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You find a beautiful font but wait, can you use it on your site without a license? So what is a Font License anyways?
Font licensing might seem a bit daunting, but let’s simplify it together!
A typeface is a family of fonts that share similar visual characteristics.
A font, on the other hand, is a specific subset of characters in a particular size, weight, and style.
For instance, Arial is a typeface, but within Arial, you have variations like italic and bold.
Now that we understand what a font is, let’s dive into the licensing types!
(End User License Agreement) This is the most common type of license and covers most commercial uses.
You can install the font on your computer and use it in applications like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
You can also create and print documents, as well as make static images (JPEG, TIFF, PNG), graphical designs (logos, or signs), and also on products (shirts, hats, mugs).
Always check how many products and users the license covers before purchasing.
Personal licensing is for fun side projects or personal use, but you can not create a product to sell with it.
You cannot create a logo to sell to a client with only Personal Licensing.
This type of license often limits the number of websites or social platforms where the font can be used.
Most desktop licenses do allow you to create end products for your client but it’s always a smart move to triple check!
Commercial licensing allows you to create products for clients.
This license will usually have a limit on how many products you may use this on.
Example – May be used on 5,000 end products. So if you plan to sell a product using their logos, ensure to select the proper Commercial Licensing plan.
With an E-PUB license, you can use the font in eBooks and eMagazines that are sold to end-users.
The number of eBooks you can create depends on your selected plan at the checkout page of where you plan to purchase your font from.
If you plan to use the same font for your website, you will need to purchase a Webfont license to do so.
Purchase a Webfont license if you want to use the font on your website. The cost might vary based on your website’s traffic.
Does your site get 100 views a month or 100,000?
First, never resell a font! that’s a HUGE no-no!
If you use a font for a client’s project, note which font was used and provide a link for them to purchase or download it themselves.
Secondly, buying fonts for your business is ideal to avoid any legal issues down the road. You can buy beautifully designed fonts from sites like creativemarket and designcuts.
PRO TIP** If you’re not sure if your font is free to use you can search your font file name in a search engine (like Google), and check if it is free to use.
To keep things simple, consider downloading fonts from reputable sources like Google Fonts.
Happy Font Hunting! 💃
Font Licensing Types Explained