Fonts are a crucial part of your website’s design, but understanding how font licenses work can be a bit confusing.

When using fonts on your website, it is important to ensure you have the proper license to avoid legal issues. In this blog, we’ll break down the different types of font licenses and explain how they affect your website.

1. Free Fonts

Some fonts, like those provided by Google, are completely free to use, meaning you can download and install them without worrying about a license. Showit has a built-in Google font library that is free to use in any Showit website.

a. Free Fonts for Personal Use

Some font foundries provide free fonts but only for personal use. This means you can use them to design personal designs like invitations or calendars that you are NOT selling or deriving an income from.

b. Free Fonts for Commercial Use

Although rare, some fonts are free for commercial use. This means you can use the font in any design that you are deriving an income from. However, be sure to check the license terms before using them commercially. Some free fonts may have restrictions on how they can be used. Always look for a license that explicitly states “free for commercial use” to be safe.

2. Paid Fonts

Paid fonts are typically licensed on a per-site or per-use basis. This means that when you purchase a font, you are buying the right to use it in a specific way. The most common types of paid font licenses are desktop, web, app, and template.

Desktop License

This allows you to install the font on your computer for use in software like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Word. It doesn’t cover web use, so you’ll need a separate license for that.

Webfont License

This license is specifically for using fonts on a website. It is usually based on the number of monthly or annual page views your website gets. For example, if your website gets 10,000 monthly page views, you will need a webfont license that supports that level of traffic. Some font providers offer scalable plans depending on the size of your website’s audience.

App LIcense

An App License is required when you use a font within a mobile app or software application. This type of license allows the font to be embedded in the app, ensuring that users can see and interact with the font while using the app. The license terms usually depend on the number of users or the distribution of the app.

Template License

A Template License is typically used when you’re purchasing a font to be included in a digital template (like a website template, social media design, or presentation) that you are selling. This license allows the font to be used within the template and distributed to your customers. Each license will have its own restrictions so always check the terms to ensure the font is properly licensed for your intended use.

3. Embedded Fonts

Some fonts are available for embedding in websites through services like Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts, or Canva. These services typically offer a range of fonts for free or on a subscription basis, and they include web font licensing as part of the service. However, if you are using a font outside of these services, you will need to obtain a separate web font license.

4. Font Licenses for Commercial Use

If you are using a font in a logo, branding, or for commercial purposes, you will need to make sure that the font’s license covers commercial use. Some fonts, even if free, may not be cleared for commercial use, so it’s important to check the license terms thoroughly.

How Does This Apply to Your Mary+Joseph Template?

All Mary+Joseph templates come with pre-installed, licensed fonts, so you don’t need to worry about purchasing additional licenses. We make use of both Google fonts and custom fonts, where specified. These fonts are ready to use, allowing you to focus on customizing your site without the hassle of font licensing.

Showit does not allow font files to be downloaded from within the Showit app. Google fonts, however, can be downloaded from Google and desktop licenses for custom fonts can be purchased from the individual font foundries should you wish to match your website fonts to your branding.

Since font licenses for a single brand can easily run into a few hundred dollars of annual license fees, we make every effort to keep the costs as low as possible without compromising on aesthetics.

If you’re interested in exploring more design options or looking for a new template, feel free to browse our template collection in the Mary+Joseph template shop. If you have any questions regarding how font licenses work with Mary+Joseph templates, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at support@maryandjoseph.co – we’d be happy to help!