOS:

1. GIMP (https://www.gimp.org/downloads/)

GIMP is a sophisticated tool to produce vector graphics and is usually compared with other industry-standard applications like Adobe Photoshop, CorelDRAW, etc. In addition to this, what makes GIMP the best is its ability to convert any image to SVG with minimal effort. However, it is important to understand that any complex and detailed rasterized photo might not show promising results post-conversion due to the nature of the SVG format.

Pros

• Has advanced tools to work with complex images.
• In addition to macOS, GIMP is also available for Windows and Linux platforms.

Cons

• New users might find the interface challenging, at least at the initial level.

2. SVG Converter (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/svg-converter-ohanaware-com/id1075707641?mt=12)

Unlike the apps discussed above, SVG Converter can convert the files in reverse order, i.e., you can import an image with the *.svg extension, and convert it to PNG, JPEG, TIFF, or PDF format. You might need one such best free SVG converter when you have received an SVG vector image, but a rasterized photo is required for the assignment/project.

Pros

• A simple converter for macOS with no in-app purchases.

Cons

• It doesn’t have advanced image editing tools.

3. Gapplin (https://apps.apple.com/app/coteditor/id768053424?ign-mpt=uo%3D8)

Majorly an SVG viewer, Gapplin is also capable of showing animated previews if the source files have them. In addition to this, even Gapplin can be used to export your Scalable Vector Graphics images to PNG, TIFF, and PDF, thus making the software the best free SVG converter available in the market today.

Pros

• Compatible with all the latest versions of macOS.

Cons

• Lacks advanced image editing tools.

Part 3. The Top Free Online SVG Converter for Windows and Mac Systems

You may want a fast method of converting images to SVG that can be used across all platforms and systems. Our most recommended top tool for this purpose is the Media.io SVG Converter. With this tool, you can easily convert all SVG files online and for free on both Mac and Windows Operating Systems. In addition to SVG format, Media.io SVG Converter supports all the major file formats which include WEBP, TIFF, PNG, JPG, BMP, etc. In a few clicks, you can quickly upload the SVG file to be converted, click to convert, and download the converted file in the format you want.

Pros

• The conversion speed of Media.io is high and reliable.
• It works across all platforms and devices, attesting to its versatility.

Cons

• It does not have other editing features that allow for customization of the image you are converting.
• There is a limit on the size of the file you can convert with this free online tool.

Part 4. Comparison Table Among These 7 Free SVG Converters

It often becomes confusing to choose any one application when so many options are available. Therefore, the table given below highlights the key differences between the above-mentioned 6 free SVG converters. A fair comparison between these applications would help you pick the best one as per your requirements.

	Media.io	RealWorld Paint	Inkscape	Converseen	GIMP	SVG Converter	Gapplin
Type	Converter	Designer app	Designer app	Converter	Designer app	Converter	Viewer/Converter
Price	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free
Conversions	Image <> SVG	Image <> SVG	Image <> SVG	Image <> SVG	Image <> SVG	Image > SVG	Image > SVG
Complexity	Basic	Advanced	Advanced	Basic	Advanced	Basic	Basic

Conclusion

A good free SVG converter is easy to obtain, has a simple UI, and works smoothly on your PC. When it comes to multimedia and conversion apps, most developers create programs for almost all major platforms. For instance, Inkscape and GIMP are available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, whereas tools like RealWorld Paint and SVG Converter can be installed only on Windows and macOS respectively.