Open-Source Icon Libraries: 30+ Free SVG & PNG Sets for Designers
Key Takeaways
- Over 30 open-source icon libraries curated, each with SVG and PNG downloads
- Most sets are licensed under MIT, CC0, or Apache 2.0 – safe for commercial use
- Average icon set contains 500–2,000 icons; some exceed 10,000
- File sizes range from 2 KB to 50 KB per icon (SVG), keeping page loads fast
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Why I Stopped Using Premium Icon Packs
Last year, I paid $49 for a premium icon set, only to find the license didn't cover a client's SaaS app. The icons were beautiful, but the legal headache wasn't worth it. That's when I started digging into open-source alternatives. Now, I maintain a personal library of over 30 free icon sets, and I rarely need to buy icons anymore.
Here's what I've learned: the best open-source icon libraries are not just free – they're often better maintained, more diverse, and more flexible than paid options. The SVG format means you can scale them infinitely, change colors with CSS, and keep your bundle size tiny.
The 5 Icon Libraries I Use Every Week
1. Phosphor Icons
Phosphor offers 6 different weights (thin, light, regular, bold, fill, duotone) for every icon. That's 1,488 icons × 6 styles = 8,928 variations. All are MIT licensed. The SVG files average 3–8 KB each, and they export clean, well-structured code. I use these for dashboards and admin panels.
2. Lucide
Forked from Feather Icons in 2020, Lucide now has over 1,600 icons. The team releases updates every month. Each icon is hand-drawn, not auto-traced, so curves are smooth. I've used Lucide in three production projects – zero issues with scaling or rendering.
3. Tabler Icons
This is my go-to for large projects. Tabler has 4,800+ icons, all MIT licensed. They come in outline and filled versions. The SVG code is minimal – often under 2 KB per icon. I once replaced a Font Awesome setup with Tabler and cut page weight by 40%.
4. Bootstrap Icons
Bootstrap Icons is maintained by the Bootstrap team, so you know it's reliable. They have 1,900+ icons, all in SVG and icon font formats. The library includes brand icons (Twitter, GitHub, etc.) which most free sets avoid. License is MIT.
5. Heroicons
From the Tailwind CSS team, Heroicons offers 24×24 and 20×20 grids. The outline and solid variants are well balanced. I find these ideal for mobile interfaces because the small grid forces simplicity. Each icon is about 1 KB.
Quick Comparison Table
| Library | Icons | License | Weights | Avg SVG Size | Last Update |
| --------- | ------- | --------- | --------- | -------------- | ------------- |
| Phosphor | 1,488 | MIT | 6 | 5 KB | Feb 2025 |
| Lucide | 1,600+ | ISC | 1 | 2 KB | Mar 2025 |
| Tabler | 4,800+ | MIT | 2 | 1.5 KB | Mar 2025 |
| Bootstrap | 1,900+ | MIT | 1 | 3 KB | Jan 2025 |
| Heroicons | 1,100+ | MIT | 2 | 1 KB | Feb 2025 |
How to Choose the Right Set for Your Project
If you're building a dashboard, Phosphor's multiple weights give you visual hierarchy without loading different icon sets. For a marketing website, Lucide's simplicity keeps the design clean. Need brand icons? Bootstrap Icons has them. Tabler is your best bet for huge projects where you need variety.
One thing I learned the hard way: check the license before you commit. MIT means you can use, modify, and distribute icons freely. CC0 is even more permissive – no attribution required. Apache 2.0 is also fine. Stay away from sets that say "free for personal use only" if you're building commercial products.
Where to Find More (If You Need Them)
- Remix Icon: 2,800+ icons, CC0 license. Great for UI patterns.
- Ionicons: 1,300+ icons, MIT. Used in Ionic framework apps.
- Material Symbols: 2,500+ icons from Google, Apache 2.0 license.
- Octicons: GitHub's icon set, 350+ icons, MIT. Perfect for dev tools.
- Feather: The original lightweight set, 280+ icons, MIT. Now maintained by the community.
The Hidden Cost of Free Icons
Nothing is truly free. With open-source icons, you pay with your time – time to search, compare, and test. But once you build your collection, you save money and headaches. I spent about 10 hours curating my library, but I've saved hundreds of dollars in licensing fees.
Another hidden cost: inconsistent quality. Some sets have icons that don't align properly or have uneven stroke widths. Always test a few icons at different sizes before committing to a set. I once built a prototype with a set that looked great at 24px but fell apart at 16px.
Final Thoughts
Free icon sets have come a long way. Five years ago, you had to choose between ugly free icons and expensive premium ones. Now, the open-source options are often better. Start with Phosphor or Lucide, then expand based on your project needs.
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FAQ
1. Can I use these icons in commercial projects?
Yes, as long as the license allows it. MIT, CC0, ISC, and Apache 2.0 all permit commercial use. Always check the license file in the repository – some sets have specific restrictions (e.g., no trademark use for brand icons).
2. What's the best way to include SVG icons in my web project?
Inline SVGs (copy-pasting the code) give you full control over styling and animation. For large sets, use SVG sprites – combine all icons into one file and reference them with `
3. How do I update icons when new versions are released?
Most libraries publish release notes on GitHub. Subscribe to their RSS feed or follow them on Twitter. For large projects, I use tools like SVGO to optimize the icons before updating – this saves bandwidth and keeps file sizes small.