Commercial Type
OpenType
Languages
Please turn your device to landscape orientation to view the pin tester

Select Fonts

Selected Good

End User License Agreement

1.

This End User License Agreement (the “Agreement” “EULA,” “License,” “Agreement” or “License Agreement”) is a legal agreement between the Licensee (you) and Schwartzco, Inc., d/b/a Commercial Type (collectively, “Commercial Type”) and becomes a binding contract between you and Commercial Type when you access, install and/or use the Commercial Type Font Software (“Font Software” or “Fonts”). This Agreement governs the terms of use the Font Software and the design of the Fonts embodied therein (collectively, “Font Software”), for, among other uses, use in multi-use methods, large scale multi-user commercial uses, as well as simple uses such as individual desktop only uses. This License also controls the use and distribution of any media, electronic documentation, updates, add-ons, artwork, web services and/or the form of proprietary technology used to implement use of the Fonts as exists now or in the future. This Agreement becomes effective (a) when you “accept license agreement,” or when you open the electronic file in which the Font Software is contained. If you do not wish to enter into this Agreement, do not purchase, access, download and/or install or otherwise use the Font Software.

What this section means

Please read this document carefully, because you agree to its terms by installing the font software.

2.

(a) Upon payment in full, Commercial Type will grant you a non-exclusive, terminable License to the Font Software that accompanies this EULA. Use of the Font Software is limited to the specific uses permitted in your purchase receipt. All Commercial Type licenses are for use by the identified Licensee (You) only. Transfer or export or use of the Font Software by third parties is not permitted. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Font Software” shall be defined as the design of the Fonts together with the Font Software which, when used generates the typeface, typographic designs and, if included in the Font Software, ornaments or other designs. 

(b) The types of licenses offered by Commercial Type include, but are not limited to:

i. Use for Creation – Desktop. Under this license you are permitted to (1) Use fonts installed to a desktop computer for creating printed material or images; (2) embed the Fonts in non-editable documents. 
Such uses include internal documents, company letterhead, production of a newspaper, magazine, book or other paper publication, print advertising, broadcast advertising, film titles, social media posts, signage, packaging, and point of sale displays.

ii. Uses for Creation with Distribution Rights. Under this license, the Font Software is bundled with and distributed as part of the licensed uses and includes: (1) App License; (2) Web License; (3) ePub License; (4) Software Embedding License; (5) Device Embedding License; (6) Automated Document Production Server License; (7) Embedded Content License.

iii. Add-on or License Extensions. If the proper license extension is purchased, you are permitted to: (1) use the Font Software to produce merchandise for sale, including alphabet-themed products; (2) embed the Fonts in editable documents; (3) use the fonts in external third party platforms; (4) share the fonts with third parties doing work on behalf of Licensee.

iv. Use of the Font Software with Generative or other Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) services or in other AI programming is expressly prohibited.

PLEASE READ: To understand the terms and conditions associated with a particular type of license, review the Attachment to this agreement. The relevant terms and conditions in the attachment form a part of this agreement.

What this section means

This paragraph outlines what kind of usage is permitted with each kind of licensing that may be purchased. The receipt and license document delivered with the fonts will list what usage you are licensed for, and at what license levels (i.e. the number of users permitted by a desktop license, the number of domains and unique visitors per month permitted by a web license, etc.). Your user account on this website will also give a record of the licenses you have purchased and the usage permitted under each of them.

If you are uncertain whether a particular use is permitted under the license you have purchased, please contact us at info[at]commercialtype.com for assistance.

3.

FONT SOFTWARE DELIVERY. The Font Software will be transmitted, as necessary, to Licensee via Internet download for use on the computers and, if applicable, on the websites of Licensee in the (i) WOFF and WOFF2 Web Font formats; (ii) in the Open Type Format for Desktop use and; (iii) in TrueType Format for Application (“App”) uses as specified by the license purchased. Commercial hereby agrees to provide amended or updated Webfonts and/or Font Software, upon the request of Licensee, in the event generally accepted and commercially used software and/or Internet browser formats change in response to technology innovation.

What this section means

The fonts will be delivered in different formats depending on the license you have purchased.

4.

If you are a design consultancy, advertising agency or purchasing this license for use by or on behalf of such an entity, the ultimate end user should also purchase a license appropriate for their intended use of the Font Software. The license granted herein for personal use extends to temporary employees or independent contractors using the Font Software only so long as they are providing professional services expressly for the benefit of Licensee. 

What this section means

A license may not be shared by multiple companies (i.e. both a designer and his or her client). We make an exception for a freelancer working on behalf of a licensed client as an individual may use the fonts during the course of a project must purchase a separate license if they wish to use the fonts for other projects after the completion of the gig.

5.

Commercial Type, its successors, and assigns expressly retain all right and title in and to the Font Software together with the design of the Font embodied therein, together with any trademarks used in connection therewith. Except as may be otherwise expressly permitted herein, you agree not to copy the Font Software or create derivative works based upon the design of the Font or the Font Software. You hereby agree that the design of the Font and the Font Software are the exclusive property of Commercial Type and that the unauthorized use of the design of the Font or the Font Software is an infringement of Commercial Type’s exclusive rights and causing significant monetary harm. All rights not expressly granted herein are reserved to Commercial Type. Commercial Type’s rights and remedies in the event of an infringement shall be cumulative in nature.

What this section means

This license grants you the right to use our fonts and to make a copy of the files for backup purposes, but the fonts (both the software describing the design and the design itself) belong to us. You are not allowed to give copies to your friends, family or clients, and you may not modify the fonts without written permission from us.

6.

