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EnglishAre the Fonts on FONT Repo Free for Commercial Use?
Updated
Not all of them. FONT Repo's tagline advertises "free fonts for commercial use," but the site itself sorts its library into several license categories, and only some of them permit commercial use. Before you download, check which category the specific font falls under — the site's own category list is the fastest signal, and the Licensing page is the place to confirm details.
What the site claims vs. what the categories show
The homepage headline says "Free Fonts for Websites & Designs" and the description mentions downloading fonts "for commercial use." That is a general marketing statement about the collection, not a blanket license for every file. The same page lists the actual license buckets used to organize the library:
| Category on FONT Repo | What it typically means for commercial use |
|---|---|
| 100% Free Fonts | Usually the safest bet for commercial projects, but still verify per font |
| Public domain / GPL / OFL | Open licenses; OFL and GPL generally allow commercial use with conditions (e.g., attribution or copyleft for GPL) |
| Free for personal use | Not cleared for commercial work without buying a license from the designer |
| Donationware | Often usable after a voluntary payment; terms vary by designer |
| Demo Fonts | Usually limited or trial versions; commercial use typically requires purchase |
| Shareware | Try-before-you-buy; commercial use generally requires payment |
The key takeaway: "free to download" and "free for commercial use" are different things on this site, and the category label is where the difference shows up.
How to check a font before you use it commercially
- Start from the category. Browse or filter by license type rather than by style alone. If you only need commercial-safe fonts, begin with "100% Free Fonts" and "Public domain / GPL / OFL."
- Open the individual font page. The category gives you the general rule; the font's own page should carry the specific license or a link to it. Read that, not just the category name.
- Cross-check the Licensing page. FONT Repo has a dedicated Licensing section in its footer navigation. Use it to understand how the site defines each category and where the underlying license terms live.
- Keep a record. Save the license text or a screenshot of the font page with your project files, so you can show provenance if a client or publisher asks.
Common sticking points
- "Free for personal use" fonts are the most frequent trap. They download without friction, which makes it easy to assume they are cleared for client work. They are not, unless the designer grants it.
- OFL and GPL are not identical. OFL is common for fonts and generally permits commercial embedding with conditions; GPL can impose copyleft obligations on derivative works. Read the actual license text rather than treating "open source" as one thing.
- Demo and shareware files may be incomplete. Beyond licensing, a demo version can lack glyphs or have limited character sets, so test the font in your actual layout before committing.
- The site's scale claim varies. The page headline says "Browse 300.000 Fonts," while the site description mentions "40.000+ Free Fonts." Treat the category and the individual font page as the reliable source, not the headline number.
A practical rule of thumb
If the font is labeled 100% Free or carries a Public domain / GPL / OFL license, it is generally a candidate for commercial use — confirm the specific terms on the font page. If it is labeled Free for personal use, Demo, Shareware, or Donationware, plan to contact the designer or pay for a commercial license before using it in paid work. When in doubt, the Licensing page and the font's own license file are the two places to check.