Text-Only Logo vs Graphic Icon Logo: Which One is Superior?
Let’s get some insight about properly using either a graphic icon or logotype with logo.
Is it Necessary for Website Logo to Have Icon?
Many old school graphic designers are obsessed with including favicon as part of the logo.
However, a logo can be a standalone text or a brand symbol.
Squarespace rightly suggests that not all logos need a graphic component. Sometimes artfully arranged text is enough, and the right font can say a lot about your brand. → Watch Video Tutorial below.
The purpose of the logo is to provide some unique identity to brands and that can be achieved with or without graphic art. Though website logos of most brands use mix of text and favicon but following example brands use exclusively text or icons in logos.
Examples of Text-only Logos
Following are some brand examples, which use only text logos.
A popular graphics editor, Canva uses simply a text based (logotype, wordmark) logo on their website.
A Swiss watchmaker Rado only uses text based logo.
Stripe is a famous payment processor and uses text-only logo.
Revlon uses text-only logo.
Samsung uses a unique display font for the logo.
Tannoy is a manufacturer of loudspeakers and their website uses only wordmark as brand logo.
Google does not use an icon in its logo.
Toshiba is a famous Japanese brand and uses only wordmark as logo.
The website of football star Cristiano Ronaldo uses only text based logo.
Perazzi is an Italian shotgun manufacturer and uses only text in logo.
Intel is famous technology firm and uses text-only logo for website.
VONS is a supermarket chain in USA. It only uses only wordmark as logo.
Tyco is a security systems brand and uses text-only logo.
Sharp is a manufacturer of electronic products and uses text-only logo.
Fila uses only text as brand logo.
The current logo on this Dozro website is also text based.
Examples of Website Logos with only Graphic Icon
The following are some examples of companies which use only text logos.
Using Logo on Website is Not Necessary - Company Examples Not Using Image Logo
All website builders such as Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy provide you an option either to upload logo or enter only the name of your business as logo text.
Though it is rare but during my research, I came across a website of well known business which does not use a graphic logo.
A US company Berkshire Hathaway Inc. by Warren Buffett uses a simple text as logo in Times New Roman Bold font.
Microsoft Azure partly uses logo.
Azure website uses logo of Microsoft but the word Azure is not part of the logo as logotype. The word ‘Azure’ is used as simple text as logo.
Conclusion
You can use any type of logo.
Personally, I prefer text-only logo in a readable clear font - as I have used on this website. For browser tab, I have used a symbolic favicon.
In my opinion, what design of logo you create, it should be legible and unique.
More Resources
You may also be interested to learn about the Ideal Size for Website Logo in another Dozro article.
Read Dozro article about ideal design and size for Favicon of your website.
Examples of Unique Logo Design using a Single Font that is Readable.
Website Logo: Comparison of Horizontal logo with Square Logo Design | Pros and Cons.
Ideal Position of Brand Icon in Logo – Left, Right or above the Logo Text?
Transparent Logo vs Logo on a Background Shape – which is better?
Website Logo Best Image Format – PNG, JPG, SVG?
Check our Price of Unique Logo Design.
Logo Design Tips, Ideas and Examples.
Check Adobe Express' Letter Logo Tool.
Optimal Favicon Size for display in Google Search.
Check our guide for optimal Facebook cover size.
Learn more Website Creation and Web Design Tips.
Discover Dozro Services or check out the Home page of our website for additional learning resources.