Except as may be otherwise expressly permitted herein, you may not alter or copy the Font Software, or the designs embodied therein in any manner whatsoever. Reformatting the Font Software into other formats for use in other operating systems is expressly prohibited. Upon payment of an additional fee and a separate written agreement Commercial Type may provide the Font Software in alternate and/or additional font formats, contact Commercial Type for a quotation. Altering or amending the embedding bits characteristics of the Font Software is expressly prohibited. The Font Software may not be used to create or distribute any electronic document in which the Font Software or any part thereof, is embedded in a manner or format that permits editing, alterations, enhancements, or modifications by the recipient of such document, unless a license that permits such use has been purchased. You may not knowingly transmit any electronic document or the Font Software to any party that intends or is likely to “hack,” edit, alter, enhance, or otherwise modify the Font Software or remove the Font Software from any document.

What this section means

You will need written permission from us before making any kind of modifications to a font which you have licensed from us, including renaming the font or converting it into a different format, in part because we aren’t able to support fonts we haven’t built and tested ourselves. Please contact us at info[at]commercialtype.com for more information.

7.

You may make one (1) back-up copy of Font Software for archival purposes only, and you agree to retain exclusive custody and control over any such copy. Upon termination of the Agreement, you must destroy the original and all copies of the Font Software. The unauthorized sharing, lending, renting, sale, or other unauthorized use or misuse of the back-up copy is a material breach of this Agreement and will result in the immediate termination of this License.

What this section means

You may make a copy of the font files for backup purposes, but you may not give, lend, or sell copies to your friends, family, clients or especially to strangers.

8.

If no other option exists, you may take a digitized copy of the Font Software used for a particular document, or Font Software embedded in an electronic document that is sent to a commercial printer or service bureau for use by the printer or service bureau for preparing the document, provided that the printer or service bureau represents that it shall destroy any and all copies of the Font Software upon completion of its work. Notwithstanding, you agree that the transmission of a “print/preview” pdf document is the first and preferred method of transmitting such documents to a service bureau or printer.

What this section means

If making a PDF is not an option, you may deliver a copy of the fonts to a service bureau or printer for final output. The service bureau must destroy the fonts when they are finished with the job.

9.

The designs embodied into the Font Software, the Font Software itself, and any trademarks associated therewith are the exclusive property of Commercial Type and their designers, where applicable, and are protected by the copyright and other intellectual property laws of the United States, by the copyright and design laws of other nations, and by other international treaties. Any copies that you are expressly permitted to make, pursuant to the Agreement, must contain the same copyright, trademark, and other proprietary notices that appear on or in the Font Software.

What this section means

This license grands you the right to use our fonts, but we retain ownership of both the font design and the font software.

10.

With the exception of subsetting webfonts, you agree not to create, assist in and/or cause the creation of modifications or additions to the Fonts or Font Software, including but not limited to: creating additional weights; creating additional or deleting existing characters; modifying existing characters; modifying font spacing and kerning; converting fonts to an alternate digital format, modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, alter, or otherwise attempt to discover the source code of the Font Software without first obtaining written permission from Commercial Type. In the event that permission is given to you, the modifications must be used according to the terms and conditions of the License you purchased and all modifications and additions shall become and shall remain the sole and exclusive property of Commercial Type. You may not sell, lend, or otherwise transmit any modifications or additions to the Font Software to any third party. You agree that any webfonts not directly provided by Commercial Type, such as webfonts that have been subset by Licensee will be supported at Commercial Type’s sole discretion.

Other jurisdictions may provide for additional rights, and if applicable, you may reverse engineer or decompile the Font Software only to the extent that sufficient information is not available for the purpose of creating an interoperable software program (but only for such purpose and only to the extent that sufficient information is not provided by Commercial Type upon written request). All trademarks shall be used in accordance with accepted trademark practice, including identification of the trademark owner’s name. Use of the trademarks associated with the Font Software inures solely to the benefit of Commercial Type.

If you are unsure whether your use of the Font Software is specifically permitted under this Agreement, contact Commercial Type. All uses of Commercial Type Fonts require a license.

What this section means

You can subset webfonts licensed from us, but you will need written permission from us before making any other kind of modifications or additions to a font which you have licensed from us, or hiring anyone else to do so. We can only support the font files we provided, meaning that if you subset your own webfonts, we can’t support them. If you require modifications to a font, we can do the work for you quickly and at a reasonable cost. Please contact us at info[at]commercialtype.com for more information.

11.

Commercial Type Font Software is licensed for use by a specified number of users and for specified uses.

What this section means

This license is not limited to one geographical location; a company with multiple locations may share one font license for all employees so long as they are within the number of licensed users.

12.

Except as may be otherwise expressly provided for herein, you expressly agree not to rent, lease, sublicense, give, lend, or further distribute the Font Software. 

What this section means

You may not give or lend copies of the font files to anyone else, unless you transfer the license to the third party (along with a copy of this EULA and all other documentation that may have been included with the fonts) and destroy all copies of the font files in your possession, including backups.

13.

Commercial Type warrants that the Font Software will perform substantially in accordance with its documentation for ninety (90) days following delivery of the Font Software. To make a warranty claim, you must either return the Font Software to the location from which you obtained it together with a copy of your sales receipt or, if acquired on-line, contact the on-line provider with sufficient information regarding your acquisition of the Font Software to permit the confirmation of the effective date of this License. Schwartzco, Inc. and Commercial Type hereby EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS AND IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. COMMERCIAL TYPE DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE OPERATION OF THE FONT SOFTWARE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, OR THAT THE FONT SOFTWARE IS WITHOUT DEFECTS. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL COMMERCIAL TYPE BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PARTY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, SAVINGS OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF THE FONT SOFTWARE EVEN IF NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE OF SUCH POSSIBILITY. You hereby agree that your entire, exclusive, and cumulative liability and remedy shall be limited to the purchase price of this Font Software License. Under no circumstances shall Schwartzco, Inc.’s or Commercial Type’s liability to you exceed either the refunding of the cost of the Font Software License or replacement of the Font Software either of which shall be at Commercial Type’s sole discretion.

