I still remember the day back in 2017 when I missed a client deadline because I couldn't find a matching set of icons for their financial app. After that embarrassing episode, I went on a quest to find a reliable resource for consistent design assets. That's when I stumbled upon Icons8.
Fast forward seven years, and I'm still using it almost daily. But it's evolved so much since then that it barely resembles the tool I originally discovered. This article isn't sponsored - I'm just sharing what I've learned from years of relying on this platform for client work ranging from small business websites to enterprise applications.
From Humble Beginnings to Design Ecosystem
Remember when finding decent icons meant scouring through dozens of different websites, each with their own licensing terms and inconsistent styles? Yeah, those were dark times.
Icons8 started pretty basic - just another icon repository. But unlike the competition, they seemed to have actual designers creating cohesive sets rather than just throwing together random submissions. Over time, they kept adding new features and asset types while maintaining that same quality standard.
What impressed me wasn't just the expansion, but how thoughtfully they've grown. Each new addition feels like it was built by people who actually understand design workflows, not just developers checking boxes on a feature list.
What Actually Sets Icons8 Apart
Not Just Another Icon Collection
Sure, Icons8 has over 1.4 million icons across 47 distinct UI styles. Big numbers are nice, but what matters more is how usable they are in real projects.
The styles range from iOS and Material Design to more specialized offerings like animated icons, which saved my butt during a recent app project where the client suddenly decided they needed "more movement" two days before launch.
What I appreciate most is that each icon within a style family feels like it belongs together. When I'm designing an interface, I don't want users noticing inconsistencies between icons - I want them focusing on the content. Icons8 gets this right when so many others get it wrong.
Their emoji sets, Glyph Neue style, and Line Awesome collection have become go-to resources for me. Each icon is properly optimized for different screen resolutions, which means I'm not stuck trying to fix weird scaling issues when moving between devices.
File Formats That Don't Make Me Pull My Hair Out
Look, I'm not ashamed to admit I've thrown things (soft things, but still) after downloading the perfect icon only to discover it's in a format I can't use for a specific project.
Icons8 solves this by offering multiple formats:
- SVG when I need to animate or scale
- PNG with transparency for quick implementation
- PDF for print materials (yes, some clients still want physical brochures)
- EPS/AI formats for deeper customization
- HTML and CSS snippets that I can just copy-paste
This might seem trivial, but when you're racing against a deadline, not having to convert file formats can be the difference between making it or not.
During a project last September, I had to completely pivot from a web application to a printed conference handout in under 24 hours. Being able to grab the same icons in print-ready formats without recreating anything saved the project.
Style Consistency That Clients Notice (But Can't Quite Explain)
Ever presented design mockups to clients who say, "Something just feels off" but they can't tell you what? Often it's because the visual elements don't share a consistent style.
One of the most underrated aspects of Icons8 is how they maintain visual consistency not just within icon sets but across illustrations, photos, and other assets. This means I can build cohesive design systems much faster.
A healthcare startup I worked with last year kept getting feedback that their app felt "unprofessional" despite having decent UX and functionality. When we switched to using a consistent icon and illustration style from Icons8 throughout the interface, users suddenly perceived it as more trustworthy and polished. Nothing else changed - just visual consistency.
Tools That Actually Solve Real Problems
Customization Without The Usual Pain
The interactive editor is something I use almost daily. Need to tweak colors to match brand guidelines? Change sizes? Add backgrounds? It takes seconds instead of opening Illustrator and potentially ruining my day.
Their Iconizer tool deserves special mention - it lets non-designers on my team make basic edits to SVG icons without panicked phone calls asking how to use the pen tool.
I've trained several clients to use it themselves for simple modifications, which has drastically reduced those "can you just change this one tiny thing" requests that interrupt actual design work.
The range of size options (from tiny 25×25 all the way to 512×512 pixels) means I'm covered whether I'm designing app icons or website features.
Icon Fonts That Won't Break Your Website
For web projects where performance matters, icon fonts often beat individual files. Icons8's font generation tool creates browser-compatible icon fonts without the usual headaches.
Last year, I optimized a slow-loading e-commerce site by replacing dozens of individual icon files with a single icon font generated from Icons8. Page load time improved by 18%, which directly contributed to better conversion rates. The client was thrilled, and I looked like a hero for what was honestly a pretty simple switch.
SVG Sets That Developers Actually Thank You For
My developer friends used to dread when I'd send over icons because they knew they'd spend hours standardizing the files to work in their frameworks. Icons8's SVG set generation has changed that completely.
The most frequent comment I get now is "these were actually easy to implement" - which might be the highest praise developers give anything.
On a recent healthcare portal project, our dev team estimated they saved about 20 hours of work by using these pre-standardized SVG sets. That's almost three full workdays they could spend on actual functionality instead of wrangling graphics.
