I've tested every icon platform out there; most are trash. Either the styles don't match, the files are messy, or you spend half your day hunting for that one perfect icon that doesn't exist. Icons8 is different, though not ideal. Here's what I found after six months of actually using it.
What You're Getting
Icons8 claims 1.4 million icons across 47 styles. It sounds impressive until you realize most platforms throw around big numbers. What matters is whether these icons work together. Spoiler: they do, mostly.
The iOS collection has 10,563 icons. I've used these in three different app projects, and they genuinely follow Apple's guidelines. They are not "inspired by" or "similar to"—they match. It's the same deal with their Android Material set (8,205 icons). Icons8 fills the gaps quickly when Apple or Google releases new interface elements.
Their Windows 11 Color icons are newer—only 2,283 of them. It makes sense, as Microsoft continually changes its mind about design directions. The Glyph Neue collection (2,282 icons) works well for clean, minimal interfaces—nothing groundbreaking, but solid execution.
Here's what impressed me: stroke weights stay consistent within each family. Sounds basic, but you'd be amazed how many platforms screw this up. Icons8 doesn't.
Animation Situation
They've got 4,500+ animated icons. Most run 1-3 seconds, 30fps, web-optimized. The Lottie format is helpful because you can control everything programmatically—speed, direction, loops, whatever.
I tested their loading animations in a client project. They work fine, nothing spectacular. The micro-interactions are better—subtle enough to feel professional, not like some teenager discovered After Effects.
One complaint: finding specific animations can be annoying. Their search isn't great for motion graphics. You'll end up browsing categories more than searching.
Illustrations Are Hit or Miss
Icons8 has multiple illustration styles. Some are excellent, others feel like stock photo syndrome—technically competent but soulless. The 3D isometric stuff works well for tech presentations. I've used their business illustrations for several client decks.
The "Trendy" collection updates regularly, which is helpful or annoying, depending on your perspective. If you're doing work for startups that want to look current, it's useful. For established brands, stick with their more stable collections.
Style consistency within collections is good. I built an entire presentation using their education illustrations without anything looking out of place.
Photo Assets: Better Than Expected
Background-removed photos of people and objects. The cutting is professional, with clean edges and proper masking. I've seen amateur Photoshop jobs from other platforms that make you want to cry.
Their AI-generated faces are surprisingly decent for mockups: diverse demographics, natural expressions, and no uncanny valley weirdness. The full-body generated humans work, too, though poses can feel stiff.
The AI anonymizer tool is clever. Uploading a photo modifies faces while keeping the valuable image for design work, making it privacy-friendly without losing functionality.
Regarding brand-specific needs, clients ask for platform icons that match their app's style. The spotify logo collection shows how Icons8 handles popular brand elements while maintaining its systematic approach to design consistency.
Lunacy: Their Design App
Lunacy is Icons8's answer to Sketch/Figma. It's... fine. Not revolutionary, but competent. The killer feature is built-in access to their entire asset library—no downloading, importing, or context switching.
It handles Sketch files well, and Figma support is improving. The interface feels familiar if you've used other design tools. Performance is decent, though it occasionally has hiccups with complex files.
Would I switch from Figma to Lunacy? Probably not. Would I use it for quick projects requiring lots of Icons8 assets? Absolutely.
Plugin Game Is Strong
Their Figma plugin works exactly as advertised. Search, preview, insert—all without leaving Figma. I use it constantly. The Photoshop integration handles format conversion automatically, which saves time.
Google Workspace add-ons are surprisingly useful for presentations. Quick illustrations without opening dedicated design software. It's not groundbreaking, but it's genuinely helpful.
Technical Stuff That Matters
SVG files are clean. Minimal anchor points, optimized code, CSS-friendly. I've never had to clean up an Icons8 SVG before using it, which is rare.
PNG exports come in 1x, 2x, 3x variants. Color handling is professional. PDF/EPS formats work properly for print, which many platforms mess up.
API access exists for developers. REST endpoints, bulk downloads, CMS integration. Rate limits are reasonable for most use cases.
Pricing Reality Check
The free tier requires attribution and limits resolution. Fine for personal projects, problematic for most commercial work. Subscriptions start at $24/month per asset type (icons, illustrations, photos, music). Full access is $89/month.
Is it worth it? Depends. For agencies or in-house teams doing lots of interface work, yes. For freelancers doing occasional projects, maybe not.
The team features work well. Centralized billing, user management, and shared libraries. It's nothing fancy but functional.
Search and Organization
This is where Icons8 shows its age. Search works okay for concrete objects ("phone," "email," "settings") but struggles with abstract concepts. Category browsing is often more effective.
Tagging is inconsistent across collections. Some icons have extensive tags, and others barely have any. It's improving, but slowly.
What Doesn't Work
Search limitations are fundamental. You'll waste time searching for concepts that should be easy to find. Some specialized industries (medical, engineering, scientific) have coverage gaps.
Style quality varies between collections. The popular styles get regular updates and new additions. Niche styles feel neglected.
Customer support is hit or miss. Sometimes helpful, but sometimes you get template responses that don't address your question.
Performance in Real Projects
I've used Icons8 assets in mobile apps, websites, presentations, and print materials. They hold up well across different contexts. Color customization works properly; scaling doesn't introduce artefacts.
File organization could be better. Downloaded assets don't automatically organize by style or category. You'll need your system to keep things sorted.
Honest Assessment
Icons8 solves real problems without creating new ones. The systematic approach to consistency works. Integration options address actual workflow needs. File quality is professional.
It's not perfect. Search needs improvement; some collections feel incomplete, and pricing adds up quickly for full access. However, it delivers value for teams prioritizing visual consistency and workflow efficiency.
Whether it's worth subscribing depends on your project volume and team size. Heavy icon users will find clear value. Occasional users prefer pay-per-asset alternatives or free resources with attribution.
The platform keeps evolving—new styles, better tools, improved integrations. That suggests ongoing relevance but also means what you're paying for today might change tomorrow.
The bottom line is that Icons8 works when you need it to work. It's not revolutionary, just reliable. Sometimes, that's precisely what you need.