What this section means

The fonts will perform as promised in the documentation, and we will provide technical support within a reasonable timeframe, to the best of our ability. In the event of a refund, we cannot refund more than the purchase price for the license, and all copies of the fonts in your possession must be destroyed.

14.

OTHER LAW – CONSUMERS ONLY. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental, consequential or special damages, implied warranties, or implied warranties as they relate to sales to consumers. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OR OTHER RIGHT CREATED BY LAW IS ONLY EFFECTIVE FOR THE NINETY (90) DAY WARRANTY PERIOD. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND AFTER THE NINETY (90) DAY WARRANTY PERIOD. To the extent permissible by law, you agree that all implied warranties are not to be effective for more than thirty (30) days.

What this section means

This paragraph is required by law and simply means that any warranty (explicit or implied) is limited.

15.

You expressly agree that this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, USA, as they apply to contracts entered into and wholly performed therein and without respect to its conflict of laws provisions or the conflict of laws provisions of any other jurisdiction. You expressly submit to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of New York, USA, agree to waive any defenses arising out of the selection of jurisdiction or venue and further agree to service of process by mail. You hereby expressly agree that the application of the United Nations Convention of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is expressly excluded.

What this section means

Our main office is in New York City, so this agreement is governed by the laws of New York State.

16.

You acknowledge that you have read and understand this Agreement and that by using the software you agree to be bound by its terms and conditions. You further agree that it is the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between Commercial Type and Licensee which supersedes any proposal or prior agreement, oral or written, and any other communications relating to the subject matter of this Agreement. No variation of the terms of this Agreement or any different terms will be enforceable in the absence of an express written amendment, or consent, including a written express waiver of the affected terms of this Agreement. If any provision of this Agreement is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect, and the invalid provision shall be replaced by Commercial Type with a provision that effects the intent of the invalid provision. Commercial Type expressly reserves the right to amend or modify its License Agreements at any time and without prior notification.

What this section means

Again, please read this document carefully, because you agree to its terms by installing the font software.

17.

The Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event You or any authorized user breaches any term or condition set forth herein. Notwithstanding any termination of this License, Commercial Type expressly reserves all other rights and remedies under equity or law. The Agreement may only be modified in a writing signed by an authorized officer of Commercial Type.

What this section means

If any of the terms in this agreement are broken, the license is no longer valid. We will notify you in writing if the EULA changes.

18.

You agree to be responsible for compliance with all laws, foreign and domestic relating to the control of exports or the transfer of technology. If you are purchasing this License for government use, or under a government contract, you agree to familiarize yourself with and follow any applicable rules and regulations relating to the purchase of a license to use software and the actual use thereof.

All inquiries and arrangements for returns, if any, may be sent via e-mail to info[at]commercialtype.com. The Commercial Type website is located at commercialtype.com.

©2023 Schwartzco, Inc. d/b/a Commercial Type. All Rights Reserved.

What this section means

You agree to follow the law and other applicable rules in your use of this font license.

19.

ATTACHMENT TO END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

Your license may include these Types of Uses, if purchased. See the receipt and license document delivered with the font files for details. Some of these license types may not be purchased via this website.

Please contact info[at]commercialtype.com for details and pricing.

Creation with Distribution Licenses

  1. App License

    1. Allows for embedding in Applications or Apps using the iOS, Windows Mobile, and Android mobile operating system formats.

    2. License is per individual title, without restriction as to the type of OS.

  2. Web License

    1. Use the Font Software to style HTML and SVG documents using the CSS @font-face mechanism.

    2. Use in email permitted, with fonts served from licensee’s server.

    3. License covers a discrete number of domains, with unlimited subdomains permitted for each.

    4. License covers an aggregated total number of unique monthly visitors across all licensed domains.

    5. If the maximum number of allowed unique visitors is exceeded for three (3) consecutive months, the purchase of an additional license is required. Commercial reserves the right to inspect or monitor your usage.

    6. You shall make a reasonable attempt to prevent the use of any process that allows hot-linking, re-serving or re-directing access to and/or use of the Font Software by unlicensed parties. You agree to exercise commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the Font Software is retained with the other assets associated with the licensed domains.

    7. For the purposes of clarity, the use of third party font hosting services is strictly prohibited and the Font Software should be stored and served from the same devices and location as the other software and assets associated with the licensed domains.

  3. ePub License

    1. For use of the font software to style text in ePubs, for use in any operating system or device in which embedded fonts are supported.

  4. Software/Video Game Embedding License

    1. For embedding the fonts in non-mobile desktop software for use in MacOS, Windows, Linux, etc.

    2. License is per individual title, without restriction as to the type of OS or Platform.

  5. Device Embedding License

    1. For embedding fonts in any type of electronic device.

    2. This License is granted only on a per device basis.

  6. Automated Document Production Server License

    1. This License permits installing the Fonts Software on a server that generates documents automatically, such as bank statements, credit card bills, investment fund prospectuses, among others. 

