Ionicons

Ionicons is a free icon library for web, mobile and desktop apps, best suited to developers who want a sizable, adaptable set without licensing fees. Its broad platform reach and Ionic Framework integration are strong advantages, but check its browser requirements and the reduced styling options for logo icons.

Overview

The collection contains 1,300 icons and is released under the MIT License, which permits commercial use. SVG and web component formats give developers two ways to use the set. For projects that need a free library with a clear commercial-use license, that combination is compelling; it is less suitable when every icon, including logos, needs the same range of visual variants.

Key features

App icons come in filled, outline and sharp styles, while logo icons lack outline and sharp variants. That distinction matters for branded interfaces: teams can style the app-icon set in several ways, but should not expect the same flexibility from its logos. Size and color can be set with attributes or CSS, and a CSS custom property controls outline stroke width.

The web component dynamically loads SVGs for requested icons and fetches only those that are visible. This is useful for component-based interfaces that do not need every icon loaded at once. Developers can also load a custom SVG from a URL, as long as it contains no scripts or events. Ionicons comes packaged by default with Ionic Framework, where the ios and md attributes let apps choose separate icons for iOS and Material Design.

Accessibility needs attention in implementation: decorative icons should use aria-hidden, while interactive icons need aria-label text. Developers can suggest missing icons through a GitHub issue.

Pricing

Ionicons costs nothing. The free plan includes all 1,300 icons, multiple styles, SVG and Web Component formats, and commercial use under the MIT License. There are no paid tiers or stated quotas to weigh against a cheaper plan, making it a straightforward choice for projects that need a broad icon set without an ongoing software cost.

Platforms

Ionicons supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows. The usage guide supports Chrome 79+, Safari 14+, Edge 79+ and Firefox 70+; Internet Explorer 11 is not supported. That browser cutoff rules it out for projects that must accommodate IE 11 users.

Who it's for

Ionicons fits developers building across web and app platforms, especially teams using Ionic Framework, where the icons are already included. It also suits commercial projects that want a free, MIT-licensed set and need SVG or web component formats. Look elsewhere if IE 11 support is required or if logo icons need outline and sharp treatments.

Pros and cons

Pro: 1,300 MIT-licensed icons are free for commercial use, avoiding a software license cost.

Pro: SVG and web component formats, plus size and color customization, give developers options for integrating and styling icons.

Pro: Ionic Framework includes the set by default and supports separate iOS and Material Design icon choices.

Con: Internet Explorer 11 is unsupported, excluding projects that need to serve it.

Con: Logo icons do not have outline or sharp variants, limiting consistency in interfaces that use those treatments.

Alternatives

Compare icon libraries if you want to weigh Ionicons against other collections. The Noun Project is a better fit when a broader source of downloadable PNG and SVG icons matters more than free commercial licensing: its free account requires attribution and does not include commercial licenses. Font Awesome is worth considering when its free plan's 2,163 icons, one Kit and 10,000 pageviews better match your needs.

Lordicon is an alternative if animated icons are the priority; its free plan includes 9,700 animated icons, unlimited exports and commercial use, with attribution required. Eva Icons offers a free MIT-licensed set of 480+ icons. Hugeicons may suit projects looking for a larger collection: its free plan includes 6,000+ Stroke Rounded icons and access to design and developer plugins.

IconArchive is another free icon library, with 800,000+ icons and no login or subscription. Ant Design Icons is a free MIT-licensed option with npm packages for Vanilla, React, React Native, Angular and Vue. Material Design Icons is a free, open-source library under Apache 2.0, but excludes brand and logo icons.

Verdict

Choose Ionicons for a free, commercially usable set of 1,300 icons with SVG and web component formats, especially if you build with Ionic Framework. Its styling options and cross-platform reach make it a practical default, but projects requiring Internet Explorer 11 support or consistently styled logo icons should choose another library.