Designing your own font can be a fun and rewarding hobby, and with the right tools, it’s easier than you might think. This article highlights six programs that allow you to make your own font on a Windows computer. Whether you’re a professional designer looking for a powerful tool to create high-quality fonts or a beginner searching for an easy-to-use program to get started, you’ll find something here to suit your needs.
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1. Birdfont
Price: Free / $4.99+ for commercial versions
Birdfont is a free, open-source font editor that allows you to create and customize your own fonts using vector-based tools. It’s great if you want to build a custom font from scratch but don’t want to be overwhelmed by too much complexity. While this makes for a smoother learning experience, it does mean it lacks the depth of features that other programs have. Additionally, we found Birdfont to be more bug prone than other font creators. For instance, when we tried clicking on the tools in the left panel, nothing happened, so we had to rely on keyboard shortcuts to select tools. Even so, this can be a great choice if you’ve never designed a font before.
Pros
- Less clutter in interface makes it easy to learn
- Supports UI theme customizations: Dark, Bright, and High Contrast
Cons
- May include bugs and stability issues
2. Microsoft Font Maker
Price: Free
Microsoft Font Maker is a user-friendly font creation tool that allows you to make your own font using your own handwriting or drawing. Unlike many of the other options, you don’t have to download a large file and go through a lengthy install process with multiple prompts – installing Microsoft Font Maker from the Microsoft Store is painless. The has clear instructions with step-by-step guidance. But after drawing all characters in the provided spaces, you get only a paltry few customization options: adjusting the spacing and the overall font size. Additionally, you can’t simply draw with your mouse pointer, but we argue you wouldn’t want to anyway, as the result wouldn’t look pretty. Overall, Microsoft Font Maker is a very simple tool that does one specific job very well.
Pros
- Simple and intuitive to use
- App installation is light and fast
Cons
- Only lets you handwrite a font with a stylus, not fully design one
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3. FontArk
Price: Free in open beta
FontArk is a powerful browser-based font design software that’s available for Chromium-based browsers and Safari. One of the standout features of FontArk is its intuitive, visual interface, which makes it easy to design and edit characters and glyphs. It also offers a wide range of customization options, including the ability to import vector graphics, adjust kerning and spacing, and preview your font in different sizes and styles. Additionally, FontArk supports multiple font formats and can be used on both Windows and Mac. In summary, FontArk is a professional-grade font design tool that is well-suited for both beginners and experienced font designers.
Pros
- Simple and intuitive to use
- Installation is small and fast
Cons
- Not compatible with all browsers
4. Calligraphr
Price: Free / $8 per month
Calligraphr is a browser-based font creator that requires an account to use. One of the standout features of Calligraphr is its ability to import fonts that have been handwritten on paper. To do this, print out an image template provided by Calligraphr, handwrite your font using the template, then scan it back into the program. This makes Calligraphr a great option for those who prefer a more traditional, hands-on approach to font creation. This method also lets you create your font by editing the image template with a digital program, like Photoshop, leaving no limits to your design. All in all, you can consider Calligraphr to be a more complex version of Microsoft Font Maker.
Pros
- Workflow gives you greater freedom
- Exports to both TTF and OTF
Cons
- Workflow is not as straightforward as other options
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5. FontForge
Price: Free
FontForge is open-source, making it ideal for open-source software enthusiasts. It has all the usual font creation and editing tools, but one thing that differentiates it from other programs is the deep support for writing scripts (using Python or FontForge’s own scripting language) to add new capabilities. Additionally, you can expect frequent free updates from FontForge, as evidenced by its active GitHub page. The manual and themes are also open source, ensuring that you always have up-to-date content. While we didn’t find their interface as well designed as other ones, that could be a matter of personal preference. FontForge is still a great option for enthusiasts and tinkerers.
Pros
- Strong community support
- Supports scripting to modify fonts
Cons
- Interface is old and not optimized for high-resolution displays
6. FontLab
Price: $499
FontLab has an excessive price but with features to match. For instance, it has many more pen and brush tools available than other programs, which is perfect for getting the exact look and feel you want. In addition to the tools, export options, and customizations, FontLab has third-party scripts you can download and install. If you need the most advanced and powerful software, look into FontLab.
Pros
- Many export options, including TTF, OTF, WOFF, UFO, and Glyphs
- Many settings and customization options
Cons
- Steep price with only a 10-day free trial
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make sure my font is high quality?
To create a high-quality font, it is important to carefully design each character and pay attention to details, such as consistent stroke width, smooth curves, and proper kerning. It can also be helpful to test your font on different devices and at different sizes to ensure that it looks good in a variety of contexts.
Can I sell my own font?
Yes. There are many websites and marketplaces where you can sell your fonts, such as MyFonts, Creative Market, and Fontspring.
Can I create a font from an image or logo?
Yes, but only with programs that have some kind of image tracing or autotracing feature. BirdFont and FontLab both happen to have a built-in autotrace feature.
How do I view all the fonts installed on my Windows computer?
To view all the fonts installed on your Windows computer, open Control Panel. Click on “Appearance and Personalization -> Fonts.” A list of all the installed fonts will be displayed. You can click on a font to view a preview or use the search function to find a specific font.
Image credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Brandon Li.
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