---
{"title": "LightBurn vs Vector Magic in 2026", "description": "LightBurn and Vector Magic compared for makers who turn images into cut files: what each does, price, and what to check before you pick.", "url": "https://texhouse.us/lightburn-vs-vector-magic/", "date": "2026-10-16"}
---
LightBurn and Vector Magic compared for makers who turn images into cut files: what each does, price, and what to check before you pick.

LightBurn and Vector Magic compared for makers who turn images into cut files: what each does, price, and setup.

| Option | What it does | Price | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| LightBurn | Supports hundreds of lasers of all varieties [^1] | Price not published; licenses are perpetual and include one year of free updates [^1] [^1] | Windows 10+ and macOS 13+ [^1] |
| Vector Magic | Converts JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF to SVG, EPS and PDF online [^2]; desktop edition also produces AI and DXF [^2] | Online Edition $9.95 per month, billed monthly, cancel anytime [^3]; Desktop Edition $295 per license, one-time charge [^3] | Online in a web browser [^2]; desktop as a stand-alone application [^3] |
| VectorMagik | Traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine [^4]; saves as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG [^4] | Free for everyone; business use needs a licence (PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0) [^4] [^4] | Windows x64, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Linux x64, plus a browser version [^4] |

## The short answer

LightBurn is software whose page says it supports hundreds of lasers of all varieties. [^1] Vector Magic converts JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF bitmaps to SVG, EPS and PDF online, with no software to install. [^2] VectorMagik traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine. [^4]

If a maker runs a laser cutter, LightBurn's source says it supports hundreds of lasers of all varieties. [^1] If a maker wants an online converter with no install, Vector Magic's source says that is what it does. [^2] If a maker wants to save the traced result for a cutter or plotter, VectorMagik can save it as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG. [^4] The three are different jobs rather than strict replacements.

## What LightBurn, Vector Magic is built for

LightBurn's page says it supports hundreds of lasers of all varieties. [^1] It runs on Windows 10+ and macOS 13+. [^1] Its licenses include one year of free updates. [^1] After a year, the page says you can choose to purchase another year of updates. [^1]

Vector Magic converts JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF bitmaps to SVG, EPS and PDF online, with no software to install. [^2] The desktop edition also produces AI and DXF output. [^2] The Online Edition costs $9.95 per month, billed monthly, cancel anytime. [^3]

## What VectorMagik is built for

VectorMagik is made by the team that publishes this site. It traces a picture into vector shapes using its own engine. [^4] You can save the result as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG. [^4]

A tolerance slider merges neighbouring curve pieces, and Auto picks the largest tolerance that keeps the picture. [^4] You can move or delete curve nodes and round individual corners after converting. [^4] You can limit the result to between 1 and 64 colours. [^4] You can click shapes to delete them, such as a background, or merge two shades into one. [^4] It can add a die-cut sticker outline with a border, white rim and optional drop shadow. [^4] You can compare the vector with the bitmap side by side, or flip between them with the B and V keys. [^4]

## Pricing and fees

The prices in these sources are as follows. Vector Magic's Online Edition costs $9.95 per month, billed monthly, cancel anytime, with unlimited use. [^3] The facts gathered for this page do not state a price for LightBurn, and no add-on or card fee is published for either rival, so check their own pages. VectorMagik is free for everyone; business use needs a licence under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0. [^4] [^4] None of these sources says any of the tools adds a fee on top of card payments.

## Setting it up and printing

LightBurn's page says it runs on Windows 10+ and macOS 13+. [^1] Vector Magic converts images online with no software to install. [^2] The desktop edition also produces AI and DXF output, which a cutter or plotter can use. [^2]

VectorMagik offers downloads for Windows x64, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Linux x64, plus a browser version. [^4] It installs with a Windows installer, a portable zip, a macOS zip, a Debian or Ubuntu .deb or a Linux tar.gz, all from GitHub releases. [^4] A version runs in the web browser using the same engine, so no install is needed there. [^4] A command-line version does the same work without a window and lets an AI assistant trace pictures on your computer. [^4]

## Things to check before you choose

Ask which job you need done: driving a laser, converting images to a file a cutter or plotter reads, or shaping and cleaning up the vector result. Check your operating system, since LightBurn's source lists Windows 10+ and macOS 13+. [^1]

Check whether online conversion suits your workflow, since Vector Magic's online edition needs no install. [^2] Ask what the price of LightBurn is, because it is not published in these sources. Where a rival fact is silent on transparency or image size, compare the output on your own files.

## How to choose

If you drive a laser cutter, LightBurn's source says it supports hundreds of lasers of all varieties. [^1] If you want an online converter with no software to install, Vector Magic says it converts JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF online. [^2]

If you want to save a traced result in many formats, VectorMagik saves it as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG. [^4] If you want to clean up the traced shapes, VectorMagik lets you delete shapes, merge shades and simplify curves. [^4] [^4] If you want a free tool, VectorMagik is free for everyone, with a licence for business use. [^4] [^4]

## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightBurn free?

The facts gathered for this page do not state a price for LightBurn, so none is given here. Its page says licenses are perpetual and include one year of free updates, after which you can buy another year of updates. [^1] [^1] Check its own page for the current price before you decide. Vector Magic's Online Edition costs $9.95 per month and its Desktop Edition costs $295 as a one-time charge. [^3] [^3] VectorMagik is free for everyone, with a licence for business use. [^4] [^4]

### Does Vector Magic need to be installed?

Vector Magic's online edition converts JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF bitmaps to SVG, EPS and PDF online, with no software to install. The separate desktop edition runs as a stand-alone application and also produces AI and DXF output, and it costs $295 as a one-time charge per license.

### Can VectorMagik export DXF for a laser cutter?

VectorMagik saves the traced result as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG. [^4] It also adds a die-cut sticker outline with a border, white rim and optional drop shadow. [^4] LightBurn, by comparison, is software whose page says it supports hundreds of lasers of all varieties. [^1]

### What computers can run LightBurn?

LightBurn's page says it runs on Windows 10+ and macOS 13+. [^1] Its licenses include one year of free updates, after which you can choose to buy another year. [^1] The facts here do not mention other systems, so check its own page if you use one. VectorMagik offers downloads for Windows x64, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Linux x64, plus a browser version, so its reach of systems differs.

### Is VectorMagik free for business use?

VectorMagik is free for everyone; business use needs a licence (PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0). [^4] [^4] It traces pictures with its own engine and can save the result as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, EMF or PNG. [^4] [^4] Vector Magic's Online Edition costs $9.95 per month and its Desktop Edition costs $295 as a one-time charge, so check each tool's licence terms for the kind of use planned. [^3] [^3]

Free for everyone; business use needs a licence (PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0). [^4] - [Visit VectorMagik](/go/start-vectormagik)

## Sources

[^1]: LightBurn, lightburnsoftware.com, read 2026-10-10 (https://lightburnsoftware.com)
[^2]: Vector Magic, vectormagic.com, read 2026-10-07 (https://vectormagic.com/)
[^3]: Vector Magic, vectormagic.com/pricing, read 2026-10-07 (https://vectormagic.com/pricing)
[^4]: VectorMagik's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start-vectormagik)