How and where to download beautiful fonts - Top 10 best resources for designers

Google Fonts

Google Fonts is one of the most popular and widely used resources for web fonts. Google Fonts owns a huge collection of free fonts. It has more than 1,000 different font families available in 135 languages. You can narrow down your search and use filters such as language, shape, thickness, width or even popularity. 

If you need to select a font for your project, check the search option at the top left of the page. There are also several categories to choose from: serif, sans serif, handwritten, etc. You can also take advantage of advanced search options such as language as well as font properties (font thickness, slant, width). A great feature is the preview. You'll be able to see your text written in several different fonts. This way, it's easier to see which font would be best for any given design.

If you hover over a particular font, you'll see that you can change the font weight and size of the previewed content. There is also an option to sort the font by current trends. You can choose the most current and popular font to make your artwork look stylish and modern.

To select a font family, click the '+' sign in the top right corner according to the font name. In the bottom corner, you can notice the code that will fit the font into the web page, and the code you need to specify in your CSS. You can change the weight of the font as well as select different languages. 

Google Fonts allows you to pick up light and dark backgrounds, and you can also view fonts as a list or a grid.

How do I download Google Fonts?

1. Open the Google Fonts website.
2. Browse the collection of available fonts and click on the one you want to download.
3. On the font page, you will see a "Select this font" button. Click on it to add the font to your favorites.
4. Once you have selected all the fonts you want to download, click on the black bar that will appear at the bottom of the page with the text "1 Family Selected".
5. In the pop-up window that appears, you will find a download icon with an arrow pointing down. Click on it to start downloading files to your computer.

FontSpace

FontSpace is a great download platform for free fonts, with over 100,000 freely available fonts in both TrueType and OpenType formats. All fonts are sorted by category, so you'll have no problem finding what you need. There are a huge selection of fonts that we are used to, as well as categories of fonts for specific subject matter. This is a handy option if you don't know what font you want, or are unsure of which one to choose. 

FontSpace, with over 3,000 designers, adds fonts, and they are clearly sorted, so you can be certain if the font is suitable for commercial use, or if you should only use it for personal projects. By browsing through the huge range of fonts on Fontspace we can always find a great option or idea for our projects.

Fontspace already has over 64,000 free fonts to choose from, and they are all legally licensed. For convenience, there are lots of different tags to make it easier to find the font that best suits your query. You can simply open the category 'Popular', 'New' or you can rely on luck by checking out the tab 'Random'.

Some fonts are for personal use only, but if you tick the "Only 100% free fonts" box, Fontspace will show you fonts you can use for any project.

By clicking on the name of the font you can read more information about it or leave a comment for the author (you need to create an account for this). The size of each font can be changed right on the spot, as well as the background colour.

How to download font on FontSpace?

1. Open the FontSpace website.
2. Browse through the font collection or use the search bar to find the font you are interested in.
3. Click on the font you wish to download to open its page.
4. On the font page, you will see a green "Download" button. Click on it to start the download process.
5. The font file will be downloaded to your computer as a compressed (ZIP) file.
6. Locate the downloaded ZIP file on your computer and extract its contents by right-clicking on the file and selecting "Extract" or using a compression program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.
7. Once extracted, you will have access to the font files (usually in .ttf or .otf format).
8. Install the font files on your computer by double-clicking on each file and pressing the 'Install' button.

Font Squirrel

Font Squirrel is a good resource for finding free fonts ready for commercial use.

Font Squirrel differs from the other sites on this list in that it collects fonts from other sites and provides links to them. However, some of these fonts can be downloaded directly from Font Squirrel. All fonts are available in OTF or TTF formats and are free for commercial use.

For your convenience, all fonts can be filtered by type, category, tag and other criteria. You can also search in the categories Recently Added, Most Popular, Hot Today, Hot Web Fonts.

Below the name of each font you will see several symbols. The computer icon means that the font is available for commercial use on the desktop (for commercial graphics and documents). The globe-shaped icon is for embedding the font into your website using CSS. And the phone-shaped icon indicates that the font is available for apps and software.

