Material Icons vs Font Awesome: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Material Icons 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: Font Awesome wins this matchup. Our overall Icon Libraries pick is Flaticon. Our free Icon Libraries pick is Lucide. Pick Material Icons if you need a fully free option.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Material Icons
Access a vast library of customizable icons for your digital products, powered by Google.
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (Font Awesome requires payment)
- • You want completely free to use
- • You want high-quality and visually consistent icons
Font Awesome
The internet's most popular icon toolkit and a powerful CSS framework.
Best for you if:
- • You want icons scale without loss of quality
- • You want easy to customize with CSS
| At a Glance | Material Icons | Font Awesome |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | FreeFree tier available | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Icon Libraries | Icon Libraries |
Rating | - | 3.5/5 |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Choose Material Icons or Font Awesome?
Choose Material Icons if
Access a vast library of customizable icons for your digital products, powered by Google.
- You want a fully free tool (Font Awesome requires payment)
- You want completely free to use
- You want high-quality and visually consistent icons
Choose Font Awesome if
The internet's most popular icon toolkit and a powerful CSS framework.
- You want icons scale without loss of quality
- You want easy to customize with CSS
| Feature | Material Icons | Font Awesome |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Free | Freemium |
| User Rating | No ratings yet | ★3.5/5 54 reviews |
| Categories | Icon LibrariesUI/UX Design | Icon LibrariesDeveloper Tools |
In-Depth Analysis
Material Icons
Access a vast library of customizable icons for your digital products, powered by Google.
Strengths
- +Completely free to use
- +High-quality and visually consistent icons
- +Wide range of customization options
- +Easy to integrate into projects
- +Regularly updated with new icons
Weaknesses
- -Primarily follows Material Design guidelines, which might not suit all brand aesthetics
- -Requires some technical knowledge for advanced customization and integration
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
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Material Icons is free. Font Awesome is freemium.
Go with: Material Icons
Want the highest-rated option?
Font Awesome is rated 3.5/5. Material Icons has no ratings yet.
Go with: Font Awesome
Value user reviews?
Material Icons: no ratings yet. Font Awesome: 54 reviews (3.5/5).
Go with: Font Awesome
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Material Icons is free. Font Awesome is freemium. Go with Material Icons if free matters most.
What's your use case?
Both are icon libraries tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Font Awesome is rated 3.5/5; Material Icons has no ratings yet.
Key Takeaways
Font Awesome
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Material Icons
- Completely free
The Bottom Line
Font Awesome wins this matchup. Our overall Icon Libraries pick is Flaticon. Our free Icon Libraries pick is Lucide. That said, Material Icons is free, hard to beat on price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Material Icons or Font Awesome better?
Font Awesome is rated in our evaluation. Material Icons is free and Font Awesome is freemium.
What are Material Icons and Font Awesome used for?
Material Icons: Access a vast library of customizable icons for your digital products, powered by Google.. Font Awesome: The internet's most popular icon toolkit and a powerful CSS framework..
What does Material Icons cost vs Font Awesome?
Material Icons is completely free. Font Awesome is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.