Looking for great, free fonts? This is the video you want to watch. If you’re searching for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, I’m going to tell you where to find it.
Today, we’re going to get into fonts — where you can find the best fonts for free. So without further ado, let’s jump into it.
The 10 Best Font Websites
Welcome back to another Adrian Agency video. I’m not a leprechaun, even though I might look like one with my red beard, but I wanted to take some time today and tell you where you can find your pot of gold (the best fonts).
Fonts are a very important part of being a graphic designer. The better fonts you have, the better your designs are going to look. It’s really the Holy grail of graphic design. That’s why graphic designers who specialize in typography are so successful.
Because I never specialized in typography myself, I was wondering how I could improve my fonts. So I scoured the internet looking at thousands of websites and resources. Now, I want to tell you all about it.
Remember, the list of the best fonts is always evolving. If you like this video, drop a comment and tell us about your go-to website for fonts so we can learn!
1. Google Fonts
The first website we’re going to talk about today is Google Fonts. This site has actually been around since 2010, longer than I realized.
Back in 2016, I was looking for some fun, innovative fonts for a brand I was building. You may have noticed, but the Instagram brand was actually built using Montserrat, which I found on Google Fonts, thanks to the web designer I was working with at that time.
Google Fonts is a huge directory with tons of fonts that you can adjust. There is a huge selection with a lot of different variations. The great thing about Google Fonts is that it ties in with Google Chrome. So if people are using Chrome to browse your website, those fonts will sync really well.
So Google Fonts is a great website. I use it to download fonts for my designs a lot. You should definitely take this site into consideration as an awesome font library.
2. Dafont.com
The second site is Dafont.com. This is the one I’ve been using the longest. I have found a lot of great fonts there, but you have to be careful.
Dafont has one of the largest font libraries. There are hundreds of thousands of fonts, but be cautious, because some of them require you to pay the font creator. Some of their fonts are just demos, and others require a donation.
I’ve actually downloaded fonts from this site only to have issues with them later on. So you want to be selective about the fonts you choose. Not all of them are free for commercial use.
If you’re going to download fonts from Dafont, read the comments, be considerate of the font creator, and make sure you’re aware of the conditions. There are all kinds of unique fonts and characters in their library, so it’s a great site to try. Personally, I love Dafont and have been using it for years.
3. Behance
Now, number three is Behance. They have a gallery full of fonts uploaded from designers. It’s totally free, which is awesome.
Behance is an Adobe product. A lot of people use it as a portfolio, a website where you can showcase your work and get views. It has a social element, too, because people can like and share your work.
So Behance is a really great tool for designers as well as font creators. You can download free fonts, and a lot of them are available for commercial use.
4. Adobe Typekit
Next is Adobe Typekit. The upside to this site is that is has a lot of great fonts. The downside is that you need a subscription.
If you don’t have Adobe Creative Cloud, you won’t get access to Adobe Typekit. But if you do have access, this is a really great tool. They offer a variety of weights and variations for fonts. I can adjust by Serifs, and San-Serifs, and Monotype fonts.
Typekit gives you a lot of options and allows you to narrow down your fonts very well. My favorite part is the fact that you can sync it to your programs directly through Adobe. You can sync your fonts through Illustrator or Photoshop, then bam! That font is live.
5. Awwwards.com
Number 5 is Awwwards.com (with 3 w’s). A lot of the fonts there are free, but only for personal use, not for commercial use.
So, if you’re going to download those fonts, for a personal design project, you don’t have to pay anyone. But if you want the font for a commercial project, you will have to pay attribution to the creator, or at least give them credit at the bottom of your website.
This is an important thing to keep in mind. You don’t want to steal somebody’s typography work or font designs. Don’t forget about that when you’re downloading fonts!
6. Letterhead Fonts
The next site is Letterhead Fonts. This is a really great tool. Not only can you find some of the best fonts, but they also have a wide assortment of styles —all hand-drawn.
Most of the fonts on this site are custom and very unique. You can use them to really level up your design abilities. The only problem is that it’s very expensive. A single font might cost upwards of $200.
I was lucky enough, about 5 years ago, to stumble upon a special deal, so I could download all their available fonts for just a couple hundred dollars.
I’ve used these fonts on vehicle graphics, websites, barbershop logos, and all kinds of projects over the years. These are hands-down the nicest fonts I’ve ever found.
7. Abstract Fonts
Number 7 is Abstract Fonts. I’ve found some really cool, unique fonts on this site. A lot of designers put their fonts there for your use.
This is the best site to find hidden gems. If you’re looking for something that’s totally different, you’ll definitely be able to find it on Abstract Fonts. It’s totally free for personal use.
8. Fontspace
Number 8 is Fontspace (Not to be confused with Myspace). This site isn’t a dinosaur; it’s actually very relevant. It has a lot of free, high-quality content.
I’ve found some really good fonts on Fontspace that I’ve used on a regular basis — for clients and for my own projects. Just keep in mind: some of the fonts are going to be free, but not all of them. The majority of Fontspace fonts are free.
9. Font Squirrel
Now, let’s jump to Number 9. If you’re a font designer or a graphic designer who creates fonts, this is a site you’re going to want to check out. It’s called Font Squirrel.
Font Squirrel has a lot of custom, unique fonts, and they’re completely free and open. It’s the perfect site if you want to create fonts to get some practice and build a portfolio. I’ve found some hidden gems there.
They also have a web font generator and a lot of other cool tools. I love Font Squirrel. It’s definitely something you should check out.
10. Befonts
Number 10, not to be confused with Behance, is Befonts. This is another collaborative marketplace where designers can showcase their stuff. They have a designer’s page, which I really like, where you can check out other designers’ work.
This is a really great resource for you if you’re looking for unique and creative fonts. Some of them can also be found on other sites, like Dafont, but the restrictions aren’t as tight. There are plenty of fonts that are free to use without attribution, for personal or commercial use.
What’s Your Favorite Font Website?
Those are the 10 major sites I recommend for all graphic designers. Now, I want to hear from you. If you’re a graphic designer, what is your number-one, must-have font website? If I missed a site that you think I should have included, drop a comment below.
I know a lot of people out there are searching for good fonts, and it’s so important to be careful about where you get them from. Because the last thing you want to do is install a font with a virus or malware that will destroy your computer. That has actually happened to me.
So, be careful about where you install your fonts from. All these sites are safe options that I personally love and recommend to all designers.
Thanks so much for tuning in, and as always, keep looking up!
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