Adobe fonts for commercial use? Need license?

[Diane84]

Hi,

I am using Illustrator CS5 and need to design a logo for print.  However, I was wondering if someone could please shed some light on whether or not I am allowed to use one of the Adobe fonts that came with my application for commercial use such as a logo?  Also, what is the difference between the Adobe fonts you can purchase here on this web site versus the fonts that come installed with AI CS5?  Would I necessarily have to purchase a license on Adobe.com to use a specific font for a logo?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

[kossos007]

I'm not trying to question anyone's knowledge. I'm here to get a solution from staff and colleagues. I'm big on asking questions and I don't want to come off as testing someone.

I understand that Adobe doesn't own the font. I was just making sure I was not missing something that said I had to abide by two separate EULA's. Hence the link. And I was merely posting the AIR link to show the context of how I was going to be embedding the font and that it indeed is built using HTML and not Flash. Just trying to provide all the details I can so I can

The font was purchased from Adobe Systems so naturally I figured Adobe would be able to answer my licensing question, but from what I'm gathering though nobody really knows what to do when it comes to embedding fonts in apps. There's no documentation and I have not been able to get a straight answer from anyone. After a week and a half of digging, calling, emailing and posting all anyone can come up with is this nice big gray area.

This is extremely frustrating as we have invested heavily in Adobe fonts.

This is an example of what I expected from Adobe: http://www.fontspring.com/licenses/fontspring/application

I'm a huge fan and supporter of Adobe but to be honest this whole ordeal has been a big let down. I just expected Adobe to be on top of the licensing since they are so on top of the technology. I'm using not only a font licensed from them but also using Adobe technology to build the app so I figured this would be open and shut in a day or two.

[Tiki-Monger]

If you're on a Mac, I find the info section in Font Book to be very helpful. The EULA is still needed, but some basic info can be seen here.

Go to Preview menu > Show Font Info.

Although I use FontAgent Pro, I will sometimes put a font into my User > Library > Fonts folder just to see the additional info about it in Font Book. I then remove the font so I don't have issues with it being installed in two places.

Here's a screenshot of what I see with my version of ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std, just as an example:

The EULA is your most important piece of information. Without the EULA that came with your particular fonts, it's really hard to know for sure what you can and cannot do with your fonts and be in legal compliance. There are obviously many places you could have gotten them, such as part of FontFolio, part of a software package, or purchased individually from a variety of foundries. To keep us on our toes, each foundry has their own unique language and terms.

Over the past 16 years, I have purchased fonts from over 150 different foundries, and I actually read the EULAs! I have to for my job, since I purchase and manage the font licenses for over 600 artists in 20 locations across 5 countries. I don't have a copyright law degree (boy, that would come in handy!!), so I find wading through these agreements to be tedious and difficult at times, and I do it everyday, so I can imagine how hard it is for someone who reads one occassionally. The language around embedding is especially tricky, but I'm finding most desktop licenses allow embedding in a document, but they will vary in regard to additional restrictions that might need to be in place. For instance, many EULAs allow PDF embedding as long as the file is secure and set to view and print only. There are many variations on that alone.

It's possible, but would not be common, for a desktop license to cover embedding the fonts into an application. Berthold fonts, for instance, require a special license for iPad use even if the fonts are rasterized! (I just walked one of our clients through this specific type of purchase yesterday). With so much variation, it can be downright overwhelming at times to keep up on what you can and cannot do with each of your fonts.

An important question for kossos007 would be — does the foundry consider what you're creating to be an application or a document. It sounds "to me" like you're creating an application. When I click the link provided above about Adobe AIR, it says "application" over and over again in the text, but the foundry is often who determines this based on the info you give them about your project. With so many ways to embed fonts, I think it scares the foundries a bit as they are also learning along the way about all these new technologies. Their goal is to make sure their product is secure and cannot be extracted, and then pirated.

These types of license questions are never easy, and I'm sorry for making it seem too cut and dry in my response. I definitely made some assumptions about the question, and did not mean to overly simplify it. It's not easy to get at this type of info. I have searched for awhile to find a resource where I could look at a list of foundries and see a summary of their basic usage rights, such as various forms of embedding. I could not find anything, so I'm currently making my own database from the EULAs that have come with my font license purchases. There are 170 of them so far, so it's a huge project, but I think it will be a very valuable resource for me, and hopefully others when I get it done.

[kossos007]

Thanks for the detailed response! In no way do I think you over simplified it. To me the question is very simple. I think the licensing for "apps" is just stuck in transition at the moment and the legal stuff hasn't been able to keep up with the technology.

Also, I've only been pursuing this so hard because the project I'm designing is a large one for a large client and they like straight answers. I need to beat this horse till it's dead because I have to be able to explain to the client that we can't use their brand font and here's why. I've had a webfont replacement ready since before I even started this journey. So it looks like we'll be going with plan B.

Thanks everyone for all of the input.

