Free Font Management Software Mac Os X

It doesn’t matter who you are — a designer, web developer, Desk Top Publishing expert or just an enthusiast. Having a lot of fonts is an awesome thing for sure. The organization, however, becomes a pain in the ass when you have thousands of fonts installed. It’s not practical to memorize all the font names (damn, I can’t even remember my favorite ones).

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This is where a font manager comes in. In this article, we’ll be looking at some of the best font managers for Mac. We’ve picked the right ones based on aspects like multi-platform support, how it organizes your fonts and of course the User Interface. Shall we start?

Like most of the font manager software in this list, it also has a Character Map, which shows all the characters in the selected font style. Auto View is an interesting feature of this free font management software. After you enable this feature, the software starts a slideshow of all the installed fonts. You can vary the delay time of the.

Read: Best Word to PDF Converter For Mac

Best Font Manager for Mac

1. FontBase — Mac Font Manager for Designers

FontBase is one of the completely free font managers for Mac. It’s built primarily for designers, but everyone would love this basic tool. The features inside FontBase have been designed in such a way to help designers pick the right font for the right time. Most people love this free tool for the offering of standard features and an easy way to organize fonts.

  • The Interface

The User Interface of FontBase is extremely simple. On the right side, you can see the list of fonts along with respective previews. On the left, FontBase shows you the available options for accessing categories, folders, and other filters. Clicking on a single font would show you styles as well as individual glyphs. There isn’t much room for customization, but FontBase is pretty intuitive.

  • Font Management

It has multiple methods to organize and access fonts in your Mac. For instance, you can create collections where you store multiple fonts of the same purpose. You can also activate all these fonts at once in a single click. Did we say that you can import Google Fonts to FontBase? Another thing I like about Font Base is Nested folders support.

  • Availability & Pricing

FontBase is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux, but it doesn’t offer content sync. It’s completely free to use, but there is an Awesome upgrade that brings features like Multiple Font View and Auto Activation. If you ask us, the free version is enough for most people.

Pros

  • Simple, Intuitive Design
  • Support for Google Fonts

Cons

  • Lacks customization options

Who Is It For

We believe FontBase is the best choice for beginners among designers. It offers an intuitive interface and an amazing set of features, including Google Fonts support. It’s surely the best free font manager for Mac.

2. RightFont 5 — the Professional Font Manager for Mac

If you are a professional designer, RightFont 5 is one of the best font managers for macOS. Used by designer teams at companies like Google, it has been the favorite choice for some time. It should also be noted that RightFont 5 is the latest version and it comes with an interface overhaul. It offers a bunch of features like an enhanced set of integration

  • The Interface

This is where we love the developers of RightFont 5. They have managed to keep the design simple in spite of the awesome features. The right-side pane offers a vivid overview of selected fonts while the sidebar has been dedicated for the organization. You can get the Grid View to compare two different fonts at once, side by side.

  • Font Management

Apart from standard features, RightFont 5 offers a seamless font management experience. It lets you create Font Libraries, which can be shared with your team via Dropbox, Google Drive or other services. However, it lacks automated categorization features for that matter. RightFont 5 also checks the box for superb features like auto-activation of fonts.

  • Availability & Pricing

RightFont 5 is a macOS-only font manager in town. It’s available for a per-device price of $35 but there is a 15-day free trial as well. However, RightFont 5 team says that the Windows app is coming soon and you can pre-register for it.

Pros

  • Professional Font Management Features
  • Support for Cloud Fonts
  • Suitable for Enterprise Needs

Cons

  • Overkill for Beginners

Who Is It For

RightFont 5 is the best choice for designer teams, spread across or outside the office. It packs a simple UI as well as awesome features in the single package. Compared to other tools, RightFont 5 can be integrated with common solutions like Photoshop and Illustrator.

#3 FontExplorer X Pro — Best Font Manager for Enterprise Needs

There are times when you need an enterprise-level font manager for your Mac(s). FontExplorer X Pro is one of the most popular options in the market, offering both Desktop and Server versions. We found this tool as something sweet-spot between basic font managers and professional ones. It prioritizes seamless organizing of fonts over fancy features.

  • The Interface

The User Interface of FontExplorer X Pro has been designed to enable seamless management of fonts you’ve installed. Being an enterprise-level software, most features deal with easy sharing and synchronization. As you can see in the screenshots, the UI is rather rudimentary but gets the job done. One thing we loved about the UI is that it integrates very well with macOS.