Integrations That Feel Like They Were Made By Actual Humans
Desktop Apps That Don't Make Me Want To Scream
I'm generally skeptical of web services offering desktop apps - they're usually buggy afterthoughts with half the functionality. Icons8's native apps for Mac and Windows are rare exceptions.
The offline access has saved me during client meetings with spotty internet and on flights where I'm frantically finishing presentations. Being able to drag icons directly into Sketch, Photoshop, and other design tools without downloading and importing each one individually has probably saved me weeks of cumulative time over the years.
During a power outage last winter that lasted two days, I was still able to finish a deadline-critical project using their offline app and a laptop with a few hours of battery life. Try doing that with web-only tools.
Plugins That Actually Understand Workflows
The plugins for Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and other design tools show Icons8 actually understands how designers work day-to-day. Instead of forcing me to switch contexts constantly, these integrations bring assets directly into my workspace.
The Figma plugin has become something I instinctively reach for - it's so embedded in my workflow that I feel slightly lost when working on platforms without it.
During collaborative projects, these plugins ensure everyone on the team has access to the same resources without sending asset files back and forth or maintaining complex shared libraries.
An API That Doesn't Feel Like It Was Written By Aliens
For larger projects, programmatic access is essential. Icons8's API feels like it was built by people who actually understand both design and development needs.
It's well-documented, reliable (handling over 500,000 calls daily from what I've read), and integrates smoothly with various tech stacks.
For a SaaS dashboard we built last year, this API enabled us to dynamically adjust visual elements based on user preferences and accessibility needs without maintaining duplicate asset sets. The client was impressed by the personalization options, which would have been nearly impossible to implement without this kind of programmatic access.
They Actually Listen To Users (No, Really)
Icon Requests That Don't Disappear Into The Void
Most platforms have request features that feel symbolic at best. Icons8's request system actually delivers results.
Last April, I needed a very specific medical imaging device icon for a healthcare client that wasn't available anywhere. I submitted a request through Icons8, expecting to either hear nothing or get directed to their custom design services.
Three days later, they delivered exactly what I needed, in the style that matched our existing icons, at no additional cost. That level of responsiveness is incredibly rare.
Resources That Teach Rather Than Just Promote
Beyond providing assets, Icons8 offers genuinely useful tutorials and design tips. Their content isn't the typical fluffy marketing stuff - it contains practical advice from people who clearly understand design challenges.
A junior designer on my team significantly improved her icon usage principles after going through some of their guides. That's the kind of educational content that builds loyalty beyond just the assets themselves.
How Different People Actually Use Icons8
For Designers Like Me
As someone who's been designing professionally for over 15 years, I value Icons8 primarily as a time-saver and quality-enhancer. The comprehensive library lets me focus on strategic design challenges rather than redrawing basic elements for the thousandth time.
When clients come with unreasonable deadlines (as they often do), having access to high-quality, consistent assets can be the difference between delivering professional work and having to cut corners.
Last summer, I got a call from a long-term client who suddenly needed a complete pitch deck redesign for a massive investor meeting - by the next morning. With Icons8's assets and my templates, I delivered something that looked like it took a week to create. The client secured their funding, and I didn't have to pull an all-nighter. Win-win.
For Developers Who Just Need Things To Look Good
Let's be honest - many developers are brilliant at code but struggle with visual design (no offense to my dev friends - y'all have other superpowers).
Icons8 provides them with ready-made visual elements that instantly improve the look of their applications without requiring design expertise.
My friend Josh, a backend developer who routinely builds side projects, told me: "Before Icons8, my apps worked great but looked like they were designed in the 90s. Now they actually look professional enough that people take them seriously."
The various implementation options accommodate different development approaches, making the platform useful regardless of tech stack preferences.
For Marketing Teams Drowning In Content Needs
Marketing folks need constant visual assets for campaigns, social posts, and presentations, often with ridiculous turnaround times.
My client Sarah leads marketing for a fintech startup and credits Icons8 with helping her team maintain visual consistency despite not having a full-time designer. "We can create social graphics and presentation slides that actually look professional without bothering our part-time designer for every little thing."
The customization options let marketing teams create brand-aligned content independently, which reduces bottlenecks and speeds up campaign deployment.
For Cash-Strapped Startups and Non-Profits
For organizations with tight budgets, Icons8's free tier (with attribution) provides access to quality design assets that would otherwise be unattainable.
I've recommended this approach to several non-profit clients who needed professional-looking materials despite minimal design budgets. One local education foundation was able to completely revamp their outreach materials using Icons8 resources, significantly improving their fundraising results without spending a dime on design assets.
Essential UI Elements That Just Work
When designing interfaces, having reliable standards for common elements saves tremendous time and improves user experience through familiarity.
