Ionicons

Ionicons is a free, open-source icon set for web, mobile and desktop apps. It is best suited to developers who want a sizable, styleable library, particularly teams building with Ionic Framework. Its breadth and MIT license make it a practical default, provided its browser requirements and logo-style limits fit your project.

Overview

The library contains 1,300 icons and is released under the MIT License, with commercial use permitted. SVG and web component formats give developers options for using the icons in different implementations without paying for the set. App icons come in filled, outline and sharp styles; logos do not, so projects that need those treatments consistently across every icon may prefer another library.

Key features

Ionicons’ web component loads SVGs for requested icons and fetches only those that are visible. That makes it a useful option for interfaces that use the component and do not need every icon loaded at once. In Ionic Framework, Ionicons is included by default, and the ios and md attributes let an app select different icons for iOS and Material Design.

Developers can set icon size and color through attributes or CSS, and adjust outline stroke width with a CSS custom property. The component can also load a custom SVG by URL, but that SVG must not contain scripts or events. For accessible interfaces, decorative icons should use aria-hidden; interactive icons should have an aria-label. Users can propose missing icons through a GitHub issue.

Pricing

The Ionicons plan costs free and includes 1,300 icons, multiple styles, SVG and web component formats, and commercial use. It is completely open source under the MIT License, with no paid tier or free-plan cap to weigh against a subscription. That makes it a strong fit for individual developers and teams that want an icon library without a license fee; it does not offer a paid tier for a larger collection or additional service.

Platforms

Ionicons is intended for web, iOS, Android and desktop apps, and its supported platforms include Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows. Browser support covers Chrome 79+, Safari 14+, Edge 79+ and Firefox 70+. Internet Explorer 11 is not supported, which rules it out for projects that must accommodate that browser.

Who it's for

Ionicons is a good choice for developers who want a free, commercially usable icon set with SVG and web component options, especially those already using Ionic Framework. Its app-icon variants and direct CSS customization suit interfaces that need flexible styling without a paid plan. Look elsewhere if Internet Explorer 11 support is required or if outline and sharp treatments are essential for logo icons.

Pros and cons

• Pro: 1,300 MIT-licensed icons are free for commercial use, avoiding a recurring library cost.
• Pro: The web component fetches only visible requested icons, while size, color and outline stroke width can be customized.
• Pro: Ionic Framework includes Ionicons by default and supports separate iOS and Material Design icon choices.
• Con: Internet Explorer 11 is unsupported, limiting suitability for projects that must serve that browser.
• Con: Logo icons lack outline and sharp variants, unlike app icons.

Alternatives

Browse Icon Libraries for more options. Choose Font Awesome if its free plan’s 2,163 icons, one Kit and 10,000 pageviews better match your needs, or if you want a freemium option with a Starter plan at $4 a month, billed $48 per year annually. Lordicon is a better fit when animated icons are the priority: its free plan includes 9,700 animated icons and unlimited exports, but requires attribution.

Ant Design Icons is another free, MIT-licensed option, with npm packages for Vanilla, React, React Native, Angular and Vue. Pick The Noun Project if its PNG and SVG downloads suit your workflow; free-use icons require attribution and do not include commercial licenses. Eva Icons offers a free MIT-licensed set of 480+ icons.

Consider Hugeicons if its free plan’s 6,000+ Stroke Rounded icons and design and development plugins suit your project better; its Pro plan costs $99 a year and offers 60,000+ Pro icons. IcoMoon may fit a web-focused workflow that needs a free library and local project storage, though it does not save projects to an account and generated links expire after 24 hours. IconArchive is a free alternative with 800,000+ icons and no login or subscription.

Verdict

Choose Ionicons if you want a substantial, free icon set that can be styled directly and is especially convenient in Ionic Framework. Its commercial-use permission and multiple app-icon variants are compelling strengths. Look elsewhere if you need Internet Explorer 11 support or consistent outline and sharp logo variants.