Pricing and quotation guide
Brand typography selection cost
The cost of brand typography has two parts: the design time to select, test and specify typefaces, and the licence fees paid to type foundries. The second can vary from nothing, for open-licence fonts, to a recurring cost that grows with staff numbers and website traffic.
This page explains both parts and how to avoid surprises when budgeting for brand typefaces.
Illustrative diagram
Typography budget
- Selection
- Shortlist
- Testing
- Specification
- Hierarchy
- Fallbacks
- Implementation
- Templates
- Web notes
- Licence fees
- Desktop and web
- Apps
What shapes the design cost
- Shortlist depth
- How many pairings are explored and set in real content.
- Language support
- Extra checking where several languages or scripts are needed.
- Hierarchy
- A simple set of levels, or detailed rules for documents, web and print.
- Implementation
- Styling document templates and preparing web font notes.
- Licence review
- Time to compare terms across foundries for your uses.
Costs paid to third parties (separate from our fees)
- Desktop licences for each person who needs the font
- Web licences, which may depend on traffic
- App embedding licences, if needed
- Licences for agencies or suppliers, if not covered
Licence fees are set by each foundry and paid to them; terms and models vary.
Choosing between licence types
Open-licence typefaces
Suits you when
- Budget is limited
- Many staff and channels need the font
Watch out for
- Popular choices are widely used, so less distinctive
Commercial typefaces
Suits you when
- Distinctiveness matters
- A specific style is not available freely
Watch out for
- Fees can grow with users, traffic and apps
Mixed approach
Suits you when
- A distinctive heading face with a free text face
- Office documents need a widely available font
Watch out for
- Pairings need testing to look coherent
Licence costs that grow
Some licences are priced by number of desktop users, website page views or app installs. A typeface that is affordable for a five-person business with a modest website may cost much more after growth. When comparing commercial options, ask how the price changes as staff and traffic increase, and whether the licence is a one-off purchase or a subscription.
A mixed approach, with a commercial heading face for distinctiveness and an open-licence text face for wide use, can limit the cost.
Example: balancing character and cost
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: A consultancy wants a distinctive heading typeface but has staff writing proposals in office software.
- A commercial heading face is licensed for the designer and the website.
- An open-licence text face, installed on all staff computers, is used for body text.
- Proposal templates use a system font fallback for headings when the brand face is unavailable.
What this shows: The brand kept a distinctive look while limiting licences to where they were needed. This example is illustrative.
Comparing quotations
Design work
- Number of pairings shown
- Hierarchy detail
- Template styling included
Licences
- Which uses are covered
- One-off or recurring
- In whose name
The cost of changing later
Switching typefaces after launch means updating the website, every template, design files and printed items as they are reprinted. That cost is usually far higher than the time spent checking licences and readability at the start. A careful selection, tested in real content and with licences understood, is the cheaper option over the life of the brand.
Typography inside a larger project
When typography is chosen as part of a full brand identity, its design time is usually included in the identity quotation. Licence fees still sit outside it. Check that the identity scope includes testing in real content, a hierarchy, fallbacks and template styling; these are sometimes assumed but not delivered when the focus is mainly on the logo.
Checking licences you already have
Businesses often discover that fonts installed years ago came from a free download site, a designer's own licence or a trial. A short review of what is installed and how it is used can reveal gaps before they become a problem. Resolving them may mean buying the right licence or switching to a similar open-licence typeface, and either is cheaper when planned than when forced.
Agencies and suppliers
If outside agencies, printers or freelance designers produce your materials, check whether your licence lets them use the font on your behalf or whether they need their own. Terms differ between foundries. Clarifying this early avoids work being produced in substitute fonts because a supplier could not legally use yours, and it may influence which typeface you choose.
Questions about brand typography selection cost
How much does brand typography cost?
Design time for selection and specification, plus any licence fees paid to foundries.
Are font licences included in design fees?
Usually not; they are paid to the foundry.
Are free fonts good enough?
Open-licence fonts can be excellent, though popular ones are less distinctive.
Do licence costs change over time?
Some depend on users or traffic; ask how prices scale.
Is template styling extra?
Confirm whether implementation is included in the quotation.
What does switching fonts later involve?
Updating the website, templates, design files and reprints.
Can you check our existing font licences?
Yes, a review shows what is covered and what needs resolving.
Can our printer or agency use our licensed font?
It depends on the licence; some require suppliers to hold their own.
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