    2. For creating user-generated content using the fonts, such as logos or templated documents.

  7. Embedded Content License

    1. For content using the font, distributed through content aggregators or ad networks:

      1. HTML5-based advertising.

      2. Embedded content in services such as Facebook Instant, Google AMP, Apple News, etc.

    2. License is for a discrete number of impressions.

    3. For use where the Fonts are hosted on the creator’s server, or CDN.

  8.  Merchandise License

    1. For use in creating merchandise for sale, among others, on goods such as apparel, mugs, housewares in which a logotype or other text set in the typeface is the primary design element;

    2. Promotional items given away for free are covered by the standard desktop license and do not require a merchandise license;

    3. Packaging and point of purchase promotion is covered by desktop license;

    4. Electronic devices, third party software, etc. would require an Embedding license, not a merchandise license

  9. Document-Based Editable Embedding License

    1. PDF embedding is permitted in the standard Desktop License.

    2. This License permits changing the embedding setting from Print & Preview (default) to Editable Embedding, which allows a Font to be embedded in a document which can then be viewed, printed, and edited.

  10. External Platform License (for platform user)

    1. For use of the font on third party platforms and services.

    2. Examples:

      1. Font is loaded onto slides.com for licensee to make templated presentations.

      2. Font is used on website that automates production of business cards for licensee.

    3. Fonts are hosted on the third party server, or shared CDN. No further distribution is allowed.

    4. Content may only be produced/edited by the license holder (fonts cannot be used by the third-party platform or other users of the third-party-platform not authorized by licensee).

    5. Font must be removed from third-party platform upon discontinuation of the third-party services.

  11. Distribution License

    1. Allows for distribution of desktop fonts to a third party who needs to work with the fonts on licensee’s behalf. Subcontractor will receive a desktop license that limits usage to working with the licensing client, along with the standard EULA.

    2. License covers a discrete number of third parties doing work on behalf of licensee simultaneously.

What this section means

This attachment to the EULA details the usage permitted under each license type, some of which can be purchased on this website, and some of which can only be obtained by contacting us and working with our licensing department. Please contact info[at]commercialtype.com for assistance.

Licensee

Shipping

Billing

Select Licenses

Licenses Total

Cart

Your cart is empty
Total

Licensing FAQ

General

Can I trade in a desktop license for a web license or a mobile app license?

No, licenses are not transferrable from one platform to another.

Which currency are your prices in?

All prices shown on this site are in US dollars.

If I license one style now, do I have to pay for it again if I decide to license the complete family later?

No. If you have one or more licenses for individual styles in a family, the price of this license or licenses will be subtracted if you upgrade to a license for the complete family at a later date. The same is true of collections: if you license individual styles or families within a collection, the price of these licenses will be subtracted from the collection price if you upgrade to the complete collection at a later date. Simply add the complete family or collection to your cart and enter the license number or numbers from your previous order or orders in the first step of the checkout process.

In doing this, you are trading in your previous license, which will no longer be valid, in return for an instant rebate of the price of the previous license. Please keep your receipt, because you will need the license number on it for future license upgrades.

How do the discounts work when licensing related families?

When licensing two or more families within one collection, there is a base discount of $50 for each family after the first, which is then multiplied based on the license terms: the number of workstations for desktop fonts; the number of domains, unique visitors per month, and license length for webfonts; and the number of mobile apps for app licensing. Additionally, significant discounts are given when licensing font on multiple platforms (desktop,web, and app) at the same time. All of these discounts are only available when licensing families simultaneously.

What is a package, as opposed to a family?

A family is a set of related typefaces in multiple styles (often multiple weights), for example the nine weights of Guardian Sans Headline, with their matching italics. A package is a set of related families: multiple widths of the same design, multiple optical sizes of the same design, a related serif and sans, or even all of the above. A collection is a package of all related families, licensed at a discounted price.

I’m a graphic designer working on a corporate identity. Does my client need to license the fonts too, or can we share one license?

Your client needs their own font license. Separate companies, or individuals not employed by a company for whom they are doing work, must each have an appropriate license for the fonts they are using. You may transfer your license to your client provided that you destroy all copies of the fonts in your possession, including backups, and provide a copy of our standard End User License Agreement along with the fonts.

I bought a license for one of your fonts and it doesn’t work. What can I do?

Please contact us at support[at]commercialtype.com and send as much information as you can, including:

  • Your order number
  • Operating system and version
  • The application(s) you’re having trouble with

The more details we have, the easier it will be to help.

What is your refund and exchange policy?

All sales are final, and no refunds will be given in cases other than insurmountable technical difficulties. Please check your cart carefully, as we are not responsible for a customer licensing the wrong font. Exchanges cannot be given. If you have technical problems with the fonts that render them unusable, we will do everything within our power to rectify the situation and provide you with a usable copy. If after 5 business days the issue is still unresolved, we give the option of a full refund. In order to receive this refund, you must destroy all copies of the font or fonts from your order in your possession, including backups.

I have purchased a web or app license. Can you send the desktop fonts for comping?

No. The webfonts may only be used on a web server, and will not work in desktop software including Adobe Photoshop. If you need to make comps, you may use the trial versions at no charge, or purchase a desktop license. The webfonts are licensed per domain, so they may be used by as many developers as you need to code your site.

Which license should I purchase for use in broadcast?

If you are planning to use one of our fonts in video or for broadcast, you will need to purchase a desktop license covering the workstations used in production. No additional fees are necessary.

My company would like to modify some of the terms in your license. Is this possible?

Yes, it's possible to tailor our standard End User License Agreement to fit your specific needs, but this will incur an additional administrative fee on top of the license fee. Please contact us for details.

What if I need to do something with one of your fonts that isn't covered by your standard desktop, web, or mobile app license?

We offer several kinds of licenses that are not immediately available on our website, covering specific uses like embedding in desktop applications or video games; use in ePubs; embedding fonts on a device like a standalone kiosk, a smart watch, or a set-top box; automatically generated documents like monthly bank statements; merchandise for sale; HTM5 banner ads; and distribution to third parties doing work on your behalf.