  • Font Management

FontExplorer X Pro offers a few more options when it comes to font management. Of course, you can enable or disable fonts in a single click, but that’s not all. This font manager offers support for multiple cloud sources such as SkyFonts. Compared to other tools we have covered, FontExplorer X Pro offers better metadata for each of the fonts.

  • Availability & Pricing

FontExplorer X Pro is available for devices running macOS. Priced at 89 Euros, it’s not the most affordable so to speak. Xiaozhan toefl app for mac free. However, if you think you need some cool security features, you can consider getting a few copies of this tool.

Pros

Lion
  • Enterprise-level Features and Security
  • Better System Integration

Cons

  • Rudimentary UI
  • Not Suitable for Individual Designers

Who Is It For

If you are looking for an enterprise-level font manager for Mac, FontExplorer X Pro is the best option. It lacks an interesting UI per se, but it gets the job done. As we said, you are also getting enhanced security and stuff with the package.

#4 Suitcase Fusion — Best Mac Font Manager for Advanced Professionals

We already covered RightFont 5 as the professional Mac font manager, but Suitcase Fusion is definitely an upgrade. If you ask us, most of the features in Suitcase Fusion are working underground. It means you will feel an overall upgrade to the designing process. For instance, enhanced integration with the likes of Adobe Photoshop is one of the top features.

  • The Interface

Suitcase Fusion comes with a clean interface, which is easy to get started with. You can select a single font to see all the characters. From the installation to seamlessly accessing stored fonts, however, everything has been kept as simple as it can get. We’d say Suitcase Fusion has one of the best designs a professional designer can expect.

  • Font Management

The real deal of Suitcase Fusion is the bunch of font management options. You can create Smart Libraries of fonts, based on the characteristics and the tool also has Smart Search. This would help you quickly access a bunch of commonly used fonts among others. Similarly, Cloud Sync means that you don’t have to copy the fonts to every device you use.

  • Availability & Pricing

Suitcase Fusion is available for both macOS and Windows. You can check out the free trial for 15 days but it actually costs $119.95. One of the best features about Suitcase Fusion is that it syncs your fonts over cloud, making them accessible across devices.

Pros

  • Professional Design and Features
  • Cloud-Sync
  • Smart-Search and Organization

Cons

  • None worth noting

Who Is It For

Suitcase Fusion is the best font manager for the truly professional designer or developer. It does not make any compromises over the quality or features. At the end of the day, you will save a lot of time when it comes to bringing fonts to your projects. It’s a bit expensive for newbies, though.

Free Font Management Software Mac Os X

#5 Typeface — The Overall Best Font Manager for Mac

Above, we have seen a wide variety of font managers, made for different needs. Typeface is an exception as it’s suitable for everyone. From A to Z, this simple font manager has perfected almost everything. It packs a lot of features we haven’t seen in other programs as well. Typeface is also our personal favorite when we’d like to get the best out of font collection.

  • The Interface

The User Interface of Typeface is elegant, to start with. On the right side, you can see a live preview of fonts you have selected. By default, Typeface lists all the fonts, but you can always filter the results. Clicking on a single font would also show you details and the individual characters. We also loved the fact that Typeface has an extremely clean arrangement of elements.

  • Font Management

Typeface has one of the best features ever: Smart Categories. Depending on the style, Typeface categorizes the fonts into folders like New, Modern, Fixed Width, Fun etc. Of course, you can create categories on your own as well. Typeface also offers a Quick View function, which is useful for comparing two fonts. It even lets you place one font on top of the other and compare them.

  • Availability & Pricing

Typeface comes with an incredible price tag of $19.99. It’s currently available for macOS only and you can’t expect many syncing-based features. Still, we cannot ignore how awesome the features of organizations are. Without question, it’s the best deal too.

Pros

  • Simple yet Elegant Design
  • Smart Categorization of Fonts
  • Ample customization options

Cons

  • None

Who Is It For

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As we said, Typeface is for everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you would love the features and design of Typeface for Mac. It would soon become the only place you would go for accessing your fonts.

Which is the best font manager for Mac?

Well, these are the best Font Managers for Mac you can find today. As we’ve said earlier, Typeface would be the go-to choice. It’s rich with features and an elegant UI. On the other hand, if you need something more professional-looking, RightFont and Suitcase Fusion are two great choices. And, for those who are looking for an enterprise-level font manager, we’d recommend FontExplorer X Pro too. We hope this guide helps you find the best font manager for your needs.

