Web Font Licensing Models Explained: OFL Commercial and Self-Hosted

A font is software, and its license decides where you can use it: on your computer, on a website, in an app or in print. Getting it wrong can lead to a demand for back payment. Here are the main models.

Open-source fonts: the SIL Open Font License

Most fonts on Google Fonts use the SIL Open Font License (OFL); a few use the Apache License or the Ubuntu Font License.

• Free to use for personal and commercial projects, including websites, apps, print and logos.
• You can self-host the files and embed them in software.
• You can modify the font, but some fonts reserve their name, so a modified version must be renamed.
• You can't sell the font on its own.

Commercial licenses

Fonts from foundries and marketplaces are sold with separate licenses for each use:

• Desktop: install on a set number of computers to design with. Doesn't cover websites.
• Web: use on a website, often priced by monthly pageviews or number of domains. Usually allows self-hosting the files.
• App: embed in a mobile or desktop app.
• Other uses: ebooks, video, broadcast and server-side image generation often need their own license.

Read the license file. Terms differ between foundries, and a desktop license used for a website is the most common mistake.

Subscriptions

• Adobe Fonts comes with Creative Cloud. You can use its fonts on websites, but they're served from Adobe's servers through a code snippet. You can't download and self-host them, and if the subscription ends, the fonts stop loading.
• Other subscription libraries work similarly. Check what happens to your projects if you stop paying.

Self-hosting vs a font service

• Self-hosting means the font files sit on your own server. It's allowed for OFL fonts and most commercial web licenses. It's faster in some setups and keeps visitors' data off third-party servers, which matters for privacy rules in Europe.
• A font service like Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts serves the files for you. Easy, but visitors' browsers contact the service.

Identifying a font isn't licensing it

Tools like Font Detector tell you what font a site uses, which is the first step. Before using it yourself, find who makes it and what license you need. Many big brands use custom fonts that aren't for sale at all. Look for an open-source alternative instead. See font identifier tools compared.

Quick checklist

• Is it OFL or similar? Use it freely, and keep the license file with it.
• Commercial? Buy the license for each use: desktop, web, app.
• Subscription? Know what happens when you cancel.
• Keep the license and receipt with the project files.