Font Licenses Explained
Font licensing can be confusing. This page explains, in plain language, the license terms you will most often see on FontsStack so you can choose fonts with confidence. This is a general guide, not legal advice — always read the specific license that comes with a font.
Free for commercial use
These fonts can generally be used in both personal and commercial projects — logos, products, client work, apps and more — at no cost, subject to the font's own license. Many are released under open licenses such as the SIL Open Font License.
SIL Open Font License (OFL)
The OFL is one of the most common open font licenses. In general it allows you to:
- Use the font for personal and commercial projects.
- Embed it in documents, apps and websites.
- Modify the font, as long as your modified version is not sold on its own and does not use the reserved font name.
Under the OFL you may not sell the font by itself, and any derivative must also be released under the OFL.
Apache and other open licenses
Some fonts (many from Google Fonts, for example) use the Apache License. These are also free for commercial use and embedding, with attribution appreciated but generally not required in your final design.
Free for personal use only
These fonts are free to download and use for non-commercial projects — personal artwork, study, and things you are not paid for or selling. Commercial use requires a separate license purchased from the designer. Where a font is personal-use only, we link to where you can buy a commercial license.
What "commercial use" means
As a rule of thumb, commercial use is any use connected to making money — client projects, products you sell, business branding, monetised apps or videos, and advertising. If in doubt, assume a project is commercial and choose a font licensed accordingly.
How to check a font's license on FontsStack
Every font page shows a badge indicating whether the font is free, and whether it is allowed for commercial use, personal use, or as a web font. The download also includes the font's own license file — the definitive source. If anything is unclear, contact us or the designer directly before using the font.