The best Icons8 alternative for animated icons in 2026
Icons8 has an enormous static icon library — but animated icons are an afterthought. No browser color editor, no Rive support, limited Lottie selection. Here's how Unicorn Icons compares.
TL;DR
If your need is specifically animated icons — consistent style, customizable colors, Lottie + Rive, production-ready — Unicorn Icons is purpose-built for that and Icons8 is not. If you need hundreds of thousands of static icon styles plus photos and illustrations, Icons8's breadth wins.
Why Icons8 falls short for animated icons
Animated icon quality and selection is limited
No way to customize animation colors
Subscription feels expensive if you only need icons
Hard to find consistent animated icon sets for a full UI
Icons8 vs Unicorn Icons — feature comparison
| Feature | Unicorn Icons | Icons8 |
|---|---|---|
Primary focus | Animated icons — Lottie + Rive | Static icons (animated is secondary) |
Pricing model | One-time lifetime deal | Monthly subscription |
Rive format | ||
Lottie JSON format | Limited selection | |
Animated icon count | 400+ (all animated) | Small fraction of total library |
Browser color editor | Works on every icon | |
Export formats (animated) | 6 (JSON, Rive, SVG, GIF, WebM, PNG) | GIF, PNG only |
Consistent animated icon style Icons8 animated icons span many styles | ||
Commercial license | All paid plans | Paid plans |
Free tier | 100 icons, no card | Low-res, attribution required |
Pay once, own forever |
Key differences explained
Animated icons as the product, not a feature
Icons8 is a broad design asset platform where animated icons are one small tab among static icons, photos, illustrations, and music. Unicorn Icons is purpose-built for animated icons. Every icon in the library is animated, handcrafted to a consistent spec, and available in the formats developers actually ship.
No color customization in Icons8 animated icons
Icons8 doesn't offer a color editor for animated icons. You download what's there and edit the JSON manually — or use a third-party tool. Unicorn Icons has a browser color editor that works on every single icon. Match your brand in 30 seconds, download the result.
Export format depth
Icons8 exports animated icons mainly as GIF or in their own format. Unicorn Icons exports 6 formats from one download: Lottie JSON, Rive, SVG, GIF, WebM, and PNG. Whatever your platform needs — React web, iOS, Android, Flutter — there's a native format ready.
Which should you choose?
Choose Unicorn Icons if:
- You need animated icons specifically (not static)
- Color customization is required
- You need Lottie JSON or Rive format
- Consistent style across your full icon set matters
- You want to avoid a monthly subscription
Icons8 may still be better if:
- —You need hundreds of static icon styles in one subscription
- —You also need stock photos, illustrations, or music assets
- —You use Icons8's desktop app or Figma plugin extensively
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Icons8 alternative for animated icons?
Unicorn Icons is the best Icons8 alternative for developers who specifically need animated icons. While Icons8 has a large static icon library, its animated icon selection is limited and can't be customized. Unicorn Icons offers 400+ handcrafted animated icons in Lottie and Rive formats, with a browser color editor and a one-time lifetime deal.
Can you customize animated icons from Icons8?
Icons8 does not offer a browser color editor for animated icons. You get what's in the file. Unicorn Icons builds every icon with fully editable color tokens so you can match any brand palette directly in the browser before downloading.
Does Icons8 support Rive animations?
No. Icons8 does not support Rive format. Unicorn Icons exports every icon in both Rive (.riv) and Lottie JSON, plus SVG, GIF, WebM, and PNG.
Try 100 animated icons free.
Lottie + Rive. Browser color editor. 6 export formats. No card required.
7-day money-back guarantee · Pay once, own forever
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