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Our Licensing Explained

Updated 31st January 2023

When it comes to font licensing, at times it can become a complicated system to understand. Each license legally allows you to do different things with the font software you purchase which isn’t common knowledge to all, so, to help better understand exactly what type of license you need to buy, below you can find our End User License Agreements (EULA’s) and our helpful licensing checklist to help you make the right purchase.

First things first, what is a font license?

Purchasing a font isn’t like when you buy a physical product like a book, once the book comes through your letterbox it’s yours forever and you own that book. It has now become your personal property. Whereas when purchasing a font license, you’re paying for the right to use the font within the rules established in the specific license agreement. Even once you have the font file on your device, it still remains the intellectual property (IP) of the creator/seller. 

Are all font licenses the same?

No. Every type foundry, or re-selling platform such as our own, may have different font licensing terms which you will need to understand and abide by law. 

How are Type Department’s font licenses structured?

Licenses that are bought for individuals allow up to 3 (three) users to have the font(s) installed on their devices. 

Any font license purchased from us for a business can be used within a singular organisation / entity  / company / registered offices at 1 (one) address / location. This means there are no restrictions on the number of users as long as they are all within the organisation that the font is licensed to. If you wish to use the license across multiple locations / addresses / offices / business premises (these must operate within the same company) you are required to purchase an enterprise license. You can do this by filling out a Custom Licensing form and one of our team will get back to you to discuss your needs further.

Each license allows the usage of 1 (one) commercial project with no limits to the number of personal projects. 

Does Digital Drops follow the same license structure? Where can I preview before I buy?

No. This is because each ‘drop’ can be different from one another and may not even be a font. Digital Drops VOL 2 x Mockup Maison’s licenses can be found here for standard licensing and here for commercial licensing. 

 

Who is the license owner (licensee)? 

If you’re an individual using it for your own work, commercial or non-commercial, then you are the licensee. If you are a freelancer, studio, or an individual who is purchasing a font for a client job, the client is the licensee. You may still purchase fonts on their behalf but you must include their details at the checkout and purchase the correct license that fits their needs. An example would be choosing the right tier of monthly page views to suit their site if you need a web license. We highly advise that you download and read our font End User License Agreements thoroughly before you buy. You can find them below. 

Font Licenses

Trial Licenses


Any trial fonts that are downloaded from a product’s description are for testing purposes only. By downloading any trial font hosted on our site, you agree and fully understand that the font(s) cannot be used for commercial or personal use, or any other use for that matter, other than testing. In order for the font to be used outside of this restriction, a full license must be bought.

Desktop License > PDF.


Probably one of the most common options out there, a
Desktop License will cover most of your commercial or non-commercial font usages. A Desktop License enables you to create documents and graphical designs for print and screen, covering the use in programs where you can create an output (like Adobe’s Creative Suit, Sketch, or Microsoft Office) usually exported in the format of but not limited to GIF’s JPEG’s, PDF’s, PNG’s, EPS, etc. This license does NOT cover the usages of the font software for logos, trademarks, or symbols. Please see our Logo / Mark License to handle this requirement for you.  

Our Desktop License covers the use of font software in products that can be sold for profit up to 1,00 units, any more than this, a Product Sales License must be bought too, please contact us for a quote. 

Web License > PDF.

A Web License allows you to embed the font software into the CSS code of a website so that you can use it for titles and body copy. A lot of web design platforms these days have much simpler ways of embedding the font software through plugins and other functions. Web Fonts are limited by monthly ‘page views’ which measure the traffic of users to your web pages. If you exceed the limit stated in your license please contact us to pay for the next tier.

A common question is whether you’re allowed to upload a digital image or GIF that utilises a font in a web environment. The answer is yes you are but you must purchase a Desktop License and will not need a Web License for this capability.

ePub License > PDF.

Usually found in e-books, PDF’s and digital magazines, we draw your attention to this license as you may want to convert your physical book into an e-publication. This will mean you need to re-license the Desktop License you previously bought for the printed book. There are also requirements regarding readership numbers, so make sure to read the agreement thoroughly before buying.

Broadcasting License > PDF.

A Broadcasting License refers to anything related to using fonts for onscreen broadcasting via television, film, or video and especially for text which is used for titling, credits, etc. This includes using fonts in YouTube videos and streams.

App License > PDF.

An App License will allow you to embed a font in desktop or mobile applications code and work on a per-app basis. Costs may increase as the user base grows over time. A Web License excludes the use of its fonts being used in application software.

Game License > PDF.

A Game License is very similar to an app license just under a different circumstance. Font software can be licensed as part of the Game’s software development and prices may depend on the users it was or could potentially attract.

Logo/Mark License > PDF.

A Logo/Mark License allows you to use fonts as part of a design of a logo or an iconic mark that is representative of a company, project, or person. This license does NOT cover any other Desktop License usages.

Product Sales License

If a digital or physical product utilises the font within its design or visuals and exceeds the 1000 unit limit which is covered by our Desktop License, an additional license is needed. Please contact us for a quote.

Corporate Licensing

A Corporate License gives you access to all of the licenses available on our store, unlimited users, and unlimited instances where the font appears in communications and outputs. Please fill out the form found on this page, and one of our team will get back to you to discuss your needs further. 

Did this page not answer your question? Find more information on our FAQ page or you can download our simple checklist on what you can and can’t do with each font license.