Please contact us directly to help us tailor a license to your needs.You can reach us at: info@commercialtype.com

I’m going to school for graphic design and would like to use one of your typefaces in a project. Do you offer student discounts?

We do not offer special discounts on full licenses for students because we offer significant family and collection discounts to all users.We do offer several options for students:Students can use our trial fonts in student projects and other academic work. We offer discounts on site licenses for educational institutions. Please contact info[at]commercialtype.com for details.

Many of our fonts are available on Fontstand, where they can be rented by the month for a fraction of the cost of a full perpetual license.

I want to try one of your fonts on a project before buying a license. How can I do this?

Trial versions of the Commercial Type and Commercial Classics libraries are available at no charge. The trial fonts can be accessed on each collection, family, and style page. Please contact us if the family you are interested in doesn’t show a link to request a trial version.

There are some limitations to the trial fonts: they have a limited Latin-only character set, and only private use is allowed. For example, they may be used for your own evaluation, to get approval from a client, or in a student project. A valid email address must be provided for access.

Any public-facing use, including professional (non-academic) work by students, requires the purchase of an appropriate license for desktop, web, or mobile app use.

If you need to test the full fonts, with complete language support and advanced OpenType features, please contact us at info[at]commercialtype.com. 

How can I contact you for help?

For questions about licensing, email us at info@commercialtype.com

If the fonts you licensed aren’t working right, email us at support@commercialtype.com

Can I use one of your fonts in a logo for a client?

Use in logotypes is covered by our standard desktop license, with the exception of logotypes that will be used on merchandise for sale as a primary visual element. For example, if you use one of our typefaces to design a logo for a band, and the band is selling t-shirts printed with a big logo, you will also need a merchandise license. Use of the logo in signage, printed collateral like a letterhead or business card, packaging, or even on items such as pens or tote bags that are given away, is covered by the desktop license used in the creation of the logo. Additionally, you may convert the outlines to paths and modify the letterforms in vector drawing tools like Adobe Illustrator, but cracking the font file open in a font editor and re-exporting a modified version of the font is not permitted by our EULA.

Desktop

Our company has 10 locations with 8 workstations in each. Do we need one license for 80 workstations, or 10 licenses for 8 workstations each?

If your company is a single corporate entity with multiple locations, you may share one license across all locations, provided that it covers the total number of workstations the fonts are used on. Please see our End User License Agreement for more details, including information about centralized font servers.

I’ve licensed a family for 1-3 workstations, and now I need to use the fonts on 19 workstations. Do I need to buy a license for 16 workstations?

Not exactly: if you have a license for a certain number of workstations, the price of this license will be subtracted if you upgrade to a license for a larger number of workstations at a later date. Simply add the license you need to your cart and enter the license number from your previous order in the first step of the checkout process. In doing this, you are trading in your previous license, which will no longer be valid, in return for an instant rebate of the price of the previous license.

Please note that upgrades from individual styles to a complete family or collection and upgrades to a larger number of workstations may be taken simultaneously. Please keep your receipt, because you will need the license number on it for future license upgrades.

Web

Are there any limits on a perpetual license?

So long as you do not exceed the permitted number of domains and total unique monthly visitors, you may use the fonts in perpetuity. The license will not need to be renewed at any time.

I have a site with a .com and a .co.uk address. Does that count as two domains?

Yes. The same address on a different top-level domain (i.e. .com, .org, .ca, .co.uk, etc.) counts as a separate domain for the purposes of our license.

I think I bought the wrong fonts. Can I return them?

Webfonts are built to order, so all license sales are final.

How do you define a domain?

A domain is the most basic portion of a website address. For example, commercialtype.com is a single domain. We allow unlimited subdomains within each domain, so alpha.commercialtype.comand beta.commercialtype.com would be covered under the license for commercialtype.com, but commercialtypewebfonts.com and commercialtype.co.uk would each be separate domains, because either the basic name or the top level domain category is different.

Can I use your fonts on one of the hosted font services?

No. We have found that webfonts are delivered much faster and more reliably when they come directly from your site. We also believe that you should be in control of your website, including all of the assets. Self hosting is the most reliable way to ensure that the fonts load every time.

How do you measure domains and unique monthly visitors?

With our desktop licensing, we trust our customers to tell us if they need to use the fonts on more workstations than they have licensed, and upgrade their license if they need to. We do the same with our webfonts: we trust our customers to upgrade their license if they have more domains or find that they have more unique viewers each month than their license covers. We do not embed code in the fonts to track pageviews, unique visitors, or any other information.

May I use the webfonts I have licensed on a staging server before my site is open to the public? Will I need to purchase a license for additional domains?

Yes, you may use the fonts on a temporary server for as long as you like, so long as it is not open to the general public. The licensed number of domains is for publicly-available web sites. You are free to use the fonts locally or on any number of private development and staging servers used in creating the website.

Why do you differentiate between different numbers of unique monthly visitors? You don’t count newspaper readers or how many people will see a poster when pricing desktop licenses.

The number of unique monthly visitors is our way to differentiate between large and small organizations and price our web licensing accordingly. With traditional print media, the size of the license was determined by the number of computers the organization needed to install the fonts on for production. Measuring by unique visitors per month seemed like the fairest solution for applying the same approach to web licensing, and in our experience with webfont licensing we have found unique visitors to be a less variable metric over time than pageviews.

Do the same family discounts apply with web licensing as with desktop licensing?

Yes, our discounts for complete families, complete collections, and matching roman/italic pairs in a single weight work the same way for all types of licenses. Additionally, we offer a discount on related fonts being licensed for multiple formats at the same time. Please note that this discount cannot be applied retroactively, and the licenses must be purchased simultaneously to receive the discount.