Read: Best Email Client for Mac

Font management software is utility software that computer users use to browse and preview fonts and typically to install and uninstall fonts. In addition, depending on the individual font management program's capabilities, users can also:

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  • activate and deactivate fonts (users can do this manually; sometimes programs will do this in conjunction with specific software, such as Adobe's InDesign)
  • protect fonts that are required by the system by preventing them from being uninstalled
  • organize fonts by groups and libraries
  • find and uninstall corrupt fonts
  • rename font files
  • view fonts that are not currently installed
  • print font samples or font books illustrating some or all of the fonts on the system
  • sort fonts according to different criteria
  • search for fonts meeting specific criteria

Uses[edit]

Fonts - and therefore font-management programs - support people in a variety of professions: graphic designers, publishers (such as book publishers and news and periodical publishers), web-site designers, interface designers, illustrators, packaging designers, typeface designers, letterpress printers (using plates made from page layout programs), motion-graphic and film-title designers, advertising agencies, signage and wayfinding (environmental graphic design studios), industrial designers, and architectural firms that have in-house 2D design-staff who work with signs and typography.

These people require fonts as a basic part of their job. They purchase their fonts and typefaces either directly from type foundries large and small, such as Adobe Systems, Carter & Cone, Dalton Maag, Font Shop, Frere-Jones Type, Hoefler & Co, Linotype, Monotype Corporation, Paratype, P22, Stone Type Foundry, TypeNetwork; or from websites specializing in selling fonts. Eventually, they may end up with tens or even hundreds of thousands of fonts; hence the need to manage those fonts. Effective, reliable, and easy-to-use font management can help.

Objectives[edit]

Most operating systems come with basic font management abilities, limited to installing or uninstalling; however, people who use many typefaces need font management software with more capabilities.

Ease of Finding and Evaluating Fonts[edit]

When there are hundreds or even thousands of fonts on a system, font management software makes it easier to find, organize, and evaluate specific fonts. Using font management software, people can organize their fonts in ways that suit their needs. They can also view specific fonts in a variety of ways, such as by character or size, to better evaluate a font's suitability for a specific purpose.

Once a font is found, a person can view the individual glyphs (letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and other components of a font), and can visually compare two or more fonts with each other.

Font management software often provides details on fonts such as how many glyphs are in the font, whether the font can be embedded (such as in PDFs), and the person or foundry that created the font.

System Stability[edit]

One of the valuable uses of font management software is to improve system performance. Keeping thousands of fonts active can slow down many systems. In taking advantage of a font manager's ability to activate fonts when they are needed (either individually or in groups, such as a group of fonts for a specific project), users can reduce the system's font load.

This capability is especially important on older versions of the Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintoshoperating systems, as with those systems, fonts are normally always active and available to all programs that use or display text. However, these operating systems have internal limits on active fonts; beyond that point, you may experience system problems.[1][2]

Some font management programs can activate one font, several fonts, or a specific group of fonts when a specific application (such as Adobe's Creative Suite series) or document is launched. When the application or document is closed, the font management software can deactivate those same fonts. That way, fonts that are needed only for specific applications or projects can be made available on the fly, then put away when not needed, thereby reducing the load on the operating system.

Linux-based operating systems generally do not pre-load fonts on a system-wide basis. Instead, each application loads them as it needs them, leaving no need for a font management program. However, current Linux desktop environments (such as KDE and Gnome) manage fonts for applications using their internal framework library calls for font display, thus allowing management of fonts centrally and comfortably via the GUI.

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Many Linux distributions supply a font server program (such as X Font Server) for distributing fonts over a network.

List of font management software[edit]

Note: Surprisingly, information on supported fonts is not readily available from many manufacturers. However, at a minimum most of the major commercial programs support OpenType and TrueType fonts.

