Android's charm as an operating system is multi-faceted, and that's after downplaying it considerably. From openness to variety to usability - Google's mastered it all, but one arena where it obliterates all competition is customization, of all forms and fashions. Whether it's live wallpapers, custom home launchers or edited color strings somewhere at the heart of an APK, the possibilities are endless, or as Google likes to put it - "the playground is open". Of the various customization manifestations, icon design is one area that has gained tremendous traction as of late and with icon packs being released almost every week, consisting of multiple variants, shapes, styles and colors, enthusiasts are often faced with the dilemma of having too many options to pick from, and while tastes may vary from person to person, some icon packs stand out from the crowd and today we look at some of the best free icon packs available on Google Play.

Numix Circle

Numix Circle

Of the entire compendium of icon packs available out there, Numix Circle likens to a beacon in a storm. As the name states, the icons in this pack have circular bases and full bleed, slightly gradiented, solid-color backgrounds with the centered glyph drawing unerring focus. It's vibrant yet pastel color scheme, coupled with it's clean no-nonsense look give the icons an elegant persona, maintaining a rare synergy between bold and minimal. The pack currently has around 250 icons, with the rest being handled by masks, and while this may seem to be a relatively low figure, the Numix development team are actively entertaining requests. To top it off, the project is entirely open source, with the code available on GitHub for aspiring icon designers.

 

Voxel Icons

Voxel

Square icons are often prematurely judged since sharp corners and empty surrounding space don't appeal to everyone, but Voxel manages to pull off the square look with undoubted grace. Each icon is a bold square matching the app's primary color, with the glyph in the center giving off the classic long shadow, albeit at a mirrored angle of regular long shadows, and it is this combination of vibrant colors, unique lighting and perceivable simplicity that set it apart from it's brethren. Voxel boasts an impressive 1200 high-resolution icons, masks for unthemed icons, extensive launcher support, 19 inbuilt wallpapers and even a matching widget!

 

 

Squircle Icons

Squircle

Squircle could not be more aptly named, however hard one tried. This icon pack takes a unique spin on classic icons with an amalgam of square and circle bases. Packing over 800 icons, this icon....pack-pun not intended-has each icon in a squircle with the glyph centered and surrounded by a border matching the glyph's color. The shape and bold colors give the pack it's flair, but because too much is never enough, the developer offers multiple color variants and flat or shadowed styles for most of the icons, giving users considerable room to maneuver. Squircle supports masking, assures extensive launcher compatibility and also bundles a few unique features such as cloud wallpapers and dynamic icon support.

 

 

VIT

VIT 

With most icon designers vying for unique shapes and bases, VIT changes the rules of the game by setting a simple rounded-rectangle base, abandoning all traces of color and opting for a minimal and monochrome look. While black and white may sound unappealing at first, this icon pack's simple gray glyphs and flat white background manage to capture the essence of elegance and simplicity ideally, which is an impressive feat considering many icons use color schemes to appear elegant. VIT supports over 2000 icons at QHD resolution, masks unthemed icons, works on an extensive number of launcher and supports cloud wallpapers and dynamic icons.

 

 

Rufus Icons

Rufus

With a shape as obscure as its name, this set seemingly decided that 4 sides wasn't enough and implemented an octagonal base shape for each icon, the result being is a classic icon pack with just enough of a twist to make it stand out from the crowd. Though some icons opt for gradiented bases, most of the icons have a pastel color, with a flat, simple white glyph taking up a large part of the hexagon, giving it a clean and polished air. Rufus packs over 1200 high-resolution icons with masks for the ones not included, has 6 wallpapers and 1 widget bundled within, and supports numerous launchers, in addition to features like an inbuilt icon request tool and a help section for starters.

 

That rounds up our list of some of the best free icon packs out there, but it goes without saying that the variety is countless and what appeals to some may repel another. Which free icon packs do you use and support? Let us know in the comments section below!