How do you define unique monthly visitors?

A unique monthly visitor is someone who has visited your site in the last month. Each visitor is counted only once, regardless of the number of visits they have made or the number of pages they have viewed. If you have licensed fonts for use on more than one domain, the number of unique monthly visitors you need to be licensed for is the aggregated total of all visitors to all domains. A visitor who viewed more than one of your domains will be counted only once.

After I pay for my initial webfont license, will I have to pay again in the future?

No, our webfont licenses are all perpetual, with a one-time fee for use within the bounds of the license. You are purchasing a license, not a subscription. You will only need to purchase an upgrade for your license if you want to use the fonts on more domains than you have licensed them for, or if your number of unique visitors per month is consistently higher than you are licensed for, you will need to upgrade your license to cover your expanded needs.

Can I use this typeface on my website?

In most cases*, yes you can, with the purchase of a web license. We will deliver the fonts in .woff and .woff2 formats, covering all common browsers and some legacy browsers as well. We will also deliver instructions for setting the files up on your server and sample CSS showing our recommended method for implementing the fonts using the @font-face CSS feature. All of our web licenses are perpetual, meaning you pay once and can use the font for as long as you like without ever having to renew. The license price is based on the number of unique visitors expected each month. The license can be upgraded to accommodate a higher number of visitors at any time, and if the site sees a sudden spike in visitors, you will not have to upgrade the license if the increase turns out to be temporary, based on an average of 4 months’ worth of unique visitors. Please note that use of .otf files with @font-face and the use of any online webfont conversion tools are strictly prohibited by our EULA.

*Please note that some families in our library are still being prepared for use on the web. Please contact us at info[at]commercialtype.com if the family you are interested is not available.

Mobile app

Do the same family discounts apply with app licensing as with desktop licensing?

Yes, our discounts for complete families, complete collections, and matching roman/italic pairs in a single weight work the same way for all types of licenses. Additionally, we offer a discount on related fonts being licensed for multiple formats at the same time. Please note that this discount cannot be applied retroactively, and the licenses must be purchased simultaneously to receive the discount.

Will an app license allow me to embed your fonts in a video game for a console such as the XBox or Wii?

No, you must purchase a separate kind of license for this usage. Please contact us at licensing[at]commercialtype.com for details.

After I pay for my initial app license, will I have to pay again in the future?

No, our mobile app licenses are all perpetual, with a one-time fee for use within the bounds of the license. You will only need to purchase an upgrade for your license if you want to use the fonts in more apps than you have licensed them for. The number of downloads or users is not relevant to the app license.

Will an app license allow me to use your fonts on a server for generating PDFs and other kinds of image and text files?

No, you must purchase a separate kind of license for this usage. Please contact us at licensing[at]commercialtype.com for details.

Will an app license allow me to embed your fonts in desktop software for use in the MacOS or Windows?

No, you must purchase a separate kind of license for this usage. Please contact us at licensing[at]commercialtype.com for details.

I have purchased an app license. Can I have the desktop fonts for comping without paying extra? Can I use them on our website, too?

No. The app licensed fonts may only be used embedded in an app, or in the development process of the app. If you wish to make comps, you must purchase a desktop license. If you wish to use the fonts on the web, you must purchase a web license. The fonts are licensed per app rather than by workstation, so they may be used by as many developers as needed to build your app. Please note that we offer a discount on related fonts being licensed in multiple formats at the same time.

Will an app license allow me to embed your fonts as part of the operating system in a mobile phone, cable box, or other electronic device?

No, you must purchase a separate kind of license for this usage. Please contact us at licensing[at]commercialtype.com for details.

My app will use your fonts in an embedded PDF, not as live text. Do I need an app license?

No, your use is covered by a standard desktop license. Publication apps built with Adobe's DPS are also covered by the standard desktop license.

How do you define a single app?

For the purposes of our license, a mobile app is defined a piece of software built for one or more mobile operating systems, such as Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android, and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile. A single app embedding license may be shared by an app that is equivalent in name and functionality on any number of mobile operating systems.

Can I use this typeface in an app for iPhone, iPad, or Android?

All fonts from our library can be used in mobile apps, either with the purchase of an upgrade to an existing desktop license, or a standalone mobile app embedding license. Please enquire at licensing[at]commercialtype.com for details if your planned usage does not fall within the bounds of web or mobile app use.

Please note that if the fonts are used as static text in image form, like in publications created with Woodwing or Adobe's magazine app creation tools (which actually create large collections of image files), or embedded in a PDF embedded within the app, no license upgrade is needed so long as the workstations used in the creation of the app are covered by an existing license. An app license is only necessary if the actual fonts will be included in the app for rendering text on the fly. If your app will only be used internally and will not be released to the general public, please contact us for a reduced price on the license.

Technical FAQ

This website

What is the privacy policy for commercialtype.com?

The following privacy policy explains how we use personal information collected at this site. Please read this privacy policy before using the site or submitting any personal information. By using the site, you are accepting the practices described in this privacy policy. These practices may be changed, but any changes will be posted and changes will only apply to future activities and information, not on a retroactive basis. You are encouraged to review the privacy policy whenever you visit the site to make sure that you understand how any personal information you provide will be used. (Please note that the privacy practices set forth in this privacy policy are for this web site only. If you link to other web sites, please review the privacy policies posted at those sites.)

