Understanding Font Licensing with Joyce Ketterer

With so many options out there, font licensing can feel like a headache! But it’s critical to understand it before choosing a typeface. That’s why I’m thrilled to welcome Joyce Ketterer, CEO of Darden Studio and expert on font licensing, to help us untangle it all.

Among answering listener questions, we discuss:

• The most common commercial font license models and how to choose the right one.
• The differences between open-source fonts and commercial options.
• Whether using Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts is really safe?
• What designers and developers need to know before selecting a font.
• The risks of skipping proper font licensing — and how to avoid them.

If you’re short on time, jump to my key takeaways below.

Next to the video on YouTube, you can also listen to an edit version of this conversation audio only. You can find it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or simply listen to it here:

06:34 – Fonts Are Licensed, Not Purchased 08:45 – Restrictions on System Fonts 12:08 – Adobe Fonts and Licensing Challenges 14:42 – Using Fonts for Logos and Glyphs 18:07 – Software vs. Intellectual Property Licensing Models 26:36 – Free vs. Licensed Fonts 30:08 – Why Foundries Price Fonts for