10 of the best 21st century logos that defined the past two decades

7 of the best 21st century logos on an orange gradient background
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The best 21st century logos, or at least the most successful in terms of recognition, tend to have certain things in common. Most of the biggest brands of the current century emerged in the fields of tech, most specifically in web, mobile and social media spaces.

That means their logos tend to share certain traits as well because they were designed to live as app icons and favicons from the outset. That means they tend to have quite simple, flat designs that are easily recognisable in a small square on our phones or at the top of a browser. And they've quickly become so famous because we see them all the time on our devices.

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Tom May
Freelance journalist and editor

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and author specialising in design, photography and technology. His latest book, The 50th Greatest Designers, was released in June 2025. He's also author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. 

With contributions from