[MiguelSousa]

I think Caleb Belohlavek (Adobe Type Product Manager) gave you a clear answer at Licensing Question: Can I embed an Adobe font in a HTML Adobe AIR application?

Did you miss that?

[kossos007]

No, I didn't miss it. And his answer was basically "Read the EULA because they vary." Which I have done... several times and the EULA is too vague on app embedding so I was trying to get an answer from someone who could tell me from experience or from the actual vendor the font was purchased from. Tiki supported his statements with his experience and I really appreciate someone who takes the time to go into details.

I've decided to use my web font fallback. I'm a digital designer and I need fonts for web and apps. I don't make PDF's and I don't design print material. Web's not problem because plenty of foundries have web fonts and I use services like Adobe's Typekit (which STILL has no Adobe plugin so we designers can't use the font in our layout but that's a different problem). For that grey area that are app fonts I need a vendor that has solved this problem and Adobe just hasn't yet and for now I'm moving on to another type vendor for my font needs.

[ggwoo]

Hi there,

Hope no one minds me adding to this thread too!

My friend and I are making a film for our blog using her Adobe Premiere to edit the film. The video is about 2 mins long and could be considered as being for commercial use, as it is promoting the blog (there is also some product placement in the blog - although we paid for those products, we weren't paid to display them).

As the video is instructional, we would like some writing in the video, as well as credits and the title of the film at the beginning. In another page I've found on this site, I've seen only that only the 'Source' typeface is licenced with a '5' mean it is open-source. To clarify - does this mean we can use 'source' through Premiere in this video, and proceed to upload the video to vimeo and youtube and then embed it in our blog?

Many thanks in advance!

Best,

ggwoo

[ggwoo]

Hi again,

To clarify on the above, my friend has premier cc 2015, as a part of her full student package.

Many thanks!

ggwoo

[Basilem]

Hi,

It's still not clear for me neither. I would like to create my Youtube channel logo and intro video with Myriad pro regular. Can I use it freely or do I need to pay a special license ?

Thanks for your help.

B

[Dov Isaacs]

The answer is unfortunately “it depends” on how the font is used.

If you are using the font for text in a PDF (or EPS) file, there are no issues in embedding the font in logos or content using the Myriad Pro font assuming that you are already licensed for the font on the system on which the PDF (or EPS) content is created. There are no additional fees for distributing such content with the embedded Myriad Pro font.

Likewise, if you are creating raster image content in which the Myriad Pro font is used or SVG content in which the Myriad Pro is used as vector outlines, there are also not any additional licensing or content distribution fees, again assuming that you are already licensed for the font on the system on which the raster image or SVG vector content is created.

What you cannot do with a standard font license from Adobe is create a web page on which standard HTML web content is dynamically displayed or created using the Myriad Pro font.

Thus, if for a web page you have either a raster image or SVG (vector, no text) version of your logo, you are covered by your standard license. Likewise, if you create a video in which Myriad Pro is used for titles, you are dealing with static content which is also OK per the standard license.

          - Dov

[caecelliaf51199673]

Hello Dov,

I want make website with common font. Is Museo Sans font under adobe license?

It very helpful if you fast response^^

Thankyou!

[Guest]

Museo Sans is owned by the exljbris Font Foundry, but it can be used through Adobe Typekit, here: Museo Sans | Typekit

If you want to use Museo Sans outside of Typekit (embedded in an app, for example), you can contact the foundry about an appropriate license: https://www.exljbris.com/

I hope that helps.  -Christopher

[caecelliaf51199673]

Thank you!

Really helpfull

[jakall1]

Dear Christopher or Dov,

I would like to use Trajan Pro font for a brand name with a logo and I would like to trademark the logo.

Logo will be used for its product branding for its website, online store and on its products.

1) Would it be ok for me to do so?

2) How would I be able to purchase a license to use the font for its purpose?

4) Do I need a license for multiple countries?

Thanks.

[Guest]

It is fine to use fonts licensed by Adobe for a brand identity (including a wordmark or logo). "Licensed by Adobe" in this context means an End User License Agreement from Adobe (via Font Folio or with Adobe fonts licensed via Fontspring, for example), and/or through Typekit sync (desktop).

These Adobe font licenses do not distinguish between personal and commercial use, nor do they restrict this use to any country or region. Worldwide use and distribution for commercial purposes or otherwise is permitted.

Any published artwork should be static and self-contained -- either as a rasterized or vector graphic (e.g. PNG, EPS) or an electronic document (e.g. PDF). In other words, the license does not allow the font files to be distributed along with any published content, nor does it allow anyone else to use and form of the font data to create their own new content or artwork.

Please note that if you license Trajan Pro from a different reseller, a different, non-Adobe license will apply, and might have different licensing restrictions. As always, you should read and understand the complete EULA (or Terms of Use). See my previous messages above for those links.

Regards,

Christopher

[jakall1]

Dear Christopher,

Thank you for your speedy response and clarifications.

