41 Best CSS Button Hover Effects to Use in 2025

Alex Anie

Posted On: May 27, 2025

view count288532 Views

Read time16 Min Read

CSS button hover effects add interactivity and enhance user experience. With transitions, animations, and transformations, you can create smooth, eye-catching effects on buttons. Therefore, how we choose to design buttons is very important, as these will affect how users interact with the buttons.

What Are CSS Hover Effects?

CSS hovеr еffеcts allow you to incorporate captivating animations into tеxts, imagеs, and links, regardless of thеir naturе, sizе, or arrangеmеnt within thе contеnt.

Thеsе еffеcts offеr thе flеxibility to animatе various typеs of tеxt, ranging from hеadings to paragraphs and hypеrlink tеxts.

CSS button hover еffеcts providе a clеar indication that thе button is clickablе. As a result, thеy еnhancе thе overall usability of your wеbsitе or mobilе app.

Best CSS Button Hover Effects

Let’s explore the best CSS button hover effects you can use to create alluring web designs.

1. Spinner Animation

The spinner animation displays a solid color while in the hover state. It displays two separate pseudo-elements with a gradient background. This CSS button hover effect can be applied to the hero section of a web page as a CTA button due to how it responds on mouse hover.

See the Pen
Spinner Animation button with Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

Info Note

Test your CSS web designs across 3000+ real environments. Try LambdaTest Today!

2. Button Burst

In the button burst effect, when you hover over the button, it briefly expands and fades out, creating a burst-like illusion. This is achieved by animating the opacity from full to zero while scaling the element. Due to its interactive nature, this effect works for sign-in or sign-out buttons, which are crucial for capturing user attention.

See the Pen
Button Burst Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

3. Border Revolve

The border revolve effect is a CSS button hover animation that leverages SVGs positioned absolutely over the button element. Only the stroke of the SVG is animated to revolve around the button. This CSS button hover effect enhances user interaction and is especially effective when used with call-to-action buttons placed over hero images.

See the Pen
Border Revolve Button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

4. Multiple Button Transition

The multiple button transition effect showcases a set of three buttons that share a uniform design but feature distinct hover transitions. This variation in interactivity adds visual interest and is particularly useful in modal pop-ups, where users may need to perform contextual actions such as confirming or canceling an action.

See the Pen
Multiple Button Transition Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

5. Grow Button Background

The grow button background is a CSS hover effect where a pseudo-element expands to cover the button upon hover. It creates a smooth background growth animation that draws attention without impacting the button’s readability.

See the Pen
Grow Button Background Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

6. Flip-Up Navbar

The flip-up navbar is the hover effect where the navbar items flip up when a user hovers over them. It can be used to create a simple navbar on a web page and is ideal for implementing clean, minimal navbars on web pages.

See the Pen
Flip-up navbar button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

7. Double Dropdown

The double dropdown CSS button hover effect sets the background of the button to position from the Y-axis to the bottom. This CSS button hover effect can be used to point the user to an external link and is useful in a situation where the external link is required to be opened in a new tab.

See the Pen
Double dropdown button hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

8. Glow Icon

The glow icon hover effect adds a glowing box-shadow to both the icon and the button’s border. It gives off a subtle glow when hovered over. This effect works for buttons that showcase logos and link to their official website.

See the Pen
Glow Icon button hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

9. Hamburger Menu Button

The hamburger menu button uses a CSS hover and click effect to toggle navigation items, opening and closing them with smooth transitions. It’s commonly used in mobile navbars and can also act as a close button for modal pop-ups.

See the Pen
Hamburger Menu Button
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

10. Animated Gradient

This CSS button hover effect creates a smooth transition between multiple colors using gradients. On hover, the background gradient animates either shifting direction, changing hues, or moving position.

See the Pen
Animated Gradient Buttons Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

11. Transform Button Size

The transform button size effect increases or decreases the size of the button when hovered, creating a subtle zoom-like interaction. It draws user attention and adds a sense of responsiveness.

It’s a good fit for pagination buttons, where users can easily spot and interact with numbered links to navigate across web pages, especially at the bottom of websites or within mobile apps.

See the Pen
Transform Button background
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

12. Offset Border

The offset border effect uses pseudo-elements styled as box shadows to create layered borders around the button. On hover, these borders animate by scaling down or shifting position, giving a clean and interactive outline effect.

See the Pen
Offset border button hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

New to borders? Read our comprehensive guide on CSS borders.