NameOperating systemLicenseAuthorPublisherSupported fontsNotes
Adobe Type Manager Light (ATM Light)Mac OS 8.6 through 9.1, Mac OS X Classic; Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4FreeAdobe SystemsATM Deluxe and ATM Light were discontinued in 2005.[3][4]
Advanced Font ViewerWindowsProprietaryStyopkin Software
AMP Font ViewerWindowsFreeAMPsoftOpenType, PostScript Type 1, TrueType
BDF Font ViewerWindowsFreewareKomeil BahmanpourChortkeh
California FontsWindowsFreeThe Scone Company, LLCOpenType, Postscript Type 1, TrueTypeBlocked by Win 10.
DiskFontsMac OS X (10.5+), Windows (XP, Vista, 7)ProprietaryAnastasiyBitmap, OpenType, Postscript Type 1, TrueTypeFont manager panel for Adobe Creative Suite (CS3, CS4, CS5), supports FontExpert groups
Elara Online Font ManagerLinux, BSDs, OS X, Windows, and othersProprietaryEverything FontsTrueType, OpenType, PostScript Type 1, Woff and many other formatsWorks directly from the browser. No local install necessary.
FontBaseMac, Windows, LinuxFreeDominik Levitsky StudioOpenType, TrueTypeFast viewing speed. Works with autosync from Dropbox and Google Drive. Can be used to activate fonts in all modern design applications, like Adobe CC and Sketch.
FontAgent ServerMac, WindowsProprietaryInsider SoftwareOpenType, PostScript Type 1, TrueTypeSupports Adobe Creative Cloud 2015 and Quark 2015, Mac Windows Linx
Font CardMac OS 10.4 (but not Mac OS X 10.6 Leopard)ProprietaryUnsanityOpenType, PostScript, TrueTypeModifies the Font menu and the font panel in Carbon and Cocoa applications. Supports FontAgent Pro, FontExplorer X, and Suitcase Fusion font sets.
FontcaseMac OS XProprietaryBohemian CodingFontcase was discontinued in November 2013[5]
FontDropMac, WindowsProprietaryRamon MendesMI Software*.ttf, *.otfAllows to drag'n'drop fonts directly to Sketch or Photoshop creating a new text layer
FontExpertWindowsProprietaryProxima SoftwareOpenType, TrueType, TrueType Collections, PostScript Type 1, WOFF (preview and create), Bitmap and vector (*.fon)With plug-ins for Adobe Creative Suite products (Missing Fonts Loader plug-in, Font Info plug-in, etc.)
Font Explorer X ProMac, WindowsProprietaryLinotype/Monotype
Font Fitting Room DeluxeWindowsProprietaryQweasMicrosoft Windows (*.fnt, *.fon), OpenType (*.ttf, *.ttc, *.otf), PostScript Type 1 (*.pfm, *.pfb), TrueType (*.ttf, *.ttc)
Font FrenzyWindowsFreeTimothy Williams (computer programmer)SDSoftware
Font ManagerWindowsProprietaryStyopkin Software
Font-ManagerLinux, BSDsGNU General Public LicenseJerry Casianofont-manager projectLast update: 2016-10-16, programmed in Vala, depends on GTK+ 3
FontmatrixLinux, BSDs, OS X, WindowsGNU General Public LicensePierre MarchandFontmatrix.beOpenType, TrueTypeLast update: 2011-09-30, programmed in C++, depends on Qt
Font PilotOS XProprietaryQweas
FontRainbowWindowsProprietaryTony WicksEverclear SystemsMS TrueType / TT Collections, MS OpenType, Adobe Type 1, Adobe OpenTypeThe first program to use Everclear System's 'Rainbow Interface'
Font SafariMac OS 9+ProprietaryDreystone SoftwareLast updated in 2006
Font WranglerWindowsShareware/bookwareAlchemy MindworksTrueType
Font XplorerWindowsFreeAhto TannerMoon SoftwareTrueType, OpenType (only those with TrueType outlines)Does not support Adobe Type 1 fonts or OpenType fonts with PostScript outlines.
Font XplorerWindowsProprietaryQweasTrueType (*.ttf, *.ttc)
Free & Easy Font ViewerWindowsFreeStyopkin SoftwareOnly views characters A-I, a-i, 0-9 and basic punctuation of installed fonts. See Advanced Font Viewer for improved features.
gnome-specimenLinux, BSDsGNU General Public Licensegnome-specimenOpenType, PostScript Type 1, raster, TrueType, vector
MainType Free EditionWindowsFreeHigh-Logic
High-Logic
OpenType TT (OTF or TTF), OpenType PS (OTF), PostScript Type 1, PostScript CID, TrueType, OpenType Collection (TTC), Color Fonts, Variable FontsThe free edition supports up to 2500 fonts in your font library and can only be used by a non-commercial entity for personal, educational and non-commercial use. This is the only font manager supporting variable fonts. The paid (commercial) editions contain more features and support large font collections.
MainTypeWindowsProprietaryHigh-Logic
High-Logic
OpenType TT (OTF or TTF), OpenType PS (OTF), PostScript Type 1, PostScript CID, TrueType, OpenType Collection (TTC), Color Fonts, Variable FontsFont manager designed for graphic artists, typographers, and other power users who demand high-end functionality such as network support, plug-ins (InDesign), advanced categorizing, searching capabilities, and fast searches for the fonts that you need. This is the only font manager that can handle extreme large font collections. It is also the only font manager supporting variable fonts.
MasterJugglerOS XProprietaryAlSoftOutline, OpenType, PostScript, printer, screen, TrueType
NexusFontWindowsFreeNoh JungHoonXilesOpenType, TrueType, Type 1Last update: 11.2015. Provides: Organisation by file location and user-defined groups of folders, user-defined Collections (formerly 'Sets'), user-defined tags, duplicate identification.
Opcion Font ViewerJavaFreeP. ChiuOpcionLast update: 08.2007. Windows .exe installer may not work with current versions of Java (above 1.5.9).
Printer's ApprenticeWindowsProprietaryBryan T. KinkelLose Your Mind DevelopmentOpenType, PostScript, TrueTypeLast update, 1/25/2017 - Supports Windows 10
RightFontMac OS XProprietaryMarkly TeamRightFont is a brand new font manager app for Mac OS X, helping designers to preview, sync, install and manage fonts on your Mac or Dropbox/Google Drive.