• We collect personally identifiable information, like names, postal addresses, email addresses, etc., when voluntarily submitted by our visitors, specifically to purchase a font license; obtain a quote; create, share, and organize Favorites and Typelists; or join our mailing list. The information you provide is only used to fulfill your specific request, unless you give us explicit permission to use it in another manner, for example to add you to one of our mailing lists. Any personally identifiable information kept on file may be provided to you upon request, and may be modified or deleted if you desire. Please be aware that deletion of your personally identifiable information from our order database will render any related font licenses null and void.

• This site uses cookie and tracking technology depending on the features offered. Cookie and tracking technology are useful for gathering information such as browser type and operating system, tracking the number of visitors to the Site, and understanding how visitors use the Site. Cookies can also help customize the Site for visitors. Personal information cannot be collected via cookies and other tracking technology, however, if you previously provided personally identifiable information, cookies may be tied to such information. Aggregate cookie and tracking information is not shared with third parties.

• We do not share personal information except as required by governmental agencies or other companies assisting us in fraud prevention or investigation. We may do so when: (1) permitted or required by law; or, (2) trying to protect against or prevent potential or actual fraud or unauthorized transactions; or, (3) investigating fraud which has already taken place. The information is not provided to these companiesfor marketing purposes.

• Your personally identifiable information is kept secure at all times. This website is PCI-compliant and is regularly tested to maintain compliance. Only authorized employees, agents, and contractors (who have agreed to keep information secure and confidential) have access to this information. All emails and newsletters from this site allow you to opt out of further mailings.

• When placing an order, your credit card information is sent directly to the card processor, and is not held or retained by this site, or visible to employees. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about our privacy policy you may contact us using the information below:

By e-mail: info[at]commercialtype.com

By phone: 212 604-0955 (10am–6pm EST)

By post: 110 Lafayette Street, Room 203, New York, NY 10013, USA

We reserve the right to make changes to this policy. Any changes to this policy will be posted.

Commercial®, Graphik®, Guardian®, and Marian® are registered trademarks of Schwartzco Inc. dba Commercial Type. Action Condensed™, Atlas™, Algebra™, Austin™, Canela™, Caponi™, Chiswick™, Dala Floda™, Dala Moa™, Dala Prisma™, Darby Sans™, Dignitas™, Druk™, Duplicate™, Gabriello™, Giorgio™, Kommissar™, Le Jeune™, Local Gothic™, Lyon™, Marr Sans™, Platform™, Portrait™, Produkt™, Publico™, Robinson™, Sanomat™, Schnyder™, Stag™, Styrene™, and Tanja™ are trademarks of Schwartzco Inc. dba Commercial Type. Neue Haas Grotesk® is a registered trademark of Monotype Imaging and is used with permission. Antique Olive® is a registered trademark of Marcel Olive. All other trademarks are held by their respective owners. Any trademarks and trade names not mentioned above are the property of their respective owners and no endorsement or derogation is intended or inferred.

 

Originally posted on 27 August 2015. Last edited on 22 May 2018

How do you keep my credit card information secure when processing an order?

We use certification from Comodo RSA to protect our customers’ information. Your credit card information is sent directly and securely to the company that processes the transaction and is not held on our server at any point or accessible to us.

Desktop

What is your standard character set?

Our standard character set differs from family to family, depending on the OpenType features we deem to be an appropriate fit for each specific family, but at minimum you will be able to typeset most Western and Central European languages that use the Latin alphabet. You can find a full character set listing in each family’s specimen PDF, and list of supported languages, along with pricing, by clicking ‘add to cart’.

Do you recommend using any particular third party font manager?

We do not endorse any third party font manager, and can only guarantee error-free performance if the fonts are directly installed in user/Library/Fonts on the Mac OS or the Fonts folder in Windows.

I can’t use OpenType fonts. Can you send me a legacy format instead?

PostScript and TrueType versions of our fonts are available for both Windows and the Mac OS, but we strongly recommend using the standard OpenType versions instead if it is at all possible. Legacy formats of our fonts offer only basic character sets: alternates, fractions, small caps, different figure styles, and other typographic niceties are exclusively available in the OpenType versions, which also have support for a much wider set of languages. In some cases the legacy formats are not immediately available and there may be additional delays and charges before they can be delivered.

How do I access the OpenType features in your fonts?

Different applications still have wildly differing implementations for OpenType feature controls, so please consult the manual for the individual application or applications you plan to use the fonts in. Where possible, we have made features redundant in order to make them accessible in as many applications as possible. For example, the functionality of the stylistic sets is often duplicated (albeit simplified) in the stylistic alternates feature, to allow users of both Adobe InDesign CS2 and above and Adobe Illustrator CS2 and above to access alternate characters. Please be advised that the most current version of Microsoft Office allows access to just a subset of OpenType features. See Microsoft's documentation for details.

Please see the last few pages of the PDF specimen for details on the features included in each family, or download the standalone OpenType features PDF available on each family page.

I have completed my order and licensed some fonts. How do I install them?

On Mac OS X, please follow the instructions found here: 
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201749

Please note that we recommend installing the fonts in the top-level library where they can be accessed by all of a workstation’s users, rather than an individual user’s Fonts folder, as our license applies to the workstation rather than the user. We also recommend installing the fonts directly in the Fonts folder as detailed in this support article, rather than using FontBook.

On Windows Vista, 7, and 8, please follow the instructions found here: 
http://www.microsoft.com/typography/TrueTypeInstall.mspx

On Windows NT, 2000, and XP, please follow the instructions found here: 
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314960

If you use a third party font manager, please follow the developer's instructions.

Web

Can I use these fonts in my email?

Maybe, but probably not. Unfortunately most email systems still actively strip out CSS styling and @font-face, which is how web fonts are implemented.

I think I bought the wrong fonts. Can I return them?

No. Webfonts are built to order, so all license sales are final.

