This is the most common question we receive regarding font licensing. As we have covered in our Help article, the short answer is “yes,” if the font in question utilizes our Font EULA. But the real test is in the license for the particular font(s) you want to use. Some licenses allow the use, and some do not. We asked several top type designers for their take, and received a variety of answers, although everyone agreed on one basic premise: read the license.

Mark Simonson, designer of the ever-popular Proxima Nova family doesn’t have any problem with people using his fonts in logos. “Fonts are tools, not art, in my opinion,” he says. “The one thing I do mention to people who ask is that, if they use my fonts in a logo, that they not share the font with unlicensed users who need to use the logo, since that would violate the license. The way around this is to convert the logo to a vector graphic or pixel image.”

“While many allow modification of a font that has been outlined, almost all EULAs disallow the modification of the font itself…” – Laura Worthington

Laura Worthington, designer of Shelby, echoes Mark’s sentiment, saying, “(If you) use an existing font to create a logo, convert it to outlines (where the letters have been turned into a graphic element) and modify it to make it more unique. Not only is this a good idea from a design perspective, but it also could help you avoid potential trademark infringement. However, make sure the license allows for modification! While many allow modification of a font that has been outlined, almost all EULAs disallow the modification of the font itself, and this is a point of confusion with many people in reviewing EULAs.”