FontForge

7.1easy start · #3 of 29
in Font Design Software

Free to practise onyes
Free trialnot on record
Well documentedyes
Runs where you workyes

Runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.

FontForge is ranked #3 of 29 in font design software on The Geeks Club. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.

FontForge plans and pricing

All plans

Free and open source Free source code access · redistribution permitted fontforge.org · 30 Sept 2026

Compared on font design software

Free plan: Yes
Webfont export: Yes
Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux
OpenType layout tools: Yes
Collaboration level: basic

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The record

Purpose: FontForge is a free and open source font editor.
Font formats: It creates and modifies PostScript, TrueType and OpenType fonts.
Output: It saves fonts in many outline formats and generates bitmaps.
Font editing: The editor lets users draw letter outlines and manage glyph metrics, ligatures and related metadata.
Typography: FontForge supports OpenType and Apple Advanced Typography tables, including GPOS and GSUB features.
Views: The documentation describes font, bitmap and metrics views for inspecting and editing fonts.
Scripting: FontForge includes Python and a legacy native scripting interpreter for modifying fonts.
Plugins: Plugins are Python packages that extend FontForge, often by adding entries to the Font View or Char View Tools menu.
File support: The command line accepts formats including PostScript, TrueType, OpenType, Mac resource, bitmap and SVG files.
Availability: Releases are available for Windows, Mac and GNU+Linux, with developer builds also available.
Source and license: The project provides source code under a libre license and describes FontForge as libre software whose copies may be redistributed with or without a fee.
Support: The homepage directs users to the mailing list for questions after consulting the documentation and web search.
Mac requirement: The Mac installation page says OS X 10.15 or later is required.
Windows warning: The Windows page says the launcher may upset some antivirus and firewall applications.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on The Geeks Club

Best Font Design Software in 2026#3 of 29

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Sources

fontforge.org/en-US/· checked 30 Sept 2026
fontforge.org/docs/· checked 30 Sept 2026
fontforge.org/docs/scripting/scripting.html· checked 30 Sept 2026
fontforge.org/docs/techref/plugins.html· checked 30 Sept 2026
fontforge.org/docs/techref/cliargs.html· checked 30 Sept 2026
fontforge.org/en-US/downloads/· checked 30 Sept 2026
fontforge.org/en-US/project/· checked 30 Sept 2026
fontforge.org/en-US/downloads/mac-dl/· checked 30 Sept 2026
fontforge.org/en-US/downloads/windows-dl/· checked 30 Sept 2026