This guide is general information to help you understand common font licences. It is not legal advice. The licence text supplied with a font is always the final authority.
Every font in the VirtualFont catalogue is open source and is distributed through Google Fonts. That means you can use them on personal and commercial websites without paying a fee. The details still matter, especially if you plan to modify a font or bundle the font files with something you distribute. Each font page shows which licence applies.
SIL Open Font License 1.1 (OFL)
Most families on Google Fonts, and most fonts in our catalogue, use the SIL Open Font License. In summary, the OFL allows you to:
- use the font for any purpose, including commercial websites, logos, apps, videos and print;
- embed the font in websites and documents;
- bundle and redistribute the font files with software or products, as long as the licence is included;
- modify the font and distribute your modified version under the OFL.
The main conditions are that you may not sell the font files on their own, and that modified versions may not use any Reserved Font Name declared by the original authors. If you only use the font on your website, these conditions rarely affect you.
Apache License 2.0
A smaller number of families, such as Roboto Slab and Satisfy in our catalogue, use the Apache License 2.0. It is a permissive software licence that allows use, modification and redistribution, including commercially. When you redistribute the font files, include a copy of the licence and keep any notices supplied with the font.
Ubuntu Font Licence 1.0
The Ubuntu family uses the Ubuntu Font Licence. It allows use, embedding and redistribution, including commercially. Modified versions must be renamed so they cannot be confused with the original.
Using fonts on a website
There are two common ways to use these fonts on a website, and both are permitted by the licences:
- Load them from Google Fonts. This is what the code snippets on VirtualFont do. It is the quickest option. Visitors’ browsers request the fonts from Google’s servers, which receive their IP address, so mention Google Fonts in your privacy policy.
- Host the files yourself. Download the families from Google Fonts or the designers’ repositories, convert or subset them to WOFF2 if needed, and serve them from your own domain with
@font-face. Self-hosting avoids the third-party request and gives you full control over caching. Keep the licence file alongside the fonts.
Our guide on web font loading performance covers both approaches in more detail.
Attribution
The OFL and Apache licences do not require visible credit on a website that uses the font. Including the licence file when you redistribute the font files is the important part. Crediting type designers is still a kind gesture, and VirtualFont lists the designers on every font page.
Commercial fonts are different
Fonts bought from foundries are usually licensed separately for desktop use, web use, apps and other media, and web licences are often limited by monthly page views or domains. Owning a desktop licence does not automatically allow you to use the font on a website. Always read the specific licence before using a commercial font online.
Checklist
- Confirm the licence on the font page or in the font’s licence file.
- If you self-host or redistribute font files, include the licence.
- If you modify a font, rename it and check for Reserved Font Names.
- Mention third-party font loading, such as Google Fonts, in your privacy policy.