Your font choice silently speaks volumes about your brand. It’s like picking the right outfit – it should reflect your personality and make a good impression. But with so many options out there, it can feel overwhelming. Let’s break down the choices and help you find the perfect fit for your business.
Free fonts: Quality on a budget
Good news! You don’t need a big budget to find a great font. There are tons of free options that look fantastic.
- Google Fonts: This is like a treasure chest of free fonts. They’re easy to use on your website and there are lots of popular choices like Open Sans and Roboto.
- Font Squirrel: Another great spot to find free fonts that you can use for your business.
- DaFont: A huge collection of free fonts, but double-check the rules before using them.
- The League of Moveable Type: This site offers high-quality, open-source fonts.
- Behance: While it’s not just for fonts, you can find some great free ones here.
With so many free options, you can likely find the perfect font without spending a dime. A good designer can work magic with even a free font, creating a unique look for your brand.
Brands using free fonts include: Mozilla (Fira Sans), Wikipedia (Linux Libertine and system font), Android OS, Google products such as YouTube (Roboto), Colorlib (system font), ScienceSoft (Open Sans), Instagram (system font), WordPress (EB Garamond, Albert Sans, Inter), Drupal (Ubuntu), Canonical Ubuntu (Ubuntu), UPS (Roboto)
A good place to start with your Google Font choice (via awwwards.com)
When to invest in a fancy font
If you want something extra special or need a font with specific features (like different sizes or languages), a paid font might be worth it.
- Popular places to buy fonts: MyFonts, Adobe Fonts, Fontspring, Process Type Foundry, Klim Type Foundry, Grilli Type
You might want to invest in a paid font if:
- You’re a design agency working with different clients.
- Your brand wants a super unique look.
- You need a font that works in lots of different languages.
Brands using off-the-shelve premium (commercial) fonts include: Dropbox (SharpGrotesk, Atlas Grotesk), WordPress.com (Recoleta), Salesforce (ITC Avant Garde), Sony (SST W01 Roman), Tesla (Universal Sans), Accenture (Graphik), Zara (Helvetica Neue)
Tweaking your font: A DIY approach
While modifying a standard font might seem like a DIY project, it’s increasingly becoming a hallmark of established brands. Many larger companies with a strong online presence are customising free or premium fonts to incorporate unique characters, icons, and stylistic elements. This approach allows for greater brand differentiation and a more cohesive visual identity.
However, it’s essential to weigh the potential costs and complexities against the desired outcome.
Examples of brands that tweaked fonts: Airbnb, Spotify (modified Circular); IKEA (modified Noto Sans); Slack (modified Larsseit)
Important things to remember:
- Make sure you have the right to change the font.
- It can be tricky to change fonts, so you might need design help.
- Weigh the cost and effort against other options like buying a new font or designing one from scratch.
If you have graphic design skills and the right software like Glyphs, you can experiment with font modification. However, always ensure your font license permits such alterations.
Custom fonts: A one-of-a-kind look
Want a font that’s totally unique? You can design your own! But be warned, it’s expensive and time-consuming. Some big companies with custom fonts are Mastercard, Samsung, Uber, Apple, The New York Times, Ebay and Amazon.
Custom fonts are typically reserved for:
- Big companies and governments
- Brands that want to stand out from the crowd
- Businesses where the font is a major part of their image
It’s worth noting that while some custom fonts might be publicly available to download (such as Amazon Amber font), employing a brand’s proprietary typeface for commercial purposes can infringe on intellectual property rights.
If you’re considering a custom font, many reputable foundries specialise in creating bespoke typefaces e. g.: Commercial Type, Hoefler&Co., Dalton Maag, Monotype Studio, and Typespec.
Practical tips for choosing a font
Beyond looks, there are other things to think about:
- Check the rules: Understand the legal stuff before using a font.
- Make sure it works everywhere: Your font should look good on websites, printed materials, and different devices.
- Easy to read: People need to be able to read your font. Test it out in different sizes.
- Tech stuff: Installing special fonts can be tricky, but there are tools to help.
Fonts on your website
Using fancy fonts on your website can look great, but it can also slow things down. Make sure your website loads quickly. Also, not all computers can show every font.
You can use ‘fallback fonts’ that most computers have. Or, you can stick with basic fonts that look good and work well on all devices.
Creating a font style guide
To keep your brand looking consistent, create a style guide. This is like a rulebook for how to use your fonts. It should include things like:
- Which fonts to use
- How big the fonts should be
- What colors look good with your fonts
- How to space things out
A style guide might sound like extra work, but it will save you time and money in the long run.
By following these tips and considering your options carefully, you can choose a font that helps your business shine.
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