RightFont also added font organization functionality for Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketch, etc, and provides auto font activation feature for Adobe Photoshop & Sketch documents.

Suitcase FusionOS X, WindowsProprietaryExtensisOpenType TT (OTF or TTF), OpenType PS (OTF), PostScript Type 1, PostScript CID, Multiple Master (MM), TrueType, TrueType Collection (TTC), Apple Advanced Typography (AAT), Datafork TrueType (dfont), Color FontsFont manager for designers who need to organize, activate and deactivate fonts on macOS and Windows. Includes font auto-activation plug-ins for Adobe Creative Cloud applications – Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, InCopy and After Effects, as well as QuarkXPress. Installable on up to two machines per license, and keeps font synced between the them using the Extensis cloud.

OS support and partner application support info Was previously merged with Font Reserve

Suitcase TeamSyncOS X, WindowsProprietaryExtensisOpenType TT (OTF or TTF), OpenType PS (OTF), PostScript Type 1, PostScript CID, Multiple Master (MM), TrueType, TrueType Collection (TTC), Apple Advanced Typography (AAT), Datafork TrueType (dfont), Color FontsFont manager for teams who need to organize, activate and deactivate fonts on macOS and Windows without installing a local font server. Uses Suitcase Fusion as the client, which is included in the annual subscription. Includes font auto-activation plug-ins for Adobe Creative Cloud applications – Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, InCopy and After Effects, as well as QuarkXPress.
The Font ThingWindowsFreeSue FisherSue FisherTrueTypeA legacy font management program; has not been updated since 1999, though apparently is still popular among some users
TypografWindowsProprietaryAlex NeuberNeuber Software GmbHTruetype, OpenType, PostScript Type 1, printer, raster, vector
Universal Type ServerOS X, WindowsProprietaryExtensisOpenType TT (OTF or TTF), OpenType PS (OTF), PostScript Type 1, PostScript CID, Multiple Master (MM), TrueType, TrueType Collection (TTC), Apple Advanced Typography (AAT), Datafork TrueType (dfont), Color FontsFont manager for teams who need to organize, activate and deactivate fonts on macOS and Windows with an on-premise font server. Tightly controls distribution of fonts to a team, report on team font use and ensure font license compliance.
X-FonterWindowsProprietaryBlacksun SoftwareTruetype, OpenType, PostScript Type 1, raster, vector

References[edit]

  1. ^[1], TrueType Font Limits in Windows 95/98/Me.
  2. ^[2], How Many Mac Fonts is Too Many and What Can I Do About It?.
  3. ^ATM Discontinued
  4. ^'ATM Light'. www.adobe.com. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  5. ^Retiring Fontcase

Further reading[edit]

  • Dhall, Sachin (25 September 2008). '25+ Font Management Tools Reviewed'. Smashing Magazine. Smashing Media GmbH. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  • Phinney, Thomas (7 October 2007). 'Windows Font Management has sucked'. Adobe Typblography blog. Adobe Systems. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  • Rutter, Richard (7 October 2007). 'Matrix of fonts bundled with Mac and Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite'. 24 Ways to Impress Your Friends. Richard Rutter. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  • 'The best font manager'. Windows Secrets (WindowsSecrets.com). 18 October 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
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