Compare vs realfavicongenerator

Faviconry vs realfavicongenerator

A side-by-side look at Faviconry and realfavicongenerator. Thoroughness vs minimalism, upload vs local processing, legacy support vs modern-only output.

realfavicongenerator.net has been the thorough option in the favicon generator space for over a decade. It covers edge cases most tools ignore, from Windows tile icons to Safari pinned tabs. Faviconry is the opposite approach: minimal modern output, browser-only processing, no legacy cruft. Here is how they compare.

Quick comparison

Faviconryrealfavicongenerator
InputSVG fileImage (SVG, PNG, JPG)
ProcessingIn browser (Canvas API)Server upload
Files in output7 (modern minimal)15+ (includes legacy)
Windows tile iconsNoYes
Safari pinned tab SVGNo (not needed)Yes
browserconfig.xmlNo (retired by Microsoft)Yes
Modern SVG faviconYes, primary outputYes, optional
Dark mode faviconYes, embedded media queryLimited
PriceFreeFree (paid tier for extras)
Login / accountNoneNone required

Where realfavicongenerator wins

  • Thoroughness. It ships every size Apple, Microsoft, and Google have ever asked for. For enterprise sites that support legacy browsers, internal Windows deployments, or niche devices, this matters.
  • Edge case coverage. Safari pinned tabs, Windows 8 tiles, iOS 6 precomposed icons, you name it. If a platform ever requested a favicon size, realfavicongenerator probably emits it.
  • Preview everything. The site renders previews of how your favicon looks on each OS, browser, and device class. Catches a bad-contrast icon before you ship it.
  • API and CLI. Paid tiers expose API access for CI pipelines. Faviconry is browser-only.

Where Faviconry wins

  • No upload. The source SVG never leaves your browser. For unreleased brand assets or NDA logos, keeping the file local matters. realfavicongenerator processes on its servers.
  • Minimal output. Faviconry emits the seven files you actually need and nothing else. Every included file is requested by current browsers and platforms. No mstile-*.png, no browserconfig.xml, no safari-pinned-tab.svg. Deleting cruft from a realfavicongenerator zip before shipping is a routine task.
  • Modern defaults. Faviconry’s default output is what 2026 looks like. realfavicongenerator offers a “modern” preset but still defaults to full legacy coverage unless you dig into the options.
  • Speed. No upload round-trip. Drop the SVG, see the preview instantly, download in under two seconds.
  • Dark mode built in. Faviconry can embed prefers-color-scheme media queries directly in the SVG favicon for adaptive tab icons.

What Faviconry does not generate

If you need any of the following, Faviconry will not give them to you:

  • Windows 8 / 10 tile icons (mstile-*.png). Microsoft retired these with the end of Live Tiles. Any current Windows device uses your manifest icons or the SVG favicon.
  • browserconfig.xml. Retired alongside Live Tiles. Modern Edge and Chromium on Windows ignore it.
  • Pre-iOS 7 Apple icons (57, 72, 114, 144 pixel sizes). iOS consolidated to 180×180 years ago.
  • safari-pinned-tab.svg. Replaced by standard SVG favicon support in Safari.

If your audience genuinely includes Windows Phone, Internet Explorer, or iOS 6 devices, realfavicongenerator is the safer choice. For every other audience, these files are dead weight.

Files each one produces

realfavicongenerator default set:

  • favicon.ico
  • favicon-16x16.png
  • favicon-32x32.png
  • android-chrome-192x192.png
  • android-chrome-512x512.png
  • apple-touch-icon.png
  • mstile-144x144.png, mstile-150x150.png, mstile-310x150.png, mstile-310x310.png, mstile-70x70.png
  • safari-pinned-tab.svg
  • browserconfig.xml
  • site.webmanifest

Faviconry set:

  • favicon.svg
  • favicon.ico
  • favicon-96x96.png
  • apple-touch-icon.png
  • web-app-manifest-192x192.png
  • web-app-manifest-512x512.png
  • site.webmanifest

When to pick each

Pick realfavicongenerator if:

  • You support genuinely legacy audiences (IE, Windows Phone, iOS 6, etc.)
  • You need Windows tile icon coverage
  • You want API access for CI pipelines
  • You want exhaustive per-platform preview before shipping

Pick Faviconry if:

  • Your audience runs browsers and operating systems from the last five years
  • You want the minimal modern set with zero legacy bytes
  • You care about keeping the source file off remote servers
  • You want dark mode adaptation
  • You want to be done in under a minute

Both are free at the basic level. Both generate valid favicon sets. They target different values on the thoroughness-minimalism axis.

See also

Frequently asked questions

Is realfavicongenerator still maintained?

Yes. It remains actively maintained and is widely trusted in enterprise environments for its thoroughness. It is free for basic use with optional paid features.

Does realfavicongenerator upload my file?

Yes, it processes uploads on its backend. Faviconry processes in the browser so the source never leaves your machine.

Do I need all the files realfavicongenerator generates?

Usually no. Its default output includes Windows tile icons, browserconfig.xml, Safari pinned tab SVG, and multiple legacy Apple sizes that modern platforms no longer request. The modern set is five files plus a manifest. See the favicon sizes guide.

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