5 websites for free vector logos
You’re working on a design project and the final action is to drop in a couple of sponsor logos. They’ve still not sent the files and ask if you can just lift the logo straight off their website. A lot of people aren’t familiar with the difference between the resolutions for web and print. That’s where the following vector logo file resources come in.
Don’t be fooled by the raft of flashing ads and Google AdSense, which is kind of off-putting, because there are many, many vector logos available for download. Priority is put on the ‘search’ feature, but you can also list available logos by letter (found lower down in the left hand sidebar).
A very mininal looking site, which I like (apart from the yellow text on a dark blue background). Not too much advertising either. Available in English and Russian, there are currently just shy of 5,000 vector logos available to download for free. Logos are listed by name only, but you do have the option to preview the design before downloading a .zip file, which is handy.
There are over 5,000 logos on this Spanish website, although unfortunately no preview option. The files are available for download in compressed .sit format, so a program like Stuffit is needed. Logos are listed alphabetically.
Not the largest selection, and at the time of writing, the ‘preview’ tool isn’t working, so you can’t view the logos before downloading the .zip file. According to the site, all logotypes are in the AI and EPS format, compressed to ZIP.
A French website, with sections in English (including the vector downloads resource). Currently over 12,000 vector logos available for download, and you’ll want to use the ‘Vectorial Logotheque’ section, which is on the right at the top of the page.
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Update: 23 May 2010
Webchantier also has a “logos bank” where the vector files are categorised by letter combinations (e.g., A-AAO, AAP-ABB, etc.).
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34 appreciated comments, click here to add one
Steven Snell
I’m not familiar with most of these. Thanks, I’ll check them out.
Feb 6th, 2008
Jermayn Parker
Correct me if im wrong but majority of the desired logos for companies needed will not be on those lists.
Feb 6th, 2008
David Airey
Jermayn, these few thousand vector files clearly won’t cover the millions of companies in existence, but they’re worth checking for the main corporations. There have been a couple of projects I’ve worked on where logos are needed for sponsors, so even though my clients mightn’t include Fortune 500′s, it’s useful to have a resource that stocks their identity files.
Feb 7th, 2008
mark
really like this. vector joy all round. currently stuck in logo hell, but still loving them all the same.
m
Feb 6th, 2008
Mihaela Lica
Great resource, David. Thank you. Do you also know where I can find a vectorization tool or plugin to add to my AI program? I need to vectorize some logos for my clients and I am sure that there is a simpler solution than doing them by hand all over again.
Feb 11th, 2008
David Airey
Hi Mig,
You know, I’m not familiar with such a tool / plugin, but I’ll have a quick search and if I see anything I’ll be sure to get in touch. Should you find what you’re looking for please do let me know.
Feb 11th, 2008
Marcelo
I like your blog David, I will try to check it often. About vecotorize logos, Illustrator CS2 (i supouse 3 too) has that tool, isn’t it? I don’t have it but i prove it once. Now the best is do it by hand all over again.
Feb 13th, 2008
Adrian
I have just the thing you guys are looking for. One of those rare gems you find on the web: http://vectormagic.stanford.edu/
It’s called Vector Magic, developed by some people over at Stanford. It’s an online app, so you upload your bitmap images, click on some options, and in a few seconds you have a shiny new EPS ready to download.
The results are amazing, way better than Adobe’s LiveTrace (check out the comparison page). Did I mention it’s free?
You can thank me later :)
Feb 13th, 2008
David Airey
Hi Adrian, thanks for sharing. I’d not seen that one before.
Marcelo, have a look at Vector Magic and let me know if it’s of any help.
Feb 14th, 2008
Marcelo
Vector Magic, nice, It can help sometimes, I supouse we have always to do some changes even with freehand or illustrator vectorizing tool.
Thanks for the link by the way I will use it.
Feb 17th, 2008
MarieJoe RAIDY
Interesting websites, but the logotypes are in Bezier format, which is the evolution of Vector. Technically speaking, a vector logo only contains straight lines, whereas the logos downloaded here contain curves, known as Bezier object graphics.
Apr 10th, 2008
Laurent
Whenever a client ask us to insert a comapny logo as a competitor or a partner and of course they never can supply high res, i go to brans of the world.com, 80% of the time i found what i need.
thanks for these. very helpful.
Apr 23rd, 2008
mashine
http://www.logotypes.us – Bulgarian logotype resource
Dec 13th, 2008
chris
Here’s another useful vector logo site that shows decent-size previews once you complete your search, saving you LOTS OF TIME!
http://www.logotypes101.com/
May 29th, 2009
Bogdan
Thanks for the links. Very useful.
Jun 24th, 2009
Maheshwar Mathad
I was wondering if I could get similar websites to find all logos. It’s of great help. Thank you, but…
LaLogotheque.com
…doesn’t work.
Jul 14th, 2009
danish designer
A site like logotypes.ru is not updated.
I have, since apx. 10 years back, used a Sony logo for a soccer stadium, but it was an outdated one (hard to see if you don’t know it).
I hope someone will update the logos some day. :-)
Aug 28th, 2009
monica
thanks!
i love vectors!
Oct 17th, 2009
Rob Cubbon
Excellent list, David, I’m always using these sites. There’s a new kid on the block as well: http://www.seeklogo.com/
Jan 13th, 2010
David Airey
Cheers, Rob.
Jan 13th, 2010
Andi Cross
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Brands of the World site! I have it saved on my web browser toolbar! I think every designer should know about it, so thanks for sharing it! As a print designer, I use it often! I’ll have to check the others too. I think back to my painful days of re-creating vector logos for screenprinting….
Feb 24th, 2010
Yari
I knew about BOTW, but the rest are new to me. Thanks David, for sharing, and thanks to everyone else that added additional resources. I’ll be sure to take note!
Mar 22nd, 2010
Jon Clark
If after visiting these sites you’re still stuck, a company’s logo in vector format can often be ripped from a PDF on their website (such as a Report and Accounts or newsletter).
Simply import the PDF into Illustrator, navigate to the correct page, delete all the gubbins you don’t need and you’re in business. If the PDF has been correctly formatted, you’ll also get the correct Pantone / CMYK values too!
Sometimes the logo is embedded in the PDF in pixel rather than vector format but that doesn’t happen too often, I’ve had around an 85% success rate using this technique over the past few years.
Sep 3rd, 2010
Andy Williams
I’ve always found the PDF import thing very useful when in a tight spot.
Mar 17th, 2011
Kev
Cracking! iStock are supposed to be selling one off logo licences soon too. It will be interesting to see how they operate this without embedded fonts etc.
Sep 10th, 2011
Brandon
I work in the sign and custom graphics business and I need vector logos on a daily basis. You can actually purchase books that come with dvds full of corporate logos. This helps greatly, but still sometimes logos can be very hard to find. BrandsoftheWorld.com is by far the best source, and there logos have been updated for about two years now. You can find almost anything there, but when you can’t find a logo at these sites, what do you do? Well, you can either manually redraw these in vector software or you can keep looking.
I actually have a few hard to find logos posted up on my site for free download. You can even email me at brandon@learn2design.com with a request. I don’t charge money for my services, I will just find the logo that you can’t find and post it up for free download to anyone who wants it! So, happy logo hunting and shoot me an email.
By the way, Logo Design Love is awesome! You need to buy his book, I did and my understanding of logo creation has been clarified and I reference the book every time before I start a logo project. It’s dirt cheap, and a good read.
Feb 27th, 2012
Salih Karadeniz
You can download free vector logos from http://www.logowik.com
Mar 11th, 2013
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