Side by side

Adobe Fonts vs FontBase

Both stand on font management software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Adobe Fonts

Free plan AndroidiPhoneLinux+3

Adobe Fonts offers desktop and web font workflows, with access tied to subscription eligibility. Its web-serving and licensing restrictions matter if you need self-hosting, app embedding, or server installation.

Visit Adobe Fonts

FontBase

Free plan LinuxMacWeb+1

FontBase covers font organization and activation in its free feature set, with Awesome adding synchronization and team controls. Consider the two-computer limit and unlisted prices for some paid options before choosing a plan.

Visit FontBase

The facts

	Adobe Fonts	FontBase
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	No	Not published
Runs on	Android, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows	Linux, Mac, Web, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Awesome monthly: $3 a month
Plans published	3	5
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	fonts.adobe.com	fontba.se
On font management software	#1 of 27	#2 of 27

Adobe Fonts: what it does well

Library contains more than 30,000 fonts.
Free plan offers a basic library of about 5,500 fonts.
Web Projects provide controls for styles and language subsets.
Fonts are licensed for personal and commercial use.
Supports TTF and OTF formats.

What to know first

Desktop font access requires a named-user Adobe subscription.
Web fonts must use Adobe's embed code.
App embedding and server installation are excluded.
Self-hosting web fonts is not allowed.

FontBase: what it does well

Free features include glyph viewing and copying.
Fonts can activate without being installed.
Google Fonts are accessible as if local.
Awesome supports team license and activation management.

What to know first

Awesome is limited to two personal computers at once.
Yearly and Forever plan prices are not shown.
Organizations may need a multi-seat account.

Alternatives to Adobe Fonts Alternatives to FontBase The whole list