Heroicons vs IconBuddy: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Heroicons and IconBuddy side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Heroicons leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Heroicons
Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (IconBuddy requires payment)
IconBuddy
Search, edit, and download free and open-source SVG icons instantly.
Best for you if:
- • You want extensive library of free and open-source icons
| At a Glance | Heroicons | IconBuddy |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free 100% free | From $39/seat/year Team plan |
Category | UI/UX Design Icon Libraries | UI/UX Design Icon Libraries |
Rating | n/a | n/a |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Watch out for | n/a | The icons themselves are open source. You pay for search, hosting, and plugins. |
Choose Heroicons or IconBuddy?
Choose Heroicons if
- You want a fully free tool (IconBuddy requires payment)
- You want beautiful icon set
- You want tailwind team made
Choose IconBuddy if
- You want extensive library of free and open-source icons
- You want quick and easy icon search and download
In-Depth Analysis
Heroicons
Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators
Heroicons offers an incredibly generous pricing model, as all 315+ SVG icons are available completely free under an MIT license.
Strengths
- Pro: Beautiful icon set
- Pro: Tailwind team made
- Pro: Free and MIT
- Pro: React/Vue components
- Pro: Well designed
Weaknesses
- Con: Limited icon count
- Con: Tailwind style only
- Con: No variations
- Con: Updates infrequent
- Con: May need more icons
Key features
IconBuddy
Search, edit, and download free and open-source SVG icons instantly.
IconBuddy Pro is $6.99/month, $49.99/year, or $120 lifetime.
Watch out
The icons themselves are open source. You pay for search, hosting, and plugins.
Strengths
- Pro: Extensive library of free and open-source icons
- Pro: Quick and easy icon search and download
- Pro: Direct editing capabilities for icons
- Pro: Seamless integration with multiple design and development tools
- Pro: High-quality SVG format for scalability
Weaknesses
- Con: Limited editing features compared to dedicated design software
- Con: Reliance on third-party icon sets means consistency can vary
Key features
Plans and prices: Heroicons vs IconBuddy
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Heroicons |
| heroicons.com/pricing read Sep 29, 2026 |
| IconBuddy |
| iconbuddy.app/pricing read Oct 12, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Heroicons pricing and IconBuddy pricing.
Key Takeaways
Heroicons
- Has a free plan
IconBuddy
- Choose if you want search, edit, and download free and open-source SVG icons instantly
What the data shows
On the data below, Heroicons leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- IconBuddy starts at $39/seat/year; Heroicons has no public paid plan price on file.
- Only Heroicons has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Heroicons and IconBuddy compare in 2026?
On the data below, Heroicons leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. IconBuddy starts at $39/seat/year; Heroicons has no public paid plan price on file. Only Heroicons has a free plan.
What are Heroicons and IconBuddy used for?
Heroicons: Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators. IconBuddy: Search, edit, and download free and open-source SVG icons instantly.
What does Heroicons cost vs IconBuddy?
Heroicons is free. IconBuddy's cheapest paid plan is Team at $39/seat/year. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 12, 2026.
What's the main difference between Heroicons and IconBuddy?
Heroicons's main strength: beautiful icon set. IconBuddy's main strength: extensive library of free and open-source icons.