Icons8
Icons8 offers free icons, illustrations, photos, 3D models, royalty-free music, design apps and AI tools—plus APIs to integrate assets and editing.
What is Icons8?
Icons8 is a design resource platform that provides downloadable creative assets such as icons, illustrations, photos/stock images, 3D models, and royalty-free music. It also includes a set of design applications and AI tools aimed at tasks like creating or transforming images and generating design-ready elements.
The platform is built to support both designers and developers: creatives can browse and use assets and tools, while developers can use the Icons8 APIs (and related documentation) to integrate graphics and AI-based features into their own applications.
Key Features
- Large library of design elements (icons, illustrations, photos/stock photos, 3D models, and music) for projects that need consistent visual assets.
- AI image tools for specific workflows, including AI search and generators such as a profile photo generator, face swapping, and an image generator for creating 2D/3D illustrations.
- Image editing utilities, including background removal, upscaling, and face editing features.
- Design apps and plugins workflow support, including an “Import from Figma” option for Lunacy and tools to mix pre-made elements into custom images.
- Developer-focused access via Icons8 API offerings (Icons API, Illustrations API, Photos API, Music API) plus AI and editing endpoints mentioned on the site (e.g., Smart Upscaler API and Background Remover API).
- “Hackable icon URLs” for using icons via URLs, along with resources like tutorials and a forum for help, requests, and bug reporting.
How to Use Icons8
Start by browsing the library and search for assets in the categories shown on the site (icons, illustrations, photos, 3D models, and music). You can also use the site’s image-related search features (including AI search).
If you want to work with images directly, open the relevant AI tool or app from the “Apps and plugins” and “AI” sections, then follow the tool’s flow (e.g., use background remover or upscaler for photo edits, or use a face swap/generator tool when you want generated results).
For development, use the Icons8 API pages listed on the site (Icons API, Illustrations API, Photos API, Music API, and AI/editing APIs) and refer to the associated user documentation to integrate assets and endpoints into your app.
Use Cases
- Find and download icons, illustrations, photos/stock images, 3D models, and video music from one place to build a consistent set of visuals for a design or content project.
- Use an AI tool to remove backgrounds and then place the resulting cutouts into new compositions or layouts.
- Upscale and enhance the resolution of existing photos using the site’s AI upscaler features.
- Create or refine social-ready imagery, such as generating profile pictures or experimenting with face swaps using the provided AI tools.
- Integrate Icons8 assets and related AI/editing capabilities into a product using the Icons8 API endpoints and documentation.
FAQ
Does Icons8 provide both design assets and tools?
Yes. The site offers downloadable assets (icons, illustrations, photos/stock images, 3D models, and music) and also includes design applications and AI tools for tasks like editing images and generating new visuals.
Are there APIs for developers?
Icons8 lists multiple API offerings on the site, including Icons API, Illustrations API, Photos API, Music API, and additional AI/editing APIs such as Smart Upscaler API and Background Remover API.
Can I import from Figma?
The site mentions an app workflow with “Import from Figma included” (within the tools/apps section).
What kinds of image transformations are available?
The page references features such as background removal, image upscaling, face swapping, and face generation/editing-related tools.
Is there support for requesting new icons?
The site includes community features such as a forum and a request process (e.g., “Request icons” / “Can't find an icon you need? We can draw it for free” is shown on the page).
Alternatives
- Stock asset libraries (icons/illustrations/3D and media): instead of combining assets with embedded AI tools and APIs, these focus primarily on downloading and licensing visual elements.
- AI image editing tools with background removal and upscaling: these typically emphasize an editing workflow (remove background, upscale) rather than offering a broad cross-category library plus design apps and developer APIs.
- Icon and illustration generators for web/production: these often focus on creating icons or illustrations, but may not provide the same assortment of photos, 3D models, music, and API endpoints.
- Design app ecosystems that support Figma imports: these can replicate the “import from Figma” style workflow, but may not include Icons8’s specific asset library and AI/editing APIs in one platform.
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