Ionicons

Ionicons is a free, MIT-licensed icon set for web, mobile and desktop apps. It suits developers who want a sizeable library they can style in code, especially those building with Ionic Framework. Its breadth and formats make it a sensible starting point, though its browser requirements and limited logo styles may rule it out for some projects.

Overview

The library contains 1,300 hand-crafted icons and permits commercial use under the MIT License. That makes it a practical choice for projects that need a broad set without a subscription or per-seat cost. App icons come in filled, outline and sharp variants, but logo icons lack outline and sharp versions; teams seeking consistent treatments across both types may need another library.

SVG and Web Component formats support different implementation approaches. The set is packaged by default with Ionic Framework, which makes Ionicons particularly convenient for Ionic projects, while it remains usable in web, iOS, Android and desktop apps.

Key features

The web component dynamically loads SVGs for requested icons and fetches only those that are visible. This is useful for interfaces using the component that do not need every icon fetched up front. Developers can set size and color with attributes or CSS, and adjust outline stroke width with a CSS custom property.

For Ionic Framework apps, the ios and md attributes allow separate icon choices for iOS and Material Design. The component can also load a custom SVG from a URL, provided it contains no scripts or events. For accessibility, decorative icons should be marked aria-hidden, while interactive icons should have aria-label text. Users can suggest missing icons through a GitHub issue.

Pricing

Ionicons costs nothing. The free plan includes 1,300 icons in SVG and Web Component formats, multiple styles and commercial use; it is completely open source and MIT licensed. There is no paid tier to weigh against the free offering, so the decision rests on whether its icon coverage and technical fit meet the project’s needs.

Platforms

Ionicons supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows. The usage guide lists Chrome 79+, Safari 14+, Edge 79+ and Firefox 70+ as supported, and does not support Internet Explorer 11. Projects that must accommodate IE 11 should choose a different option.

Who it's for

Ionicons is a strong fit for developers building Ionic Framework apps, as well as teams seeking a free, commercially usable icon set for web, mobile or desktop software. It is less suitable when a project needs outline or sharp treatments for logos, or must support Internet Explorer 11.

Pros and cons

• Pros: 1,300 MIT-licensed icons are available for commercial use at no cost, avoiding subscription and licensing expense.
• Pros: SVG and Web Component formats, plus Ionic Framework’s default integration, give developers practical implementation choices.
• Pros: Size, color and outline stroke width can be customized, and Ionic apps can select iOS and Material Design icons separately.
• Cons: Logo icons do not have outline or sharp variants, limiting stylistic consistency across the set.
• Cons: Internet Explorer 11 is unsupported, which excludes projects that require that browser.

Alternatives

Browse Icon Libraries to compare other collections. Choose Font Awesome if its freemium model and platform coverage suit your project; its free plan includes 2,163 icons, one Kit and 10,000 pageviews. Lordicon is an alternative if you want animated icons: its free plan offers 9,700 icons, unlimited exports and a commercial license, with attribution required.

Ant Design Icons is another free, MIT-licensed option, with npm packages for Vanilla, React, React Native, Angular and Vue. Choose IconArchive if you want a free collection of more than 800,000 icons with no login or subscription. The Noun Project offers PNG and SVG downloads on its free account, but free-use icons require attribution and do not include commercial licenses.

Eva Icons is a free, MIT-licensed alternative with more than 480 icons. Hugeicons offers a freemium set whose free tier includes more than 6,000 Stroke Rounded icons, a web app and design and developer plugins. IcoMoon is another freemium option, with a free plan that stores projects locally and has no account saving; generated links expire after 24 hours.

Verdict

Choose Ionicons if you want a broad, free icon set for commercial software, particularly in an Ionic Framework project. Its MIT license, SVG and Web Component formats, and style customization make it a capable default. Look elsewhere if Internet Explorer 11 support is essential or your design needs outline and sharp logo variants.