If the icon is dark, it means you can use the font, and if it's light, it means you're not allowed to use it commercially.

What's really interesting about Font Squirrel is their font ID. If you find a picture online of a font you like, upload the image to the identifier. It will try to match the font to the font available on Font Squirrel and find as similar as possible.

Although all fonts on Font Squirrel are free, in the FAQ the authors advise reading the license of each font carefully to reassure yourself.

How to download font on Font Squirrel?

1. Open Font Squirrel's website.
2. Browse the font collection or use the search bar to find the font you are interested in.
3. Click on the font you want to download to open its page.
4. On the font page, you will see a green "Download OTF" or "Download TTF" button, depending on the font format. Click on the desired button to start the download process.
5. The font file will be downloaded to your computer as a compressed (ZIP) file.
6. Locate the downloaded ZIP file on your computer and extract its contents by right-clicking on the file and selecting "Extract" or using a compression program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.
7. Once extracted, you will have access to the font files (usually in .otf or .ttf format).
8. Install the font files on your computer by double-clicking on each file and pressing the 'Install' button.

Fontspring

Font Squirrel is a good resource for finding free fonts ready for commercial use.

Font Squirrel differs from the other sites on this list in that it collects fonts from other sites and provides links to them. However, some of these fonts can be downloaded directly from Font Squirrel. All fonts are available in OTF or TTF formats and are free for commercial use.

For your convenience, all fonts can be filtered by type, category, tag and other criteria. You can also search in the categories Recently Added, Most Popular, Hot Today, Hot Web Fonts.

Below the name of each font you will see several symbols. The computer icon means that the font is available for commercial use on the desktop (for commercial graphics and documents). The globe-shaped icon is for embedding the font into your website using CSS. And the phone-shaped icon indicates that the font is available for apps and software.

If the icon is dark, it means you can use the font, and if it's light, it means you're not allowed to use it commercially.

What's really interesting about Font Squirrel is their font ID. If you find a picture online of a font you like, upload the image to the identifier. It will try to match the font to the font available on Font Squirrel and find as similar as possible.

Although all fonts on Font Squirrel are free, in the FAQ the authors advise reading the license of each font carefully to reassure yourself.

How to download font on Font Squirrel?

1. Open Font Squirrel's website.
2. Browse the font collection or use the search bar to find the font you are interested in.
3. Click on the font you want to download to open its page.
4. On the font page, you will see a green "Download OTF" or "Download TTF" button, depending on the font format. Click on the desired button to start the download process.
5. The font file will be downloaded to your computer as a compressed (ZIP) file.
6. Locate the downloaded ZIP file on your computer and extract its contents by right-clicking on the file and selecting "Extract" or using a compression program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.
7. Once extracted, you will have access to the font files (usually in .otf or .ttf format).
8. Install the font files on your computer by double-clicking on each file and pressing the 'Install' button.

Behance

Behance may not be the most obvious place to download free fonts, but it is a popular platform for designers to showcase their work, including font designers showing off their fonts. Since its early days, Behance has grown considerably and has become a massive site for creative people to post or download creative work. 

You'll find quite a few free fonts here, from quirky and eccentric stylised sets to professionally designed variants with and without serifs. Lots of other content is also available on the site. 

The nuance is that you have to do some searching to find what you want. However, there are advantages to this.  There are different types of work here, so you need to select a few filters to get access to free fonts. Whether you want to use serifs, fonts or handwritten fonts, you're sure to find something that suits you if you take the time to dig in.

You'll be immersed in a wide range of creative works from people all over the world that can inspire you.

How to download a font at Behance?

1. Open the Behance site.
2. Use the search bar, or go to the "Fonts" category to find the fonts you are interested in.
3. Click on the font project you want to download to open its page.
4. On the font project page, you will find information about the font, including previews and information about its use and licensing.
5. Find the download button or link provided by the font creator. It may be labelled "Download" or "Free Download".
6. Click on the download button or link to start the download process.
7. The font file may be available for download directly or as part of a ZIP file. If it is a ZIP file, locate the downloaded file on your computer and extract its contents using a compression program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.
8. Once extracted, you will have access to the font files (usually in .otf or .ttf format).
9. Install the font files on your computer by double-clicking each file and clicking the 'Install' button.

