Every font in our catalog has a free demo for personal use. It is there so you can try the letters in a real layout before you spend anything. But “personal use” is a narrower idea than many people expect, and it is worth knowing exactly where the line sits.
The simple test
Ask one question: does this design help anyone earn money, promote something, or represent a business? If the answer is yes, it is commercial use and needs a paid license. It does not matter whether the money is yours, a client’s or an employer’s, or whether the result is printed or digital.
What the free demo covers
- School assignments and practice projects.
- Your own birthday or wedding invitation that you print or send yourself, as long as nothing is sold.
- A greeting card or gift you make for a friend.
- Testing the font in mockups before deciding to buy.
What it does not cover
These come up in our inbox every week, and all of them need a paid license:
- A logo, even for a small side business or a brand that has not launched yet.
- Client work of any kind, including designs you do for free as a favour for a business.
- Products you sell, physical or digital: t-shirts, mugs, stickers, printables, Canva templates, invitation templates on Etsy.
- Social media for a brand or a monetized account: posts, reels, thumbnails and ads.
- Websites and apps, including a personal site that sells services.
- Content that promotes something, such as a poster for a paid event or a menu for a café.
“But it’s only a small project”
Size does not change the category. A single sticker sold on a market stall is still a product for sale. The good news is that small projects are exactly what the Desktop License is priced for: it covers logos, print and up to 2,000 sold items.
What is inside the demo
The free download contains the font file in OTF or TTF and a PDF that explains the personal-use terms. The demo may not include the full character set. The paid version includes all characters, alternates and ligatures, which matters for a logo where you want to pick the exact shape of each letter.
Moving from demo to license
If a personal project turns into a business, you do not need to start over. Buy the license that matches the new use on the same font page, download the full files, and keep the invoice. That invoice is your proof of license if anyone ever asks.