For instance, when implementing navigation systems, you'll almost always need the house icon for the home section. Icons8 offers multiple variations of this essential element that match different design aesthetics while maintaining intuitive recognition. Their options range from minimalist outlines to detailed 3D versions, ensuring compatibility with virtually any design direction.
I've used their home icons across dozens of projects - from corporate intranets to e-commerce sites to mobile apps - and their versatility saves me from redesigning the wheel (or in this case, the house) every time.
The multi-format availability makes these fundamental UI elements easy to implement across contexts - from mobile apps to websites to desktop applications - without quality compromises.
Solutions To Everyday Design Headaches
Creating Visual Harmony Without The Usual Struggle
One of the most persistent challenges in design is creating harmony across different elements - especially when they come from different sources.
Icons8 addresses this through style-matched assets that share visual characteristics across categories. This capability has transformed how I build design systems for clients.
For a recent project with a legal services firm, we needed to combine iconography with photo elements and illustrations in their client portal. Using style-matched assets from Icons8 created a unified visual experience that felt intentionally designed rather than cobbled together from disparate sources.
Keeping Up With Design Trends Without Starting Over
Remember when everything had to be skeuomorphic? Then flat design took over, and now we've got neumorphism and 3D styles making a comeback?
Staying current typically requires rebuilding asset libraries with each shift. Icons8 regularly adds new styles reflecting emerging design paradigms, allowing implementation of contemporary aesthetics without starting from scratch.
When a long-term client wanted to refresh their app's look without a complete redesign last year, we were able to update just the iconography to their new 3D style, giving the interface a contemporary feel without rebuilding everything. The client was happy with the modern appearance, and we completed the update in days instead of weeks.
Balancing Unique Branding With Usability
Great design walks a tightrope between distinctiveness and familiarity. Icons8's customization options provide recognizable foundations that can be modified to achieve brand uniqueness without sacrificing usability.
For interfaces where minimizing learning curves is essential, this balance is crucial. I've used their editing tools to create unique-looking icons that still follow established visual conventions, giving clients the distinctive branding they want without confusing their users.
A financial services client insisted on a completely unique visual language for their app - but we convinced them to maintain standard patterns for critical functions while customizing the styling. This compromise gave them the distinctive look they wanted while preserving the intuitive experience their users expected.
How It Stacks Up Against Other Options
After trying most major icon and asset libraries over my career, Icons8 distinguishes itself in several key ways:
- It's Actually Comprehensive: Unlike specialized libraries focusing on a single asset type, Icons8 provides a full range in one place. This reduces subscription fatigue and the need to learn multiple platforms.
- Quality Control That's Consistent: Their in-house design team ensures style consistency and quality standards. This contrasts sharply with marketplaces where quality varies wildly between contributors.
- Workflow-Centric Tools: Beyond static assets, Icons8 offers tools that actually streamline real-world implementation challenges. This focus on practical workflows shows they understand what users actually need.
- They Evolve Based on Actual Feedback: Their request system and regular updates ensure the platform evolves with user requirements rather than abstract internal roadmaps.
Forward-Looking Innovation That's Actually Useful
Icons8's integration of AI technologies demonstrates a practical approach to innovation that serves real needs rather than just chasing trends.
Their AI-powered tools like Background Remover, Smart Upscaler, Face Generator, Human Generator, AI Anonymizer, and Illustration Generator have simplified tasks that previously required specialized skills or expensive software.
I've used several of these tools with impressive results - generating fictional faces for user personas, creating custom illustrations in specific styles, and removing backgrounds from product photos in seconds instead of minutes.
Last month, I needed to create a series of user personas for a client presentation but had no budget for custom photography. Using Icons8's Face Generator, I created realistic, diverse fictional characters that served as perfect visual anchors for the personas. The client commented specifically on how the authentic-looking imagery made the personas feel more credible and relatable.
The Bottom Line: It Just Works
After seven years of using Icons8 across countless projects, it's earned its place as my go-to design resource. What started as a simple icon library has become an essential part of my professional toolkit.
What impresses me most is how it scales with different needs. When I was freelancing, the free tier with attribution was perfect. As my business grew and client demands became more complex, the premium features continued to provide value that justified the investment.
In an industry where visual communication becomes increasingly important, platforms like Icons8 play a vital role in enabling effective design at every level - from solo freelancers to enterprise teams.
Whether you're a seasoned designer, a developer trying to make your UI not look terrible, a marketer creating assets on tight deadlines, or an educator with limited resources, Icons8 offers solutions that adapt to your specific needs without compromising quality.
After all these years and dozens of alternatives tried, it remains one of the few design resources I recommend without hesitation to colleagues, clients, and students alike. In a field full of tools that overpromise and underdeliver, Icons8 stands out by doing exactly what it claims, consistently and reliably.