Dafont

DaFont -is a huge archive of freely downloadable fonts. Dafont is among the most famous free font sites, available in six languages. It has over 10,700 of the best free, high quality fonts available. 

All kinds of categories are available, from medieval to sci-fi. You can sort them by alphabetical list, style, author or popularity. The platform has an impressive category system, with many font categories to choose from. This is an important feature for all designers, as it makes it easier to find the right shape for a particular type of project.

You can browse fonts in alphabetical order, by theme, author, country from which they are sourced, etc. When you select a category, you can also sort the fonts by various criteria such as popularity, title, or first list the latest font additions. By clicking on advanced options in the filter, you may choose to list only 100% free fonts, those that are free for personal use, etc.

In Dafont you have many options if you have no idea which font you want to use.

Pay attention to the licensing information of each font. It is listed above the download button. The label "Free for Personal Use" means that this font is for personal use only. For private and commercial use, you may use a font that is marked "100% free.

How to download font on Dafont?

Open the Dafont website.

Use the search bar or browse through the different font categories to find the fonts you are interested in.

Click on the font name or its thumbnail to open the font page.

On the font page, you will find a preview of the font as well as additional information on its use and licensing.

Locate the 'Download' button on the right-hand side of the page, just below the preview. Click this button to start the download.

The font file will be downloaded to your computer as a compressed (ZIP) file.

Locate the downloaded ZIP file on your computer and extract its contents using a compression program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.

Once extracted, you will have access to the font files (usually in .ttf or .otf format).

Install the font files on your computer by double-clicking on each file and pressing the 'Install' button.

Befonts

Another useful resource at our top is Befonts. It gives you access to good resources on design and fonts for free. You can speed up your search thanks to categorize such as Basic, Display, Script and Miscellaneous. Other people will be able to use it and appreciate your work.

Befonts offers a huge number of fonts. Some are free for personal use, while others are free for commercial use as well.

You can check the font format and license simply by clicking on the font family. There is a preview option for convenience. You can easily imagine what project you might use this font for, and how it would look in your work. There's also a "Learn More" button that will send you to the author's website or to the source site, where you can find even more information about the font.

At the top right of the page you'll find several categories to choose from - Basic, Display, Script and Miscellaneous, with each category containing several subcategories. Keyword browsing of fonts is also available.

How to download a font from Befonts?

1. Open a web browser and go to the Befonts website at befonts.com.
2. Use the search bar or browse the font categories to find the fonts you are interested in.
3. Click on the font you want to download to open its page.
4. On the font page you will find detailed information about the font, including a preview, styles and licensing information.
5. Look for the "Download" button or link on the page. It may be labeled "Free Download" or "Download Now".
6. Click the button or link to start the download process.
7. The font file will be downloaded to your computer as a compressed (ZIP) file.
8. Locate the downloaded ZIP file on your computer and extract its contents using a compression program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.
9. Once extracted, you will have access to the font files (usually in .otf or .ttf format).
10. Install the font files on your computer by double-clicking on each file and clicking the 'Install' button.

1001 Free Fonts

It's funny, but 1001 Free Fonts doesn't offer exactly 1001 free fonts. It has a huge number of fonts available, over 37,000. The free fonts are organized into 64 categories.

To find a specific font, use the search function. You can also browse through new and popular fonts, view them in alphabetical order, or browse through several available font categories. You can browse fonts by specific designers, so if you find someone whose work you like, you can go to their profile and look up other work.

You can enter your text, adjust the font size and color, and then see how the text looks with each font. 

Most of the fonts on the website are free, but some are free for personal use only, so if you want to use them for commercial projects, you'll have to buy a commercial license.

How to download font on 1001 Free Font?

