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Design Web Typography How to Choose and Use Webfonts Self-hosted Webfonts

Mike Aquan-Assee
Mike Aquan-Assee
15,336 Points

Paid fonts for freelance clients

If you are designing/developing a site for a client on a freelance contract, do you give them the option to use paid or free web fonts, and if they choose paid, do you bill them separately or is it included in your fee - generally?

3 Answers

Unless you're dealing with experienced clients, I don't think they'll fully understand or see the benefits of paid vs free fonts. If so, they'd most likely have a little design or typographic background experience.

I enjoy simplified pricing, and feel clients understand it a little better as well. But I think within your pricing model, if you displayed an itemization, that would help them see the value. It's also how you present your services to some extent. Clients, like anyone, don't want to be sold or feel like they're being overcharged.

So once again, I think helping them see the value of paid fonts, and educating them will drastically help you get those services included in their project.

I don't think there is a problem with asking, but I think most clients would go with the free font option, unless they have a certain style that they are going for. You don't need to bill them separately, but I would invoice as a expense to the production of the site not as work product. That way everything is clear to you and the client.

Remember you and your client are setting up the contract. Just talk it over and whatever you both feel comfortable doing, is going to be the best choice.

Mike Aquan-Assee
Mike Aquan-Assee
15,336 Points

Thanks for the answers! Very helpful. Do you have go to font choices you use for web design work (if you design for the web), or do you try and use different fonts (free or paid) for each project?