A free BioRender alternative
Sciicons is a free alternative to BioRender for researchers who want publishable scientific icons without a subscription. It provides 3,635 free SVG illustrations with per-icon licences, which you combine with a free vector editor such as Inkscape or Affinity. BioRender is an all-in-one online editor; Sciicons is an icon library, so the workflows differ.
How do Sciicons and BioRender compare?
| Sciicons | BioRender | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | SVG icon and illustration library + figure tools | Online drag-and-drop figure editor |
| Free option | 3,635 free icons, no account needed | Free Basic plan |
| Publication use on the free option | Yes, under each icon’s licence (CC0, CC BY and others) | No: BioRender states free-plan figures cannot be used for publication |
| Output | SVG and PNG you edit anywhere | Exports from the BioRender editor |
| Paid option | Pro: 36 original illustration packs, one-time purchase | Subscription plans |
BioRender information from its pricing page, checked October 11, 2026. BioRender offers templates, collaboration and an integrated editor that an icon library does not replace.
How do you make a BioRender-style figure for free?
- Sketch the figure and list the elements you need.
- Find icons in Sciicons categories such as cells, microbiology and lab equipment.
- Recolour them to one palette and download SVG.
- Assemble in Inkscape or Affinity with arrows and labels.
- Export at your journal’s required size and credit CC BY icons.
Icons that work well in pathway and methods figures
128 Well Plate Top View
400% Icon
Actin Polymerization
Adenovirus
Adenovirus with Modified DNA
Cell membrane (1) 10 Icon
Animal Bat
Syringe Vaccine
Tumour
Mass Spectrometer Machine
Meat: a cut of skeletal muscle tissue showing muscle fibre bundles (fascicles), connective tissue and marbling fat, next to cultured (cell-based) meat grown from muscle stem cells on a scaffold in a bioreactor
128 Well Plate Top View
700% Icon
Acinus (Pancreas)
Adenovirus Importing DNA
Adenovirus in Vesicle
More options: BioRender alternatives compared · how to make a graphical abstract.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a free alternative to BioRender?
- Yes. Free icon libraries such as Sciicons, Servier Medical Art, NIH BioArt and Bioicons, combined with a free vector editor like Inkscape, let you build publishable figures at no cost, provided you follow each icon’s licence.
- Can I publish figures made with BioRender’s free plan?
- According to BioRender’s pricing page, figures made on the free plan cannot be used for publication or commercial purposes; a paid plan is required.
- Does Sciicons have a drag-and-drop editor?
- Sciicons focuses on icons and focused figure tools (molecules, proteins, gels, well plates). For full layout, use a vector editor or slide software.