13. Strikethrough Effect

The strikethrough hover effect draws a line through the button or menu item when hovered, creating a clean strikethrough animation. It’s commonly used in navigation bars to highlight links and is also used in menus where you want to add a minimal interactive touch without overwhelming the design.

See the Pen
Strikethrough Button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

14. Bootstrap Button

Bootstrap uses predefined CSS classes to apply clean, responsive hover effects on buttons. When you hover, buttons typically change background color, border, or shadow to indicate interactivity. You can use this hover effect for actions like submit, delete, alert, or pagination.

See the Pen
Bootstrap 5 Button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

15. Download Button

The CSS button hover effect visually mimics the action of downloading a file, often by animating an icon, changing colors, or displaying a progress-like transition. It gives users an instant sense that a download action is being triggered.

See the Pen
Download Button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

16. Transform Button Icon

The transform button icon effect animates the icon inside a button when you hover over it. The icon might rotate, slide, or grow, adding a bit of motion that makes the button feel more interactive. This subtle animation helps show users that the button does something, like taking them to another page or external content.

See the Pen
Tranform Icons button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

17. Translate Button Icon

You can apply simple CSS transitions like fade-in and fade-out to button icons, and also use translate to move the button icon along an axis. It adds smooth, engaging motion on hover or click. Such effects work for buttons like removing items in websites or to-do apps.

See the Pen
Translate Button Icon Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

18. Social Media Transition

This CSS button hover effect applies smooth transitions to social media icons, making them more interactive on hover. Effects like color change, scaling, or icon movement help draw attention and improve engagement. These transitions are often used on share buttons to enhance user interaction across platforms like LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.

See the Pen
Social Media Transition button hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

19. SVG Stroke

The SVG stroke hover effect animates a button’s border using SVG properties like stroke-dasharray and stroke-dashoffset. On hover, the stroke creates a drawing effect around the button.

See the Pen
SVG stroke Animated Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

20. Pressdown Button

The pressdown hover effect uses layered box-shadow values that shift slightly to create a pressed or clicked illusion when hovered. It adds a tactile, 3D feel to buttons, making them look like they’re being pushed in.

See the Pen
Pressdown button hover effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

21. Split Button Sides

The split button side effect removes the left and right borders on hover. It creates a sleek, splitting visual that is subtle and has clean animation that adds interactivity to buttons.

See the Pen
Spilt button sides hover effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

22. Flip Background Gradient

The flip background gradient effect reverses the gradient direction on hover, creating a noticeable visual shift. It is done using CSS transitions that animate the background’s position or angle. It adds a clean, dynamic feel without being overly complex.

See the Pen
flip background gradient effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

23. Background Transition

The background transition effect changes the button’s background color when you hover over it. It uses CSS transitions to create a gradual shift that feels natural. This effect is well-suited for icon buttons to give clear feedback without distracting users.

See the Pen
Background transition Hover Button Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

24. Buttons Flip on Cards

Using flip effects on buttons within cards adds a hover animation to the button icons. Cards are common UI elements used to display things like blog posts or user profiles. Adding a flip hover effect to buttons on these cards makes interactions more dynamic and visually engaging.

See the Pen
Flip-Icon UP
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

25. Buttons on Profiles

This CSS button hover effect can be applied to buttons on user profile cards. These buttons are added to profile cards and usually link to external web pages where visitors can learn more about the user.

See the Pen
profile card hover effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

26. Gradient Animated

The gradient animated button hover effect uses multiple linear-gradient colors. It shifts the background size and moves the background position to create a smooth animated color transition on hover.

See the Pen
Gradient Animated Hover Button
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

The button hover popup effect makes buttons visually pop on hover with styles like sliding backgrounds, lifting with shadows, or expanding glow. It adds interactive feedback and can be used for navigation or pagination buttons.

See the Pen
Popup button hover effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

28. Offset Background

The offset background button hover effect moves the button’s background slightly when you hover over it. It creates a simple shifting effect that adds some movement to the button without changing its size or shape.

See the Pen
Offset background button hover effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

29. Swipe Left and Right Button

The swipe left and right button hover effect uses two pseudo-elements positioned on the left and right sides. When hovered, each element expands to cover the button’s background, creating a sliding effect from both sides.

See the Pen
Swipe left and right button hover effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

30. Animated Border Gradient

The animated border gradient hover effect changes the button’s border and background when hovered. The first border transforms while the second element’s background shifts, creating a smooth gradient animation.

