Print Fonts
Choosing the right print fonts can be challenging, especially when you’re balancing design preferences, licensing and print compatibility. Here’s what to know about free and commercial fonts, common font formats and how to prepare your files for printing product catalogs, marketing sell sheets, menus and more.
Free Print Fonts
Free fonts are created by designers and foundries that make their typefaces available at no cost. However, free doesn’t always mean free for every use. Some fonts are licensed for personal projects only, while commercial use may require a separate license or donation. Always review the font’s licensing terms before using it for a business or marketing project.
Pros
- They’re FREE!
- Easy to find and use
- Plenty to choose from
Cons
- Some are restricted to personal or noncommercial use.
- May have limited character sets or missing glyphs
- May offer fewer font weights and styles
Commercial Print Fonts
Commercial fonts are professionally developed typefaces sold by independent designers and type foundries. Foundries invest time in designing, refining and expanding font families, often offering a wider range of weights, styles and typographic features. Companies like House Industries and OkayType create and license typefaces such as Rat Fink and Latino.
Pros
- Designed professionally
- Often include more weights, styles and typographic features
- May come with technical support and detailed documentation
Cons
- High costs
- You may have to purchase multiple licenses
- Some free fonts may offer a similar look
How to Choose the Right Font
Once you’ve chosen a free or commercial font, it’s helpful to understand the font formats you may encounter when preparing files for print. Three common formats are PostScript, TrueType and OpenType.
Common Font Types
Once you decide on a free or commercial font for your online printing project, there are a few font types you should be familiar with. The ones used most often are PostScript, TrueType and OpenType.
PostScript Fonts
PostScript fonts were developed by Adobe and use PostScript outlines to define the shapes of characters. Older PostScript Type 1 fonts typically required separate screen and printer font files. Both components were needed for the font to display and print correctly.
Type 1 fonts are now considered legacy technology. Many modern design applications and operating systems no longer support them, so it’s best to use a current TrueType or OpenType font when possible.
TrueType Fonts
TrueType fonts were developed by Apple and later adopted by Microsoft. They use a single font file, typically with a .ttf extension, containing the information needed to display and print the typeface.
TrueType fonts are supported across Mac and Windows systems. However, using the same font name on different computers doesn’t guarantee identical results. Different font versions or missing font files can affect spacing, line breaks and overall text layout. Always check your document for type reflow when moving between systems.
OpenType Fonts
Microsoft created these fonts based on the TrueType structure but with added behaviors. OpenType fonts only have one file with all the information included for screen and print. These fonts are also cross-platform, which eliminates the chance of type reflow. Using OpenType fonts on a PC will look the same as on a Mac.
In order for an online printer to process your your print fonts must be embedded in a PDF. Please make sure the fonts are active on your system when you export and save your PDF and that you have selected the “embed all fonts” option.
OpenType is a cross-platform font format developed by Microsoft and Adobe. OpenType fonts typically use a single file, with either a .otf or .ttf extension, and can include advanced typographic features such as ligatures, alternate characters and additional language support.
OpenType fonts work across Mac and Windows systems and are widely supported by modern design applications. Like TrueType fonts, they can still display differently if the font version or application settings vary between systems.
Preparing Fonts for Print
Before submitting your print-ready files to an online printer, make sure your fonts are properly embedded in your PDF. Embedding fonts includes the necessary font information in the file so the text can display and reproduce correctly, even if the recipient doesn’t have those fonts installed.
After you save your PDF, export it like this:
- Make sure the fonts are active and available in your design application.
- Select the option to embed all fonts, if available.
- Check your PDF to confirm the fonts are embedded and the text displays as intended.
Some font licenses restrict embedding, so check the font’s licensing terms if you encounter an embedding issue.
If you have questions about print fonts or any of our online printing services, please contact customer service, and our experts will be happy to help.
