Heroicons vs Font Awesome: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Heroicons and Font Awesome comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: Heroicons is our overall pick for icon libraries workflows. Pick Font Awesome if you need a free tier to start with.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Heroicons
Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators
Best for you if:
- • You need something completely free
- • Heroicons is a set of free, MIT-licensed SVG icons from the makers of Tailwind CSS
- • It provides 300+ hand-crafted icons in outline and solid styles
Font Awesome
The internet's most popular icon toolkit and a powerful CSS framework.
Best for you if:
- • Provides a vast library of scalable vector icons.
- • Offers a CSS toolkit for easy icon customization.
| At a Glance |  Heroicons |  Font Awesome |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free | $10/month/moBasic |
Best For | Icon Libraries | Icon Libraries |
Rating | - | - |
Choose Heroicons or Font Awesome?
Choose Heroicons if
Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators
- Beautiful icon set
- Tailwind team made
- Free and MIT
- You want a fully free tool (Font Awesome requires payment)
Choose Font Awesome if
The internet's most popular icon toolkit and a powerful CSS framework.
- Icons scale without loss of quality
- Easy to customize with CSS
- Reduces HTTP requests compared to image files
| Feature | Heroicons | Font Awesome |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Free | Freemium |
| User Rating | No ratings yet | ★4.5/5 34 reviews |
| Categories | Icon LibrariesDeveloper Tools | Icon LibrariesDeveloper Tools |
In-Depth Analysis
Heroicons
Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators
Strengths
- +Beautiful icon set
- +Tailwind team made
- +Free and MIT
- +React/Vue components
- +Well designed
Weaknesses
- -Limited icon count
- -Tailwind style only
- -No variations
- -Updates infrequent
- -May need more icons
Key features
Font Awesome
The internet's most popular icon toolkit and a powerful CSS framework.
Strengths
- +Icons scale without loss of quality
- +Easy to customize with CSS
- +Reduces HTTP requests compared to image files
- +Wide range of icons available
- +Good community support and documentation
Weaknesses
- -Free tier has a limited icon set compared to Pro
- -Can add a slight overhead to page load if not optimized
- -Requires some basic CSS knowledge for advanced customization
Key features
Pricing: Heroicons vs Font Awesome
| Plan | Heroicons | Font Awesome |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free Free | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | N/A | $10/month Basic |
| Tier 3 | N/A | $25/month Pro |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Heroicons pricing and Font Awesome pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Heroicons is free. Font Awesome is freemium.
Go with: Heroicons
Want the highest-rated option?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: Heroicons
Value user reviews?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: Heroicons
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Heroicons is free. Font Awesome is freemium. Go with Heroicons if free matters most.
What's your use case?
Both are icon libraries tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Key Takeaways
Heroicons
- Completely free
- Our pick for this comparison
Font Awesome
- Choose if you want the internet's most popular icon toolkit and a powerful CSS framework
The Bottom Line
Heroicons is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heroicons or Font Awesome better?
Heroicons is rated in our evaluation. Heroicons is free and Font Awesome is freemium.
What are Heroicons and Font Awesome used for?
Heroicons: Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators. Font Awesome: The internet's most popular icon toolkit and a powerful CSS framework..
What does Heroicons cost vs Font Awesome?
Heroicons is completely free. Font Awesome is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.