Use SVG for artwork made of shapes
SVG represents graphics through markup, including paths and shapes. It is a useful delivery format for icons and illustrations that need to stay sharp at different sizes. SVG may also contain raster images, so the extension does not prove the content is all vector.
Keep a sensible viewBox and check the rendering in the intended application. A recipient that does not accept SVG still needs another format.
Use PNG when pixels are the deliverable
PNG represents a raster image and supports transparency. It is a useful choice for screenshots, pixel graphics and a flattened export that needs an alpha channel. Enlarging a small raster does not recover detail that was never stored.
For photographs on a website, also compare a suitable compressed format. Check file size and appearance rather than choosing PNG for every image.
What conversion can and cannot do
Exporting SVG to PNG renders a chosen pixel size. Turning PNG into editable vector paths requires tracing or drawing; saving a raster inside an SVG wrapper does not make it scalable vector art.
Use the SVG editor guide for path or markup work. Use the image-converter guide when the job is a flat image export.
Questions, answered
Which is better for an icon?
SVG is often useful for a shape-based icon that scales. Check the receiving application’s requirements.
Which supports a transparent background?
Both can describe transparency. Their underlying representation is different.
Does PNG to SVG conversion create editable paths?
That requires vector tracing or drawing. A format wrapper alone does not do it.
Sources & checks
Official sources read on . Product claims are source descriptions, not our application testing.