The Noun Project

Overview

The Noun Project combines a broad icon and stock-photo library with tools for finding and using assets in creative software. It is best suited to designers who need varied imagery across several apps, and to software teams seeking icon access through an API. Its breadth is a strong draw, but commercial users should weigh the paid license against free downloads’ attribution requirement.

Key features

The searchable library contains nearly 10 million human-made icons and stock photos, with multiple icon styles. PNG and SVG downloads cover common design needs, while the Mac app adds PDF export. The Figma plugin’s AI-enhanced search, style matching, and filters for solid or line icons and line weight make a large library more manageable when a project needs a consistent look.

Apps and plugins connect the collection to PowerPoint and Word, Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign, Google Slides and Docs, and Mac workflows. That reach is useful for teams working across tools, though the Office add-in requires Microsoft Office 365 for PC, Mac, or web. The Mac app requires macOS Mojave 10.14.6 or higher and includes 100 starter icons.

The Icon API provides REST access for software products and is aimed at growth-stage and enterprise clients. Noun Studio adds custom icon editing and generation; edited or generated images stay private to the account, and creators earn royalties when their icons are used as references for downloaded generated icons.

Pricing

The Free account costs nothing and allows PNG and SVG downloads, but free-use icons require attribution and downloads do not include the paid commercial license. This is workable for attributed, noncommercial use; commercial projects should consider a paid plan.

Noun Pro costs $3.33 a year, billed paid yearly. It includes unlimited PNG and SVG icon downloads, royalty-free commercial licenses, no attribution, plugins and editor, with icon sets and photos as an add-on. It is the clearest fit for an individual who regularly needs licensed icons; the add-on means icon sets and photos are not part of the core bundle.

Noun Team costs $6.67 a year for a starter team of 2, paid yearly. It includes Pro benefits, consolidated billing, and priority support; additional seats cost $3.33/mo per seat, with discounts for teams of 10+. The two-seat starting point suits small groups, while larger teams should factor in extra-seat charges.

The Icon API trial costs nothing for 30 days and provides API access to the collection; after the trial, API pricing is custom. The Noun Studio credit pack costs $8.99, paid once for 900 credits, about 45 edits or generations, and includes custom icon edits and generation with royalty-free commercial licenses. Pro subscribers save 10% and get free SVG conversion. The credit pack is a separate purchase rather than a substitute for the Pro download plan.

Platforms

The service covers web, macOS, Windows, and API access. The free Figma plugin includes unlimited PNG icons up to 512 by 512 pixels with attribution; Pro unlocks SVGs and customization. The API provides a route for software integration, while the dedicated Mac app and broad plugin roster suit people who prefer to work inside creative tools.

Who it's for

Choose The Noun Project if you need a large, searchable supply of icons across multiple styles, want access from familiar creative apps, or are evaluating an API for a software product. It is less compelling if you only need a small open-source set or require unrestricted commercial use without paying for a plan.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Nearly 10 million icons and stock photos offer far more variety than a narrowly scoped symbol set.
• Pro: Plugins, apps, and a REST API serve both individual creative workflows and software products.
• Pro: Noun Pro includes unlimited PNG and SVG downloads with commercial licenses and no attribution.
• Con: Free-use icons require attribution, and the free account lacks the paid commercial license benefit.
• Con: Free Figma access is limited to PNGs up to 512 by 512 pixels; SVGs and customization require Pro.
• Con: The Mac app has a minimum OS requirement, and the Office add-in requires Microsoft Office 365.

Alternatives

Font Awesome is a better fit when its free tier of 2,163 icons, one Kit, and 10,000 pageviews is enough, or when its Linux and self-hosted platform coverage matters. Eva Icons suits readers seeking a free, MIT-licensed set of 480+ icons for Android, iOS, or web rather than a broad commercial library.

Hugeicons is worth considering for its free 6,000+ Stroke Rounded icons, design and development plugins, and a Pro tier with 60,000+ icons. Material Symbols is a free option for projects needing over 2,500 glyphs in SVG, PNG, or font formats under Apache License 2.0.

Tabler Icons fits readers who want 6,200+ MIT-licensed SVG icons and free updates in an open-source package. Material Design Icons is another free, open-source library under Apache 2.0, with brand and logo icons excluded and being removed.

Boxicons may suit a web-focused user seeking a single-user Pro plan with web fonts, commercial project use, and lifetime use and updates. Bootstrap Icons is a free alternative when over 2,000 icons in SVG, sprite, or web-font formats are sufficient, with or without Bootstrap. Browse Icon Libraries for more options.

Verdict

The Noun Project is a strong choice for designers and product teams who value a large, varied catalog and access through creative apps or an API. The paid plans make commercial licensing and attribution simpler, but readers who only need a compact free set—or cannot accept the free-use attribution condition—should look elsewhere.