Best File Type For Etsy Digital Downloads: EXPLAINED

If you’re a newbie on Etsy and beginning to sell digital downloads, the vast array of file formats available can be daunting and perplexing.

Every format has its own pros and cons, and each of them can be used for different purposes.

So, what is the best file type for Etsy digital downloads?

The answer to this –  it depends on what you are trying to sell.

The most popular types of downloads that sellers upload on Etsy are PNG, JPG, and PDF, but in some cases, it can be more than that.

3 Must-Have Etsy Digital Product Selling Tools & Resources:

What Digital Download Files Does Etsy Support?

Etsy supports a variety of different formats, suitable to use with many applications and many printing machines.

Here’s a list of the supported digital downloads on Etsy:

  • .bmp
  • .doc
  • .gif
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .mobi
  • .mov
  • .mp3
  • .mpeg
  • .pdf
  • .png
  • .psp
  • .rtf
  • .stl
  • .txt
  • .zip
  • .ePUB
  • .iBook

The list may look endless and scary, but in reality, you will only have to use a few file types.

If You Are Selling Print-Ready Downloads:

If you are planning to sell products, which customers are only buying for printing, then the best option is to export and upload them as PDF files.

Such products can be printable planners, stickers, gift cards, and many others.

While some of the local printshops might prefer other types of formats for printing, you can go the extra mile and also upload PNG, and JPEG files to your Etsy listing.

This will increase the chances for the customer to get the product printed without any problems.

If You Are Selling Artwork For Multiple Purposes:

If you are selling graphics, illustrations, or design elements that customers might use digitally (for example in their graphic design process) it’s a good idea to include at least a few of the following formats.

Here we will talk about the 5 most popular digital download types that sellers on Etsy upload for selling their products – SVG, PNG, EPS, JPG, and PDF.

We will help you understand what function each of the formats has, and which ones you should be relying on.

SVG:

  • SVG stands for scalable vector graphics, and it’s one of the most popular formats sellers upload on Etsy. The reason why SVGs are good is that they don’t get pixelated when they get enlarged.
  • Basically, you can manipulate the size of the SVG image as much as you want, without affecting its quality. That’s why SVG’s can be used for both small icons, and large posters.
  • While it’s the best to use SVG files on the web, you can also use it for printing.

PNG:

  • PNGs are good for detailed high-contrast images, and it has no loss in compression. That means it sustains the quality when you open it and save it again.
  • PNG is not considered a good format for printing right away, since it’s quality does not support CMYK color model.
  • However, people widely use PNG’s for print-on-demand design projects, like t-shirts or mugs, as well as for logos or clipart, and that’s because these files come with transparent background.

EPS:

  • It is another type of vector file, which is very similar to SVG. The main difference between these formats is that EPS is way more suitable for printing.
  • Since EPS can be enlarged without losing its quality, designers use EPS files for large-scale printing jobs, such as posters, or even billboards.

JPG:

  • JPG is a highly compressive format that can be easily loaded on the web pages.
  • JPG is capable of displaying tiny image details, and it has a full color spectrum. Therefore it is perfect file to use for displaying photos or images on the web.
  • JPGs are often mistaken with PNGs, and while these formats both come in pixels, they have a few differences.
  • PNGs have higher compression format, but they take time longer to load on web. And JPGs are generally lower in quality but they load faster on the browser.
  • Another difference is that JPG does not support background transparency, and that makes it not suitable for print-on-demand projects.

PDF:

  • As mentioned before PDF is a perfect format for printing banners, flyers, posters, cards, and many other printables.
  • Graphics saved as PDFs are of very high quality and even customizable, making them the favorite format for printshops.
  • Besides that, PDFs support the CMYK color model and they are also good for keeping multiple images in one file.
  • The only disadvantage of a PDF is that it often comes as a big file, meaning you might have to compress it to upload it on Etsy.

What Is Etsy Digital Download File Size?

If we talk about the file capacity, the maximum size of a file you can upload to Etsy is 20 MB. Anything bigger than that should be compressed and uploaded as a ZIP file.

If your compressed file is still too big, you can upload it to a cloud sharing platform, like Google Drive, or Dropbox. Then, you can include the sharing link into a TXT, or PDF file, and upload it to the listing.

From there the customers will be able to access your products via a link.

What Are Etsy Digital Download File Dimensions?

The dimensions really depend on the product you are selling. While stickers and icons may come in one size, brochures and posters come in completely different sizes.

You must do the research to find what sizes you should be providing for your specific type of product.

However, it’s always a good idea to provide different product sizes for the customers, so they have more options to choose from.

Final Words:

Once you got more familiar with digital product file types, the next step is to go and see what files popular sellers include in their listings.

Once again, it’s always a good option to try to provide buyers with multiple versions of formats. This will increase the chances of them buying from you as well as leaving positive reviews.