Regards,

Tracie

[caseyh1881]

Thank you Christopher! Can you tell me if any of the below are fonts licensed by Adobe?

Myriad Pro Bold

Myriad pro Bold condensed

Perpetua Titling MT Bold

Perpetua Tilting MT Pro Bold

Perpetua Tilting MT Pro Regular

Veneer Regular

-Casey

[fenjas29325284]

If you've got a windows PC you can see it in the properties of the font file (C:\Windows\Fonts > [open font group] > right click on the font)

I don't know how it's done on a Mac.

2 examples:

Fenja

[Guest]

Hi Casey. There is a difference between "licensed by", "created by" and "owned by." Of that list above, only Myriad is owned by Adobe.

The copyright statement in a font might or might not indicate ownership. It often does, but for many years (particularly in the early years of digital type), the Adobe type department created font files for other foundries, from typeface designs or data they owned. Perpetua Titling, for example, is owned by Monotype, but one will sometimes find an Adobe copyright statement in the font, because Adobe "wrote" the font (i.e. the instructions and other code that are the font program itself) on behalf of Monotype.

Font software can be licensed by its owner, or by someone else the owner authorizes. For example, one can license ("buy") Adobe-owned fonts from Fontspring.com or Fonts.com. A site like Fontspring or MyFonts.com is an "authorized reseller" (or licensor) of fonts owned by various different foundries.

I hope that helps!

-Christopher

[caseyh1881]

Very helpful, thank you!

Casey

[alexandern16779823]

Hey Christopher, its Alex from Germany. I want to create some T-Shirt designs, which will be printed by Shirtee.

I have done some Research on this topic and need your verification if im correct:

1) Which Adobe Fonts (not the Typekit-Fonts) are free to use for commercial purposes?

2) Which Adobe Fonts are free to modify?

3) As i mentioned above, Shirtee will print my shirts. What are the legal requirements for that ?

My answers:

1) I can use every Adobe fonts (for T-Shirt design), except the "restricted one".

Sources: http://wwwimages.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/legal/servicetou/Software_Terms-en_US.pdf

Restricted fonts | Adobe Type

2) I can modify the following fonts:

Source: License rights & font permissions | Adobe Type

3) Shirtee need to have an Adobe licence too.

Am i correct here ?

Regards,

Alex

[Guest]

Hi Alex. Remember, it's not just a matter of which fonts, but the license you've purchased.

If you purchase or otherwise acquire a font with Adobe's font EULA, my comments below apply. If you buy a font from somewhere else, you will have a different EULA -- even if it's for an Adobe font like Myriad. See my note at the end about Typekit.

Adobe's font EULA allows commercial sale and distribution of documents and artwork that is created using the font(s). For example, if you create a design and export a PDF, you can distribute the PDF however you like. You can sell the PDF. You can have that design printed onto something like a t-shirt and then sell it. This will also apply to third party fonts under Adobe's font EULA -- for fonts that come with Adobe Font Folio, for example.

Our EULA allows modification of some fonts. The page you linked in (2) indicates which fonts. Keep in mind that any modified copy cannot be distributed, and counts against your total number of license seats. (Our EULA allows a font -- modified or not -- to be installed and used on up to 5 computers.)

Finally, Typekit sync (desktop) fonts have their own Terms of Use. Commercial use is allowed with those too, but read the terms there so you're aware of other differences.

Regards,

Christopher

[alexandern16779823]

Hey Christopher,

thanks for your fast reply. I subscribed to the students/teachers version of the Creative Cloud.

Sorry Christopher, but where can i see which fonts came with my subscription of the Creative Cloud?

Is every font mentioned in: License rights & font permissions | Adobe Type included in my subscription

and therefore under Adobe`s font EULA?

Regards,

Alex

[Guest]

Hi Alex. Outside of Typekit, Creative Cloud comes will almost no fonts today. (With perhaps one or two exceptions, every font that used to come with Creative Suite -- any many others -- is now available for sync through Typekit, which is how we provide fonts along with Creative Cloud today.)

As for fonts that come with any Creative Cloud applications, we don't list them anywhere, because it has changed so much in the last five years or so, and there are so few of them now -- but I'll make a note of your question about it.

The list of fonts at that link are not necessarily included in your subscription. Many of them have never been bundled with any Adobe product, and/or aren't available through Typekit. The list of fonts there is essentially Adobe Font Folio (and what we used to call the Adobe Type Library).

Regards,

Christopher

[Test Screen Name]

I don't know what you send to Shirtee to be printed, but if you need to send a font they need a license. If they take a PDF, it embeds the fonts and (provided the font permits PDF embedding in its EULA) you don't need to send the font, and they don't need a license. If, for example, they need an InDesign or Illustrator file, these require the font, and hence a license.

[Alexa5E15]

Hello, 

I would like to use the emoji font for commercial use on products such as T-Shirts and Skateboards. Do I need a special liscence for this?

Thank you for your help!