About Future Fonts
Overview
Future Fonts is a marketplace where type designers sell font licenses while their typefaces are still in progress. Buyers get early access to evolving fonts at discounted prices, with free updates as each font matures.
The platform connects independent type designers — carefully selected for their unique perspectives — with designers who want fresh, high-quality fonts that haven't been overused yet. It is an alternative to traditional font foundries where fonts ship only after completion.
Key Benefits
- Buy fonts early and receive free updates as the typeface progresses to its final version.
- Access high-quality fonts that are new to market and have not been widely adopted.
- Support independent type designers and help fund their long design process.
- Give direct feedback to designers during the development of their typefaces.
- Purchase fonts at discounted early-bird prices compared to finished releases.
How It Works
You browse the curated font library on the Future Fonts site, where each listing shows the current version number (e.g. v0.1, v1.3). When you buy a font in progress, you pay a reduced price and receive the current version immediately plus all future updates automatically. The version number tells you how far along the design is, and each foundry shares process updates in the Journal section.
Use Cases
- Graphic designers looking for distinctive, unused typefaces for branding projects before they become mainstream.
- Independent type designers who want to generate revenue during the long typeface development cycle.
- Design studios seeking exclusive fonts that their competitors are not yet using.
- Typography enthusiasts who enjoy following a font's evolution and contributing feedback during development.
- Art directors assembling custom typography palettes from fresh, curated sources outside large foundries.
Why Choose This Product
Future Fonts is best suited for designers who value early access to unique, curated typefaces and want to support independent foundries directly. The platform's key trade-off is that fonts are unfinished — buyers accept work-in-progress versions in exchange for lower prices and the ability to influence the final design through feedback.
Future Fonts Pros & Cons
- Early discounted pricing on fonts in progress
- Free automatic updates as fonts evolve
- Curated selection of independent type designers
- Fresh fonts not yet widely used in the market
- Direct feedback channel to the designer
- Fonts are unfinished — you receive work-in-progress versions
- No public pricing page — each font has its own price
Key Features
Buy Fonts in Progress
Future Fonts lets you purchase licenses for typefaces that are still being developed, with prices reduced for early buyers.
Free Future Updates
When you buy a font early, you receive all future version updates at no additional cost.
Curated Designer Selection
Each type designer on the platform is hand-selected for their unique perspective and expertise.
Journal Section
Foundries publish process posts in the Journal, documenting their design progress and updates.
Early Discount Pricing
Early buyers get the best deals on fonts, with prices increasing as the typeface progresses.
Designer Feedback Loop
Buyers can give feedback to designers during the font development process, influencing the final outcome.
Future Fonts Pricing
View full pricing →- Early discounted price on fonts in progress
- Free updates as font progresses
- Current version delivered immediately
Pricing extracted from the product website and may change. Check the source for current details.
Frequently asked questions about Future Fonts
What does 'type in progress' mean?
Fonts on Future Fonts are not yet finished. Each listing shows a version number (e.g. v0.1, v1.3), and buyers get free updates as the designer continues developing the typeface toward its final version.
Do I get updates after buying a font early?
Yes. When you buy a font early, you receive free updates as it progresses. You pay once and get the current version plus every future version of that font.
How are type designers selected for Future Fonts?
Each type designer on Future Fonts is curated and selected for their unique perspective and expertise. The platform does not accept every designer — it chooses those with distinctive approaches.
Can I give feedback to the designer?
Yes. Future Fonts describes the model as a way for buyers to help fellow designers fund their long design process and give them feedback, calling it a win-win arrangement.
How do I stay updated on new releases?
Future Fonts has a Journal section where foundries post process posts about their work. The site also maintains a Twitter account at @futurefonts for updates.
Is Future Fonts free?
Future Fonts is a paid product. See the pricing section for current plans and starting prices.
How Future Fonts compares
Future FontsThis | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | from variable discounted early prices | $15.00 | — | Free |
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid | Freemium | Free |
| Platforms | Web | Web | — | macOS |
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| Rating | — | — | — | — |
