web design

How to choose the right icon set for your UI design project

Icons play a crucial role in creating visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces. They are an essential part of your brand identity and can make or break the user experience.

by Iulian Pistol

In this article, we'll guide you through the process of choosing the best icon set for your design project. We'll explore different styles of icons, scalability options, and consistency considerations to help you make an informed decision. Whether you're a seasoned designer or a beginner, you'll find valuable tips and resources to enhance your design skills and create stunning visuals.

Icon style

Icon style is the first and most important factor to consider. There are various styles of icons, the most popular being line (or outline), solid (or filled), and duotone. You need to choose the style that matches the overall design of your website or app.

Line icons are modern, minimalistic, and versatile. They are represented by subtle characteristic figures that appear on the outer edges of the symbol.

Solid icons are simple, clean, and elegant. They grab the users’ attention with a simple design and careful coloring, which makes them stand out more than the line icons.

Duotone icons are more decorative and attention-grabbing because they are made of two distinct shades of color. They are great when you’re looking to add more of your brand or an illustrative feeling to the icons in your project.

example from the icon set Universal Icon Set

Scalability

Quality icon sets are consistent and optically balanced relative to each other. Look for icon sets that are available in .svg format or can be converted to SVG such as Figma files, .ai, or .eps.

The reason why you want to use SVG icons is that they can shrink or expand to any size without a loss of quality. This is important when you need to use an icon in different sizes in different areas of your website or app.

Consistency

Whether they are sharp or rounded, icon sets must have consistent edges, and you should make your choice based on the overall design of your app. If your design has elements with sharp edges, then you should use icons with sharp edges. Respectively, if the elements have round edges, your icons should be rounded.

The icon set should be large enough to fit your needs

You won’t need thousands of icons, but the icon set you choose should have at least 200+ essential icons that you will most likely need. You can opt for a smaller icon pack, with the possibility to create your own custom icons, but that is time-consuming and could lead to inconsistencies.

Licensing and distribution

Last but not least, licensing is an important factor to consider when choosing an icon set. Some icons are free, while others require a license to use commercially. Make sure to read the licensing agreements and choose an icon set that aligns with your needs.

snippet from the icon set Untitled UI Icons

Conclusion

Choosing the right icon set requires careful consideration of various factors, including style, format, scalability, consistency, and licensing. When you choose an icon set that meets all of your needs, it can greatly improve the overall look and feel of your website or app.