Font licensing, explained without the legalese

Understanding Open-Source Font Licenses

Not all "free" fonts are created equal. Knowing the distinction between personal-use licenses and true open-source commercial licenses is essential to protect your clients and applications from copyright claims.

The SIL Open Font License (OFL)

The vast majority of fonts on Google Fonts are licensed under the SIL Open Font License (OFL). OFL permits you to:

• Use the font freely in commercial web apps, mobile apps, print materials, and logos.
• Embed font files into compiled software and digital publications.
• Modify the letterforms and redistribute modified versions under a new font name.

Apache 2.0 & MIT Licenses

Certain font families (such as Roboto and Material Icons) are licensed under Apache 2.0, allowing complete commercial reuse, modification, and bundling in open-source or proprietary software.

Common Licensing Pitfalls

Never convert a desktop-only commercial font trial (e.g. OTF/TTF downloaded from a foundry sample page) into WOFF2 for web embedding without purchasing a Webfont license.