![]() This type of license works well for designing logos for merchandise, like t-shirts or business cards. Desktop licenseĪ desktop license is a standard license that allows a font to be used on your computer to create designs. So let’s take a look at six of the main types of font licenses and how they work. You may be wondering by now what the different types of font licenses are and what they’re used for so you can ensure you always have the right license for any project. The typeface you used might be Helvetica, but the font may be Helvetica Light Neue Italic 14 point. It’s also handy to know the difference if you come across a client who’s a stickler for terminology. While this difference might not matter during the day-to-day - with many designers using the two terms interchangeably - it does matter when it comes to licensing. Each font has a specific weight, size, and style, as well as italic versions and different levels of condensation. You can either buy a license to use a specific font or one for the entire typeface, comprising the whole family of fonts.Ī font is a subset of letters, numbers, and characters within a typeface - such as Arial Narrow. Font versus typeface - what’s the difference?Īlthough often used interchangeably, a subtle but important difference exists between a font and a typeface.Ī typeface is a group of fonts that share similar characteristics, such as Arial. While copyright laws vary from country to country, font licenses are written in such a way that they apply regardless of geographical location. Just as a copyright agreement protects graphic designers by preventing others from using their work without permission, font licenses enable type designers to get paid for their creations. By using the font, you implicitly agree to its terms of use.įonts are designed by hand and can take months or even years of painstaking work to perfect. If the EULA permits it, you can use the font for commercial use, for example, by sharing it with your clients. This document is called an End-User License Agreement (EULA), and it details the permissions provided for font usage. ![]() When you buy a font, the license gives you permission to use the font software according to the terms and conditions established by the foundry that created it. ![]() Since each font is a software product, they’re subject to licensing - yes, even free fonts. Digital fonts, on the other hand, are software files that run code to display letters in a specific format. What is font licensing?īack in the days before computers, fonts were physical blocks of wood or metal that printed ink a certain way. This article will outline everything you need to know about font licensing, so you never have to worry about receiving a “cease and desist” letter again. Conversely, companies offering packages that promised adventure found greater success with difficult-to-read fonts.īut not paying due care and attention to licensing fonts can land you - and your client - in hot water. They transmit the emotions clients want their brands to project, and the right font can make or break a campaign’s success.įor example, one study found that tour operators offering relaxing vacations had more conversions with easy-to-read fonts. Your client’s never coming back, and your reputation is going down the drain fast.Īs a designer, you know how important fonts are. You rush back to your laptop to change the font and save face, but deep down, you know it’s too late. Your heart sinks as you realize: the font license you bought for yourself doesn’t cover the work you did for your client. ![]() It’s your client wanting to know why, just days after launch, they’ve received a letter from a type foundry threatening to sue. Perhaps you pop open a bottle of bubbly, only to be brought down to Earth with a bump as your phone pings. You’re celebrating after successfully wrapping up a project for a client.
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