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3 best open-source icon libraries

by Kewal Krishna

Last updated : February 7, 2025

When designing a product or platform, every element, from color and typography to spacing, plays a key role in shaping the user experience. Icons, though small, are no exception and contribute significantly to the overall look and feel.

The design process begins with thorough research to understand the target audience, including factors like age and preferences, to define the brand voice. This foundational understanding allows designers to choose the right elements, including icon libraries, that align with the product’s goals. By selecting the appropriate icon sets, designers can enhance both functionality and aesthetics, creating an intuitive and cohesive design.

Before exploring the best icon libraries, have a look at our blog How to pick a good icon library for your project, to learn more about selecting the right one for your project.

The 3 best open-source icon libraries

Icon libraries

1. Material icon library

The Material icons offers over 2,100 icons, used by millions across various platforms. It covers a broad spectrum of icons, from common user interface elements to more specialized symbols, making it one of the most inclusive and comprehensive icon libraries available. Additionally, they offer a Figma plugin that can help designers to directly use the icons on Figma while designing.

Materials icon library (2100+ icons)

Here are a few benefits of using the material icons library:

  • Minimal and lightweight, ideal for designing modern, minimalistic platforms
  • An extensive range of icons ensures design consistency across the product.
  • Built as SVGs, making them adaptable to various screen sizes and resolutions.
  • Consistent visual balance with uniform detailing and stroke thickness.
  • The minimal strokes and design make the icons easily recognizable and user-friendly in a design.

2. Hero Icons

Hero icons is an open-source collection of interface icons licensed under MIT, designed for web and app development. The library features over 300 icons across various categories and includes both outlined and filled icon styles.

Hero icons (300+ icons)

Here are a few benefits of using the Hero icons library:

  • Designed to deliver clear and simple messaging, perfect for projects with a clean, minimalist aesthetic.
  • Scalable and flexible for various design needs.
  • Available for easy use in multiple formats, including SVG and JSX.

3. Feather Icons

Feather Icons is a sleek library featuring over 250 minimalist, modern icons. Designed for simplicity and elegance, it offers developers a seamless way to enhance their React applications through the React-Feather package. Similar to material icons, Feather icons too have a Figma plugin for convenience.

Feather icons (250+ icons)

Here are a few benefits of using the Feather icons library:

  • Feather Icons are lightweight and highly optimized, contributing to faster project load times.
  • They are customizable in terms of size, color, and scalability to fit various design needs.
  • The icons feature a simple yet professional aesthetic, making them suitable for both minimal and friendly platforms as well as formal and serious platforms.

Among the many icon libraries available, these three stand out as top choices for designers. Their open-source nature provides great flexibility, while their modern and minimalist design makes them ideal for a wide range of projects.

For insights on selecting a library for your project, don’t miss our blog, How to pick a good icon library for your project.

Written by – Shashwathi Rajapur

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