See the Pen
Animated Border Gradient Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

31. Border Wipe

The border wipe effect covers the button’s original border with a new style or color when the user hovers over it. It creates a wiping animation along the edges. This effect draws attention to the button by visually changing its border.

See the Pen
Border wipe button hover effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

32. 3D Side Flip

The 3D side flip effect creates a three-dimensional flipping animation when you hover over the button. This flip rotates the button, revealing content on its back side. It’s a way to show two different pieces of information within the same button space.

See the Pen
3D Side Flip hover button
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

33. Float Up

The float up effect makes the button slightly rise when hovered, giving a sense of motion and lift. It mimics a soft water-wave-like movement and adds subtle animation to the interaction. This creates a light and responsive feel when the button reacts to user actions.

See the Pen
float up Hover Button
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

34. Warp Button

The warp effect creates a liquid drop-like animation when the user hovers over the button. This CSS button hover effect is especially effective for CTAs and hero image overlay buttons due to its large size and visually striking design.

See the Pen
Warp button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

35. Inside Out Button

The inside-out button hover effect scales the background inward along the X-axis and creates a dynamic visual transition. It can be used across various elements, such as submit buttons on cards, sign-in/sign-out buttons in navigation bars, or subscribe buttons.

See the Pen
Inside out Button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

36. Translate Button

This CSS button hover effect translates the background color of the button element to a specific region of the button element. These buttons are ideal for enhancing user interaction and can be used effectively as navigation elements across a website.

See the Pen
Translate Button Hover Effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

37. Transition to Font Awesome Icons

You can add transition effects to Font Awesome icons within button elements. When users hover over the buttons, the rotating icons create an animation, enhancing the interactive experience. These buttons are commonly used for sharing links on various social media platforms.

See the Pen
Adding Transition to font awesome icons
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

38. Multiple Outline Button

The multiple outline hover effect adds various outlines to a button. These types of buttons can be used on a dialog box, models, navbars, etc, that help users make changes or interact with the website.

See the Pen
Multiple outline button hover effect
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

39. Neon Button

The neon CSS button hover effect applies a glowing outline around button elements, creating a distinct visual separation from the background. It enhances user interaction for elements like CTAs, submit buttons by clearly indicating which buttons are interactive and ready to be clicked.

See the Pen
Neon button hover effects
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

40. Slide On

The slide-on-hover effect makes the background or text of the button slide in from one direction when a user hovers over it. This creates motion and highlights the button’s interactivity. It helps guide users by visually indicating that the button is clickable.

See the Pen
slide on hover button
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

41. Button on Cards

You can apply a CSS hover effect to a button that is placed inside a card component. Visual changes like color transitions, scaling, or border animations are triggered when the user hovers over the button. It helps make the button more interactive and noticeable within the card layout.

See the Pen
Price-list-card-components
by Ocxigin (@ocxigin)
on CodePen.

While working with CSS button hover effects, it’s important to ensure these effects function correctly across popular browsers and devices. To test them out, you can leverage cloud-based testing platforms such as LambdaTest. It is an AI-native test execution platform that allows you to test your CSS button hover effects on a remote test lab of real browsers and devices.

Conclusion

This blog lists the best CSS button hover effects you can use in 2025 to enhance how users interact with buttons on websites and apps.

Buttons play a key role in letting users perform tasks like submitting data or navigating web pages, so their design affects user experience. Adding hover effects helps buttons stand out and gives clear feedback when users hover over them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the purpose of a hover effect on a button?

Hover effects improve user experience by providing animation when a user points to a button, making the interface feel more interactive and intuitive.

Are hover effects only for buttons?

No, hover effects can be applied to many interactive elements like links, images, cards, and menus.

What are the common types of button hover effects?

Typical effects include color changes, size scaling, shadow or glow appearance, border changes, and text decoration changes.

Are there accessibility concerns with hover effects?

Yes, relying solely on hover can exclude keyboard or touch users, so it’s important to provide equivalent focus styles or other cues.

How do hover effects contribute to branding?

Custom hover styles help reinforce brand identity by using brand colors, shapes, and animation styles consistently.

Author Profile Author Profile Author Profile

Author’s Profile

Alex Anie

A Front End Technical Writer. I write blogs on Front End Technologies, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript. When I am not coding, I enjoy watching tutorials and listening to twitter spaces. I live in Lagos, Nigeria

Blogs: 17



linkedintwitter

Test Your Web Or Mobile Apps On 3000+ Browsers

Signup for free