SVG or DXF for laser cutting and CNC?
By Tiago Almeida · Updated 30 October 2026
SVG and DXF both describe shapes as lines and curves rather than pixels, so either can drive a laser, a CNC router or a vinyl cutter. They come from different places, though. DXF comes from CAD, where a drawing has exact dimensions, and SVG comes from graphic design and the web, where it's drawn for a screen. That difference explains most of the problems people run into.
We make DWG Viewer and CRV Viewer, which both export SVG and DXF, so weigh that in where they come up.
The short answer
Use whatever your software and the person cutting the part ask for. When you have a choice, DXF is the safer format for parts that need exact dimensions, that come from CAD, or that are going to a cutting service. SVG is easier for designs made in Illustrator, Inkscape or Affinity, and for machines such as Glowforge and Cricut.
How they compare
| DXF | SVG | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | CAD apps, such as AutoCAD, Fusion and LibreCAD | Design apps, such as Illustrator, Inkscape and Affinity |
| Size | Plain numbers with no units; you choose millimetres or inches on import | Pixels at 96 to the inch, unless the file gives its size in millimetres |
| Curves | Arcs and circles, and splines from R13 on; R12 files turn curves into segments | Bézier curves and arcs |
| Layers | Every object has a layer name and a colour | No real layers; programs go by stroke colour |
| Text | Letters and a font name, so convert to outlines | Letters and a font name, so convert to outlines |
Size, the most common problem
Both formats can import at the wrong size, for different reasons.
A DXF stores plain numbers, so a 120 mm part is just 120, and the program has to be told whether that means millimetres or inches. Guess wrong and the part is 25.4 times too big or too small; What is a DXF file? explains why.
An SVG measures in pixels, and the web's standard sets 96 pixels to the inch. Inkscape has used 96 since version 0.92, but older Inkscape files used 90, and Illustrator works at 72 points to the inch. If the program assumes the wrong one, a part comes in at 75% or 133% of its size. LightBurn has a setting for this: 96 DPI for Inkscape files and 72 for Illustrator.
An SVG whose width and height are given in millimetres avoids the guessing, and both our viewers export SVGs that way. Whatever the format, measure one dimension you know after importing, before you cut.
Curves and layers
Both formats keep true curves. SVG paths use Bézier curves and arcs, and DXF has arcs and circles, plus splines and ellipses from the R13 version on. If you save a DXF as R12, which some older laser and CNC programs prefer, its splines become many short straight segments. That's fine for most cuts, though it makes bigger files and slightly faceted curves.
Layers matter more, because laser and CNC programs give each layer its own settings, such as cutting one and engraving another. In a DXF every object carries a layer name and a colour. SVG has no layers of its own, so programs go by colour instead: LightBurn puts each colour on its own layer. If you design in SVG, give each operation its own stroke colour.
What your software accepts
| Software | DXF | SVG |
|---|---|---|
| LightBurn | Yes | Yes |
| RDWorks | Yes | Not in its manual, which lists DXF, AI and PLT |
| xTool Studio | Yes | Yes |
| Glowforge | Premium members only | Yes |
| VCarve and Aspire | Yes | Listed on Vectric's product page |
| Carbide Create | Yes | Yes |
| Easel | Yes | Yes |
| Cricut Design Space | On desktop, not the phone apps | Yes |
| SendCutSend | Yes | Custom quotes only |
| Ponoko | Yes | Yes |
That's what each company said in October 2026. Programs change, so check your own before you rely on it.
Converting between them
To turn a DXF into an SVG on a Mac, use DWG Viewer or Inkscape; How to convert DXF and DWG files to SVG on a Mac compares the options. To go the other way, Inkscape saves DXF files, with an option to turn curves into straight segments for programs that need it, and LightBurn can export DXF too. If the design is a VCarve job, CRV Viewer exports it as either.
Which should I use?
- A part from CAD with exact dimensions: DXF, with the units agreed.
- A part for SendCutSend: DXF.
- A design from Illustrator or Inkscape going to LightBurn, a Glowforge or a Cricut: SVG, sized in millimetres.
- A job for RDWorks: DXF.
- Not sure: ask whoever runs the machine.
More guides
- How to open AutoCAD .dwg files on a Mac
- How to open .dxf files on a Mac
- How to open .dwf and .dwfx files on a Mac
- How to convert a DWG to PDF on a Mac
- How to convert DXF and DWG files to SVG on a Mac
- What is a DWG file?
- What is a DXF file?
- AutoCAD for Mac: cost, differences and alternatives
- Revit for Mac: Parallels, viewers and alternatives
- SolidWorks for Mac: Parallels, browser apps and alternatives
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