Typography plays a critical role in getting the pulse of the message right. The right font at the right place can often prove to be the differentiator between hitting the bull’s eye and missing the mark altogether. The difference between ‘We’re here for you’ and ‘We’re here for you’ says it all.
For graphic designers, capturing the viewers’ attention is a core focus of the job profile, and any designer worth their salt knows the importance of a perfectly suited font in getting the job done. That said the process of finding that perfect font can be a time-intensive, and often expensive, process. The internet brimming over with endless options and choices makes this pursuit that much harder.
If you’re looking to take a break from the usual Helvetica, Arial and Calibri and shake this up a little, here are the top 10 font sites for graphic design inspiration you must turn your attention to:
1. Font Bundles
Font Bundles stands out for its carefully curated elaborate selection of unique fonts and designs, sourced from some very talented designers. What makes this site even more attractive are their bundled packages that contain a combination of fonts at throwaway prices with discounts as high as 96 per cent, making them a perfect alternative to Urban Fonts. Besides, all of these fonts are UA encoded and in Open Type Font or True Type Font formats – offering an easy ‘download and use’ approach, without the need for any fancy software or online tools. And you get a commercial and personal licence with every purchase!
2. Font Squirrel
Font Squirrel is a clear front-runner among free font sites. Primarily because all their fonts come with commercial licences, meaning you can choose the ones you like, download and start using them as you please without having to worrying about copyright or plagiarism issues. Besides, the quality of their fonts is top-notch, as some of the best font designers use this platform for trial of their latest designs. If you’re working on a commercial project on a shoe-string budget, Font Squirrel would be right up your alley.
3. Font Space
With over 32,000 free fonts sourced from more than 2,100 designers, Font Space abounds in options and choices. The fact that the platform has over 746,000 active members speaks volumes about its popularity in designer circles and its efficacy in bringing designs to life. Registering on the site allows you access to some of the best fonts and also build up a collection of your favourites to download at a later stage. All fonts on this site can be easily downloaded and come with valid licences.
4. DaFont
DaFont is also a popular site among graphic designers and other people from creative fields. Its stand out feature is its category system that classifies fonts as per themes such as video game fonts, horror-themed fonts, Valentine’s themed fonts and more. This makes for a time-effective way to browse through options and find the perfect fit for your project. DaFont is also known for its collection of free fonts. However, most of these are available only for personal use but you can find some with commercial use licence too.
5. FontStruct
FontStruct is markedly different than your regular font sites, as it operates more like a tool with which you can build your own fonts using a spectrum of geometrical shapes. This tool can be used for any kind of work and is compatible with most design apps. In addition to this, the site also has a collection of over 43,000 fonts, which can come in handy if you’re pressed for time, running out of creative juices or simply feeling lazy.
6. Abstract Fonts
Abstract Fonts comprises a curated collection of free and paid high-quality fonts. Most of these come with licences and can be used for personal or commercial projects. However, not all free fonts available on the site come with commercial licenses, so make sure to check that out before you hit download. They too have a category system in place for ease of browsing, allowing you to look for fonts by visual groups.
7. Adobe Fonts
The erstwhile Adobe Typekit has been renamed as Adobe Fonts. It is a streamline platform with a library comprising more than 14,000 font designs. Out of these, nearly 6,000 classified as the ‘Basic’ collection are available for free to users with an Adobe ID. Adobe has also removed the sync limit from their platform in a recent update, which means you can access the entire collection at once and then just hit ‘click here’ to download.
8. My Fonts
My Fonts is another website that offers a mix of paid and free fonts. What adds to the appeal of this platform is that they often have free and paid choices within a single font family. Even the paid versions come at affordable price points. The licensing process for My Fonts is a little different than other sites. Here you’re required to select a licence type – desktop for logos, prints and products and web fonts for self-hosted fonts meant for websites – to use a font.
9. 1001 Fonts
The website is home to a vast, updated collection of some of the most recent fonts. In a far departure from its name, the portal boasts of a collection of over 9,000 high-quality fonts. The stand out feature here is that 1001 Fonts likes to update their collection from time-to-time to include the latest designs. You can browse for fonts by font size, style or even weight to find a perfect fit for your project requirements. A majority of these fonts come with commercial use licence, but it bodes well to double check before downloading.
10. FontSpring
If you are looking for premium fonts to work with, FontSpring is the place to be. The platform specialises in premium font families. But the good news is that you can find some free variants even in this premium marketplace. You’ve just got to look patiently. And these free fonts usually do come with commercial use licensing. The website offers detailed information on licenses for every font page, so make sure you read it up before you proceed.
The next time you find yourself grappling for ideas, hit up any one of these sites for graphic design inspiration to lend a versatile touch to your creations.
