Quick Facts 3 of 4
Cost
The PNG file format itself is free to use and openly standardized.
There is no purchase price or subscription required simply to create, open, store, transmit, or implement PNG files. The format is specified through the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and the PNG specification is publicly available.
The PNG specification was designed to support implementation without format-level patent licensing restrictions. The W3C PNG Working Group operates under the W3C Patent Policy, which is intended to support royalty-free implementation of W3C Recommendations.
Costs associated with working with PNG therefore come from the tools and workflows surrounding the format, rather than from the PNG format itself.
| Component | Potential Cost |
|---|---|
| PNG format | Free |
| PNG specification | Publicly accessible |
| PNG viewing | Free options widely available |
| PNG creation/editing | Free and paid software available |
| File conversion | Free and paid tools available |
| Production software/RIP | May require purchase or subscription |
| Production equipment | Equipment-dependent |
| Commercial fonts/assets used within artwork | License-dependent |