Free scientific illustrations
Sciicons offers 3,635 free scientific illustrations as editable SVG files, plus 1,492 Pro illustrations in 36 themed packs (5,127 in total, as of October 11, 2026). Every illustration has its own page showing its licence and the credit line to use, so you can drop it into a paper, poster, slide deck or lecture.
What counts as a free scientific illustration?
A free scientific illustration is a drawing of a scientific subject (a cell, organ, molecule, organism or piece of lab equipment) that you can use without paying, under a licence that allows reuse. On Sciicons most free icons are CC0 (no credit required) or CC BY (credit required); the licence is shown on each icon page.
Browse free illustrations by category
- Cells 924
- Cell membranes 285
- Molecular biology 497
- Genetics 253
- Proteins 319
- Microbiology 281
- Viruses 95
- Immunology 228
- Neuroscience 138
- Cancer biology 56
- Tissues 292
- Human physiology 712
- Animals 592
- Plants 388
- Chemistry 505
- Nanotechnology 55
- Energy 41
- Geology 122
- Lab equipment 551
- Machine learning 166
- Computer science 208
- People 218
Popular free illustrations
128 Well Plate Top View
400% Icon
Actin Polymerization
Adenovirus
Adenovirus with Modified DNA
Adult Female American Dog Tick
Arrow
Bafilomycin A
Cell membrane (1) 10 Icon
Date Palm
Doctor Patient
Syringe Vaccine
T
Tac
Tally
Tb
Telemedicine
Temple
Temple Alt
Test Tubes
Testicles
Thermometer
Thermometer Digital
Thyroid
How do you use them in a figure?
- Search or browse a category and open the illustration page.
- Recolour it in the browser if needed, then copy the SVG or download SVG/PNG.
- Paste it into Inkscape, Affinity, Illustrator, PowerPoint or Google Slides.
- Add the credit line shown on the page if the licence is CC BY.
Need more detail?
Pro packs add original, detailed sets such as cell organelles, assays and cardiovascular anatomy:
- Immunology 40
- Lab Essentials 42
- Cell Organelles 40
- E. coli 26
- Assays 45
- Cardiovascular 45
Free figure tools: Molecules, Proteins, Gel Builder, Well Plate Colorer. Guides: best free tools for scientific figures.
Frequently asked questions
- Are Sciicons illustrations free for publications?
- Free icons can be used in papers, posters and slides under the licence shown on each icon page. CC0 icons need no credit; CC BY icons need the credit line provided on the page.
- What file formats are available?
- Every illustration is an SVG (vector), and icon pages also offer PNG export. SVG keeps lines sharp at any size and can be recoloured in any vector editor.
- Do I need an account to download?
- No. Free icons can be copied or downloaded without signing in.
- How many free illustrations are there?
- As of October 11, 2026, 3,635 free illustrations and 1,492 Pro illustrations, 5,127 in total.