The Right Logo Size

Now, the task of finding the optimal logo size shouldn’t be just about its general look. While you in the midst of developing it, discard any small detail and embrace simplicity. Not to say the design shouldn’t be clever — it MUST be.  But every detail should be prominent enough to:

• be perceptible;
• not get warped and disproportionate в when the required dimensions of different platforms are applied.

Check those famous Media/TV logos, for instance: some of them are do include quite a bit of detailing but you will also be able to easily see those nuances from miles away.

The bottom line here: your logo and the idea behind it must look equally discernable on your Instagram page, business card, or billboard. You name it.

Know Your Format: What Do Different Ones Mean

Being aware of what the two main graphic format types — raster (bitmap) and vector — do is crucial. It’s a key to understanding how resolution works and how it will perform with your logo.

Raster (bitmap) formats

If you study these files closely, you’ll see that they are made of little square pieces akin to mosaic. They are called pixels and the image is made of them. The higher the number of pixels/inch it is, the larger the file and the resolution. When you ask your software to resize a bitmap file, it deletes a certain amount of pixels, which lowers the resolution.

Raster graphics are realistic, perfect for complex visual effects/filters, and are overall more popular.

Raster	Print-friendly	Transparent Background Support
.JPG	No	No
.PNG	No	Yes
.GIF	No	Yes
.PSD	Yes	Yes

Vector formats

Vector images are formed from different lines and geometric shapes, the size of which is (automatically) determined by mathematical equations. They always retain excellent quality when scaling and editing. The image size on itself has no effect on the file size, so the latter isn’t usually large.

Vectors are perfect for putting logos on smaller items like stationery. It’s better to use bitmap versions for your web presence, however. But all logos MUST be made in a vector format first. After all, they, too, can be high quality when handled by professionals (such as for printing.)

Vectors	Print-friendly	Transparent Background Support
.Ai	Yes	Yes
.PDF	Yes	No
.EPS	Yes	Yes
.CDR	Yes	Yes
.SVG	No	Yes

You can easily rasterize a file or vice versa, vectorize it in pro software like Photoshop or CorelDraw. But if you aren’t quite aware of how to use them, or what format to pick, let the professional studios handle the business for you.

Your go-to pack should include at least:

– .Ai – to change the logo very composition;

– .EPS and .PDF – for print;

– .PNG (including the transparent background version) – for websites/social media/messengers.

Dimension Guide For Different Platforms

The following information will be presented in pixels (px) since it’s the surest way to navigate through the setting and achieve the right results

Websites

This depends on your homepage layout, which means you need to check the FAQ section first to get the idea. Then, follow the steps:

• Decide where you want to place the logo: the center or corners of the header, navigation bar, bottom of the page as well, etc. Determine how much vertical and horizontal space you have in the chosen area.

• Don’t forget that the logo will affect the dimensions of other graphic elements around it. Do a trial run or several:

– Start with the smallest PNG logo (sized 100px — 1200px high.) Go as big as you need to but don’t overdo it, or your page will take ages to load.

– Check the preview for any distortions. Play with the logo’s height and width.

– Once you’re satisfied, proceed with rescaling the vector and saving a final raster version. This is how you’ll get your perfect logo size paired with high quality of color and resolution.

Social Media Platforms

Keep in mind that:

 — the advised dimensions for each of those sites are ever-changing: don’t forget to check their FAQ for the latest info;

— most of them automatically present the profile pictures as circle-shaped.

	Profile picture	Header/cover photo	Post
Instagram	110 x 110 px	N/a	1080 x 1080 px
Facebook	160 х 160 px	1640 x 624 px	1200 x 628 px (ad)
YouTube	800 x 800 px	2560 x 1440 px	1280 x 720 px (video thumbnail)
Twitter	400 x 400 px	2560 x 1440 px	1280 x 720 px
LinkedIn	400 x 400 px	1584 x 396 px	1200 x 1200 px
Twitch	256 x 256 px	1200 x 380 px	1920 x 1080 px (offline banner)
TikTok	200 x 200 px

 Messengers

	Profile picture
WhatsApp	500 × 500 px
Gmail	180 х 180 px
Telegram	512 × 512 px

 Print

	Working File
Standard Business Cards	1038 x 696 px
Billboards	1:10 ratio (depending on the billboard type)
T-shirts	2000 x 2000 px

A great way to learn is to get inspiration from the mistakes or the success of others. Pick a logo from our collection, and do some research — check how the respective brands apply it on their websites, social media, merch, etc.

What About Ultimate Resolution?

We’ve already talked about pixels and how they affect the quality of a raster file. So when you check the dimensions of your logo file, pay attention to its resolution, which is scaled in ppi (Pixels Per Inch, sometimes referred to as dpi — Dots Per Inch, which is technically incorrect but wat too common leave out of this article.)

So, do we have a perfect resolution? Yes. The optimal one 300-350 ppi. You can try and go with 180-200 ppi for printing but not lower — or your logo will come out as a blurry mess.