Logo vs. icon: what is the difference

A logo is a unique symbol or design that represents a company or organization, while an icon is a small graphical element.

March 17, 2023 | 5 minutes read

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Although people commonly use the terms "logo" and "icon" interchangeably, they actually have distinct differences in terms of appearance and function. Unfortunately, many business owners mistakenly believe that a logo can serve the same purpose as an icon. To clarify the confusion, it's important to understand the nuances between the two and look at some popular examples. This will help ensure that your brand gets the right visual representation it needs to succeed.

What's The Difference Between a Logo and an Icon?

A logo serves as the visual embodiment of your business or brand, representing its identity and values. While a logo is not the only aspect of your brand identity, it is the primary visual representation that people associate with your brand. Conversely, an icon is a symbolic representation of your brand that is used to elicit specific actions or convey identity in situations where a full logo would be impractical.

Icons play a crucial role in user experience (UX) design, especially in apps, social media, web pages, and other spaces where instant recognition is important. Unlike logos, icons can quickly establish a connection with viewers without the need for a full logo, making them highly valuable in situations where space is limited. If you're looking for high-quality icons to use in your design, Flaticon is an excellent resource offering a wide selection of icons to choose from.

The complete logo, in contrast, is typically reserved for formal communications, a brand's website, brochures, and other company literature where a more direct and comprehensive representation of your brand is required. Unlike icons, full logos offer a more comprehensive and recognizable visual representation of your brand that conveys its identity, values, and message in a more detailed and nuanced manner.

A good example to understand the distinction between a logo and an icon is the Firefox internet browser from Mozilla. The Firefox icon, well-known for its fox, is a simple graphic representation that serves as an icon. When you see the Firefox icon on your desktop, you recognize it as a symbol for accessing the internet. Similarly, the standalone fox icon is used as the favicon on the website and social media. In contrast, the full Firefox logo includes both the fox icon and the wordmark "Firefox" next to it. This complete logo is used on the company's website and other formal communications where a more comprehensive representation of the brand is needed.

It's worth noting that there is a lot of overlap and interchangeability between logos and icons. In fact, in some cases, an icon can become so iconic that it serves as the primary logo for a product or service. Examples of this include the Pinterest "P," the Facebook "F," and the Twitter bird. While these icons are not the full, formal logos of these social media platforms, they have become internationally recognized as such. Often, the use of the full logo is not even necessary when the icon can convey the brand identity and recognition so effectively.

7 Examples of Logos and Icons

To provide a better understanding of how logos and icons are used effectively, let's examine some well-known brands and how they use these elements separately. This will provide concrete examples of how logos and icons can be used to convey a brand's identity and values in a meaningful and effective way.

1. Pinterest: Pinterest is an example of a brand that uses an iconic "P" badge as its primary symbol throughout the platform. The badge has become widely recognized and serves as the brand's main icon. In fact, Pinterest's official brand guidelines recommend using the badge in place of the full wordmark.
2. Google: Google is another example of a brand that uses a full wordmark logo as well as an iconic symbol. The company's classic, primary-colored wordmark logo is well-known and widely used. In addition, Google also uses a singular "G" in the same font as its icon, which is recognizable and frequently used on mobile devices and other spaces where a smaller icon is needed.
3. Shell: Shell is an example of a brand where the icon is the primary identifier of the brand, even when used at a smaller scale. The full logo may include both the wordmark and the iconic seashell, or sometimes just the seashell. However, the red and yellow seashell has become the brand's main identifier, conveying to consumers that a gas station is nearby.
4. Target: Target is an example of a brand that has undergone several logo design changes over time. The current design features the iconic target symbol with the company's wordmark underneath it. Meanwhile, the brand's icon is simply the signature red bullseye, which is widely recognized and frequently used in advertising and marketing materials.
5. Beats by Dre: Beats by Dre is an example of a brand that has made its lowercase "b" very recognizable as both the logo and icon due to the unique font and resemblance to headphones viewed in profile on someone's head. However, the full logo includes both the wordmark and the iconic "b".
6. LinkedIn: LinkedIn's logo is a wordmark style, with the full name spelled out in a recognizable font. The site's icon, on the other hand, is the "in" box, which is easily recognizable and associated with the platform. While the two design elements are different, they both clearly represent the brand and its purpose.
7. Dropbox: The logo of the file hosting service Dropbox starts with an open blue box, which is also used as its icon. The wordmark logo follows the icon.

Spot The Design Differences

Although logos and icons are often used interchangeably, they are actually distinct design elements that serve different purposes. In modern times, icons have gained more prominence, but logos and icons have different design requirements, uses, and dimensions. For this reason, it is recommended that every business with an online presence should create a visually appealing logo that includes an easily recognizable icon.