Written by David Kim — Frontend Developer & WordPress consultant. More about me →
I tested the four most popular free favicon generators using the same source image — a 512×512 SVG logo with transparency — following Google's favicon guidelines. I measured: does it upload my file? How fast is it? What sizes does it output? Does the result look correct on a dark browser tab? Here's the verdict.
| Tool | Privacy | Sizes | Dark Mode? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GenFavicon | ✅ Browser-local | 16-256 | ✅ | Everyday use, privacy-first |
| favicon.io | ⚠️ Uploads file | 16-256 | ❌ | Quick conversions |
| realfavicongenerator.net | ⚠️ Uploads file | All platforms | ❌ | Full PWA/App coverage |
| favicon.cc | ⚠️ Uploads file | 16×16 only | ❌ | Pixel-art editing |
I built it, so I'm biased. But the reason I built it is real: it's the only one that lets you adjust background color and corner radius with live preview across all six sizes simultaneously. Files never leave your device. Disconnect your internet and it still works — that's the privacy test.
favicon.io has been around for years and does the job. Upload an image, get sizes back. But it uploads your file to a server (the page makes a POST request on drop), which rules it out for any client work where I'm under NDA. The UI hasn't changed since roughly 2018. No dark mode.
If you need a favicon that works on every Apple device, every Android device, Windows tiles, and Safari pinned tabs — this is the only tool that generates all of them. But it uploads your image to their server, and the interface feels like configuring a router. Overkill for a simple blog, essential for a progressive web app.
favicon.cc is a pixel-level favicon editor — you literally paint each pixel on a 16×16 grid. Fun for making retro-style favicons from scratch, but completely impractical for converting an existing logo. Only outputs one size.
For 90% of people: use a browser-local generator like GenFavicon. It's faster (no upload), more private (your logo stays on your device), and gives you exactly the sizes you need. If you're building a PWA with a full manifest, realfavicongenerator.net covers the edge cases. If you're pixel-arting a 16×16 icon from scratch, favicon.cc is genuinely fun.
I'd avoid uploading a client's brand assets to any server-based tool unless the privacy policy explicitly guarantees deletion and you've cleared it with the client. Most "free" generators don't even have a privacy policy worth reading.
Written by David Kim — Frontend Developer & WordPress consultant. More about me →