Can I put your webfonts on my CDN?

Yes, you may load any webfonts you’ve licensed from us onto a CDN used for your other assets, so long as they are used only for the number of domains and unique monthly visitors specified in your license.

Why can't I use your fonts on one of the hosted font services?

We have found that webfonts are delivered much faster when they come directly from your site. We also believe that you should be in control of your website, including all of the assets. Self hosting is the most reliable way to ensure that the fonts load every time.

I prefer the alternate forms in the font to the default forms. How can I use these on the web?

Many, but not all, browsers support some OpenType functionality and we have included most of the alternate characters and supporting OpenType features in the web fonts. Until OpenType feature support is more widely supported in the most common web browsers, you can contact us for a custom version of the webfonts that have the character forms you prefer in the default character slots.

How do you measure domains and unique monthly visitors?

We do not track pageviews, unique visitors, or any other information about your usage. Instead, we rely on the honor system, and trust our customers to upgrade their license if they have more domains or find that they have more unique viewers each month than their license covers.

I have purchased a web license and tried to install the fonts on my computer. Why isn’t it working?

All of our webfonts are built for use on the web only, and only work in a web browser.

May I use the webfonts I have licensed on a staging server before my site is open to the public? Will I need to purchase a license for additional domains?

Yes, you may use the fonts on a temporary server for as long as you like, so long as it is not open to the general public.

Why do the fonts look so different in Adobe Photoshop than they do in my browser?

Adobe Photoshop uses a proprietary rasterizing engine to display text on screen that is not used in any operating system. We recommend that you examine the screenshots from various OS and browser combinations before committing to a web font license.

I have purchased a web license from you. Can I make my own webfonts from the OTFs I licensed before, rather than using the web font files you have provided?

No. Our desktop fonts are provided in the OTF-CFF format, with PostScript outlines, Our webfonts, on the other hand, use TrueType outlines, and each style has been painstakingly manually hinted for optimal rendering with both the ClearType and DirectWrite rendering engines in Windows XP and later. Fonts that have been automatically converted from .otf files will not have this hinting data included, and will at best include automatic hinting. We feel that, although auto hinting has improved in the last couple of years, it still does not match the quality of manual hinting.

How do I use the webfonts once have downloaded them?

The fonts come bundled with html and css files that show how to use the @font-face css code used to implement the fonts on your site. We recommend that you keep the fonts in their own folder to keep your site organized. Then you can link from your html file to the bundled css file which contains the @font-face code used to access the fonts, along with simple classes for each font.

Can I use these fonts with Wordpress, Tumblr, or Squarespace?

Yes. Webfonts can be used with any platform where the site admin can modify the CSS file. 

Do you embed any identifying information in the webfonts?

All webfonts are stamped internally with the related order number. We can cross-reference the order number to the customer information in our order database, but none of your identifying information is embedded in the fonts. If an outside party is using fonts you have licensed without permission from the licensee or Commercial Type, we can use the order number to demonstrate that their use is unauthorized, but no third party will be able to trace the font license back to you.

How will webfonts affect the loading time of my webpage?

Using webfonts shouldn’t cause any noticeable affect on loading time. Webfonts are very small files and don’t require much bandwidth. Even better: they’re cached by the browser so after downloading the fonts once, they’re available for all other pages on the site.

Using a serif typeface like Publico Headline as an example, the WOFF files (the format delivered to most browsers) are about 65kb each for fonts with full character sets. If you use four styles, that’s only 260kb, which is about the same as a single image, but will be used to render the text on an entire site. A sans family like Graphik is even smaller: less than 50kb per style.

That being said, it’s a good idea to limit the number of fonts you will be using. We had a client a while ago who wanted to use 12 styles on their front page, which caused the page to pause briefly before loading. After cutting back to to 5 styles, the site loaded without any delay. A good rule of thumb: using 6 or fewer fonts will not have any effect on page loading time, and if you’re extremely concerned about bandwidth, limit yourself to 4 or fewer styles.

If you do have issues with page load times, we can help by subsetting the fonts (removing characters your particular page doesn’t need) or through a number of additional technical tricks.

 

How do I use one of your webfonts on Squarespace?

Using a webfont on Squarespace which you've licensed from us is pretty straightforward, with just one extra step. When you purchase a webfont license from us, we send you the font files used to display the fonts (woff and woff2), along with html and css files showing the @font-face code. The @font-face code looks like this:

@font-face {
       font-family: "Graphik Web";
       src: url("Graphik-Regular-Web.woff2") format("woff2"),
            url("Graphik-Regular-Web.woff") format("woff");
       font-weight: 400;
       font-style: normal;
       font-stretch: normal;
} 

When you load the fonts into squarespace, the files are assigned a special url:

ex: http://static.squarespace.com/static/3280c8fj9cotb6154/lotsoflettersandnumbers/Graphik-Regular-Web.woff

 

You simply need to copy that url into the @font-face urls like this:

@font-face {
        font-family: "Graphik Web";
        src:url("http://static.squarespace.com/static/
        3280c8fj9cotb6154/lotsoflettersandnumbers/
        Graphik-Regular-Web.woff2") format("woff2"),
        url("http://static.squarespace.com/static/
        3280c8fj9cotb6154/lotsoflettersandnumbers/
        Graphik-Regular-Web.woff") format("woff");
        font-weight: 400;
        font-style: normal;
        font-stretch: normal;
}

Once you’ve done that, you can style the text in the css editor using the font-family, font-weight and font-style settings.

Mobile app

How do I implement the fonts I’ve licensed in my app?

Handling of embedded third-party fonts has tended to change with each major release of iOS and Android, so please refer to the appropriate developer resources for current best practices.