Custom Icons for iOS - Create & Buy | mycons

Today marks the release of Mycons, a new application designed to capitalize on the growing trend of iOS 14 home screen customization. It empowers users of all skill levels – even those without design experience – to easily craft personalized icons and access a marketplace of pre-designed icon and wallpaper collections created by various designers.

The introduction of iOS 14 in mid-September sparked a widespread interest among iPhone users in utilizing new features like iOS widgets to personalize their devices. This also led to a renewed focus on using Apple’s Shortcuts application to generate custom icons, allowing users to align their app appearances with their desired home screen aesthetics.

Consequently, applications focused on home screen customization quickly rose in popularity within the App Store in the weeks following the iOS 14 release.

This trend demonstrates sustained user engagement, as evidenced by Widgetsmith, a leading custom widget provider, currently holding the No. 8 position on the App Store’s chart of top free (non-game) applications as of this writing.

While many new customization apps concentrate on widget creation, fewer provide tools specifically for designing custom icon sets, making them less readily available. Several existing apps, such as Launcher, have adapted to meet the demand for icons, and others, like Brass, have introduced paid icon marketplaces.

Mycons distinguishes itself by offering both a comprehensive icon customization toolkit and a curated selection of purchasable, pre-made icon packs.

Users interested in creating their own icons can begin with the “Icon Studio” feature within Mycons. A range of introductory features are available at no cost, and a one-time purchase of $9.99 unlocks the full suite of capabilities.

“My goal was to launch the app with some fundamental design features accessible for free, enabling users to explore the functionality and enhance their home screens without a significant financial commitment,” explains Daniel McCarthy, the developer of Mycons.

Upon unlocking the complete customization options within the Icon Studio, users will find a robust set of tools at their disposal.

You can select solid colors, gradients, or even a photograph as the foundation for your icon’s background, or choose to utilize a premium background acquired through purchase.

When establishing a custom color background, Mycons provides multiple methods for color selection, including a color grid, a color spectrum, adjustable sliders, or direct input of a specific Hex Color code to achieve the precise desired shade.

The application also features a searchable database containing thousands of symbols and logos, encompassing frequently used apps as well as more obscure symbols, such as the RSS symbol. For popular applications like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat, multiple design options are often available.

You have the flexibility to position the symbol in the center, upper left, lower left, upper right, or lower right. Furthermore, you can modify the symbol’s color, size, and transparency.

Mycons streamlines the process of creating an entire set of custom icons simultaneously. After establishing your preferred icon template style, you can activate the “Enable Batch Export” option to select multiple symbols and apply the same background to all of them. Then, simply tap the “Export” button to transfer all the icons to your Camera Roll in one action.

For those who prefer not to design their own icons, Mycons also offers a selection of icon packs available for purchase.

Through a dedicated tab separate from the Icon Studio, Mycons allows users to browse and purchase icon packs from designers via one-time in-app transactions. These packs are priced between $7.99 and $9.99 and include coordinating wallpaper backgrounds. Some packs are offered in various colors and styles.

Once acquired, these styles can be integrated with your own custom icon designs, offering an advantage over purchasing icon packs from platforms like Etsy, where you receive a fixed set of icons without the tools to create additional matching designs.

Currently, the available designs are contributed by three creators: Daniel McCarthy, the Mycons developer; artist Alanna Ranellone; and painter and photographer Jenna McCarthy.

With the app now available, Mycons is extending an invitation to other designers to join the marketplace through an application link located in the Settings tab.

However, McCarthy notes that not all submissions will be accepted. The marketplace will be carefully curated to ensure that all designs are original and of high quality.

McCarthy, who has a background as a designer, intends to provide Mycons’ designer partners with a choice of compensation models: either contract-based work at a competitive rate or a percentage of sales.

A performance-based bonus will also be awarded to designers who opt for the contract rate if their icon pack achieves significant success.

“My priority is always to act fairly and ethically,” McCarthy states. “If a design partner chooses contract work and their designs become exceptionally popular, I won’t allow them to be disadvantaged.”

Designers will also receive credit within the app and have the option to link to their own websites or social media profiles, potentially leveraging their Mycons listing to generate leads for their independent design businesses.

Mycons is available for free download with in-app purchases on the App Store.