Should we use FontLab in 2025?

FontLab has been my well-kept secret for years when it comes to the most demanding typography projects. I've had the opportunity to push it to its limits when creating custom fonts for demanding brands. What I appreciate most of all is its surgical precision when it comes to character creation.

This is the tool that shines when you need to master every curve and every spacing. For exclusive logos or complete font families, it is unmatched. It allows for a level of finesse in design that transforms an idea into a unique brand asset, often indispensable for our clients.

But let's be clear, FontLab is not for the casual designer. The learning curve is steep, and its cost represents an investment. You really need to have specific and advanced typography needs to fully justify adopting it.

Are you getting started in font design? FontLab may seem intimidating at first, but trust me, it offers some surprising entry points for beginners. Forget the idea that it's only for experts. Its vector drawing tools are very intuitive, similar to what you may already be familiar with from other software. Getting started, creating a unique logo, or simply modifying a few glyphs for a client project becomes surprisingly accessible, even without mastering all of its subtleties.

The great thing is that you can start with basic functions, such as editing points and manipulating Bézier curves, and then gradually explore the advanced options. FontLab is designed to accompany you as you develop your skills. It's an investment, yes, but one that gives you a solid foundation for understanding typographic anatomy and industry standards, without feeling overwhelmed from the outset. You progress at your own pace.

When it comes to professional tools, the question of cost is always on the table. For FontLab, I see it as a strategic investment for professionals. They opt for a perpetual license, a model I appreciate because it avoids the pressure of monthly subscriptions.

Expect to pay around €680 for a full license. Yes, it's an initial investment, but it gives you access to all of the tool's features—all of the powerful vector drawing options, metric editing, kerning (adjusting the spacing between letter pairs, which is crucial for perfect typography), and much more, with no time limit.

This is clearly the ideal solution for typographic design studios, agencies that develop brand identities with custom fonts, or freelance designers who specialize in font creation. For these profiles, the return on investment is rapid and the long-term added value is undeniable. It guarantees access to a cutting-edge tool without having to pay out of pocket every month.

Are you looking to sculpt each character with surgical precision? FontLab excels at this. Its vector drawing tools are pure magic. No more imprecise paths—we're talking ultra-smooth Bézier curves and point-by-point control that I've rarely seen elsewhere. For us at Easy Web, when we need to create custom logos or titles, it saves us a tremendous amount of time. It's the very essence of typographic design: having control over every detail of the glyph.

But FontLab doesn't stop there. What really sets it apart is its kerning and spacing management. Being able to adjust each pair of letters with such precision is crucial for the legibility and aesthetics of a font. Add to that robust integration of OpenType features, which allows you to program automatic ligatures or contextual variants, and you have a comprehensive tool. It's the kind of detail that elevates a simple text design to a true typographic work of art.

Frankly, managing variable fonts in FontLab is a real feat. I'm talking about the ability to dynamically interpolate between design "masters" to create all the variations in weight, width, etc. It's a major asset today. At Easy Web, we've been able to greatly simplify the creation of font families, reducing the number of files and offering unprecedented flexibility to our customers. It's a real creative and technical boost.

And then there's the power of advanced OpenType features. Beyond automatic kerning, you can really push customization with complex contextual substitutions or sophisticated ligatures. What's great is the ability to script using Python. For designers who want to automate repetitive tasks or create custom tools, it's a gold mine. Believe me, it has allowed us to optimize quite a few complex productions.