Heroicons vs Simple Icons: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Heroicons and Simple Icons 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 wins this matchup. Our overall Icon Libraries pick is Flaticon. Our free Icon Libraries pick is Lucide. Pick Simple Icons 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 want a fully free tool (Simple Icons requires payment)
- • You want beautiful icon set
- • You want tailwind team made
Simple Icons
Free SVG icons for popular brands.
Best for you if:
- • You want completely free to use
- • You want high-quality, scalable SVG format
| At a Glance | Heroicons | Simple Icons |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | FreeFree tier available | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Icon Libraries | Icon Libraries |
Rating | - | - |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Choose Heroicons or Simple Icons?
Choose Heroicons if
Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators
- You want a fully free tool (Simple Icons requires payment)
- You want beautiful icon set
- You want tailwind team made
Choose Simple Icons if
Free SVG icons for popular brands.
- You want completely free to use
- You want high-quality, scalable SVG format
| Feature | Heroicons | Simple Icons |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Free | Freemium |
| User Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Categories | Icon LibrariesDeveloper Tools | Icon LibrariesStock Assets |
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
- +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
Simple Icons
Free SVG icons for popular brands.
The pricing for Simple Icons, if this were its actual pricing, would be quite generous, especially given the utility of high-quality SVG icons.
Watch out
Storage limits could lead to upgrades
Strengths
- +Completely free to use
- +High-quality, scalable SVG format
- +Consistent single-color design for all icons
- +Easy to search and integrate into projects
- +Regularly updated with new brands
Weaknesses
- -Limited to brand icons only
- -Icons are only available in a single color (no multi-color brand variations)
- -No customization options within the tool itself
Key features
Pricing: Heroicons vs Simple Icons
| Plan | Heroicons | Simple Icons |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free Free | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | N/A | $10/mo Basic |
| Tier 3 | N/A | $25/mo Pro |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Heroicons pricing and Simple Icons pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Heroicons is free. Simple Icons is freemium.
Go with: Heroicons
Want the highest-rated option?
Neither has ratings yet.
Too early to call on ratings — compare on features and pricing.
Value user reviews?
Neither has ratings yet.
Too early to call — neither has ratings yet.
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Heroicons is free. Simple Icons 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 ratings yet.
Key Takeaways
Heroicons
- Completely free
- Our pick for this comparison
Simple Icons
- Choose if you want free SVG icons for popular brands
The Bottom Line
Heroicons wins this matchup. Our overall Icon Libraries pick is Flaticon. Our free Icon Libraries pick is Lucide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heroicons or Simple Icons better?
Heroicons is rated in our evaluation. Heroicons is free and Simple Icons is freemium.
What are Heroicons and Simple Icons used for?
Heroicons: Hand-crafted SVG icons by Tailwind CSS creators. Simple Icons: Free SVG icons for popular brands..
What does Heroicons cost vs Simple Icons?
Heroicons is completely free. Simple Icons is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.