1. Open your web browser and go to 1001 Free Fonts website at 1001freefonts.com.
2. Use the search bar or browse the font categories to find the fonts you are interested in.
3. Click on the font you want to download to open its page.
4. On the font page you will find detailed information about the font, including a preview, styles and licensing information.
5. Look for the "Download" button or link on the page. It may be labelled "Download" or "Download 100% Free".
6. Click on the Download button or link to start the download process.
7. The font file will be downloaded to your computer as a compressed (ZIP) file.
8. Locate the downloaded ZIP file on your computer and extract its contents using a compression program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.
9. Once extracted you will have access to the font files (usually in .otf, .ttf or other formats).
10. Install the font files on your computer by double-clicking on each file and clicking the 'Install' button.

FontStruct

FontStruct is a community where you can find fonts uploaded by other users, as well as a free tool to create your own fonts. Thanks to this, there are many fonts to search for, and more are being added every day. 

Fontspring boasts a large library, with over 50,000 fonts in different styles and language support. There is a wide range of high quality TrueType fonts that are ready to use on Windows and Mac.

FontStruct is an easy-to-use -tool that uses pre-made forms to allow people to create simple fonts.  FontStruct automatically packages fonts into TTF files and makes them available for download on the font page, where other users can vote for that font and leave comments. 

Although FontStruct serves as a marketing tool to sell professionally made fonts that FontShop sells. However, FontStruct is a really handy web application that allows anyone to create a TrueType font easily and for free.

Fontspring regularly updates its font library. Because of this, you get access to the latest versions of fonts and design trends. Staying up-to-date means you can find the latest fonts to keep your design current and up-to-date.

How to download font on FontStruct?

1. Open FontStruct website.
2. Register for a free account or login if you already have one.
3. Once logged in, click on the 'Create' button to start creating your font.
4. Use the grid-based FontStruct editor to create each letter of your font. You can select and place individual bricks to create different shapes and styles.
5. Customize the size, spacing and other characteristics of the letters with the tools and options available in the editor.
6. When you're satisfied with your font design, give it a name and add the necessary tags or descriptions.
7. Click the 'Save' button to save your font design.
8. To download a font, go to your FontStruct profile and find the font design you want to download.
9. Click on the font project to open its page and find the "Download" button.
10. Click the "Download" button to create a link to download the font.
11. Follow the instructions to download the font file to your computer. The font file is usually in .ttf or .otf format.
12. Once downloaded, you can install the font on your computer by double-clicking on the font file and clicking the 'Install' button.

Urban Fonts 

Urban Fonts keeps a large collection of free fonts that will make your project unique. With over 8000 free fonts, you can definitely determine which one is your favourite.

That said, you can also purchase premium fonts that are more voluminous and professionally created. However, most of them are redirected pages that take you to other websites to purchase the font.

The website is simple and straightforward to use. Its structure is similar to Dafont, which makes it easy to navigate. You can sort fonts by category, release date or popularity.

Urban Fonts has a great preview function - you can select one of the presets or enter custom text, and you can also change the background colour, which updates the preview of all the fonts.

If you're having trouble choosing a font, you can use Urban Fonts' font recommendations. They'll help you create harmonious combinations for your designs. This feature is especially useful if you're not sure which fonts go well together, or if you're looking for inspiration.

How to download font on Urban Fonts?

Open the Urban Fonts website.

1. Use the search bar or browse the font categories to find the fonts you are interested in.
2. Click on the font you want to download to open its page.
3. On the font page you will find detailed information about the font, including a preview, styles and licensing information.
4. Look for the "Download" button or link on the page. It may be labeled "Download" or "Free Download.
5. Click the button or link to start the download process.
6. The font file will be downloaded to your computer as a compressed (ZIP) file.
7. Locate the downloaded ZIP file on your computer and extract its contents using a compression program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.
8. Once extracted you will have access to the font files (usually in .otf, .ttf or other formats).
9. Install the font files on your computer by double-clicking on each file and clicking "Install".
10. Note that Urban Fonts offers both free and premium fonts, so be sure to check the licensing information provided by Urban Fonts and the font makers for proper use of the fonts in your projects.