Same trace. Different bill.

Sourceback, Vectorizer.ai and Illustrator's Image Trace all do the same underlying thing to a logo: follow the edges and write out vector paths. The real difference is what each one asks you to commit to before you get the file.

	Sourceback	Vectorizer.ai	Adobe Illustrator
price	$1 per image	$9.99/month for the web app; API credits from $9.99 per 50	$22.99/month for the Illustrator single-app plan
commitment	None — pay for one image	Monthly subscription	Annual plan, billed monthly
free preview	Yes, with a fidelity score	Free interactive preview; API previews are watermarked	Image Trace previews inside the app you're paying for
account needed	No	Yes	Yes, an Adobe ID
also does	Seven other recovery tools, same pricing model	Vectorizing, at scale, via API	Everything else in Illustrator
best for	One logo you need as an SVG today	Vectorizing many images every month	People already inside Adobe's toolset

Competitor pricing above was checked against vectorizer.ai and adobe.com in September 2026 and is quoted as listed. Adobe's promotional rates in particular change often — check current pricing before deciding.

We are not claiming magicTracing a picture is tracing a picture. On this tool there is no hidden structure to recover — the honest difference is the bill.

Where the real advantage isThe PDF tools, where structure genuinely survives inside the file and can be rebuilt rather than guessed.

When a subscription winsMore than about ten images a month and Vectorizer.ai's flat rate is simply cheaper. Say so.

// frequently asked

Will the SVG work with a cutting machine?

Yes — standard SVG output, compatible with the usual Cricut and Silhouette software.

Which images vectorize well?

Logos, line art and flat-colour graphics. Photographs trace poorly, and the free preview's fidelity score will show that before you pay.

Is the result watermarked?

No. The preview shows the real result and the paid download is clean.

See every question →

// also worth reading

Sourceback vs Markzware PDFMarkzA $259/year desktop licence against a $1-minimum browser job — which is cheaper depends entirely on how often you do this.Read →What it actually costsEvery tool, every price, and three worked examples — from a $1 single page to a $12 brochure.Read →Image to VectorThe tool itself — upload a logo and see what comes back.Read →

No AI guesswork.Your source is rebuilt from the file's own text and vectors — nothing is invented.

Honest about limits.Flat or scanned pages with nothing to recover are clearly declined, never faked.

Private by design.Uploads and results auto-delete within 12h. Pay per file — no account needed.