5 useful typography tools you never knew you needed

If you’re a designer who loves to find, collect, and experiment with fonts, you’ve landed in the right place. Today we’re sharing a handful of awesome typography tools every type enthusiast will love and find useful in their everyday workflow.

These tools were created to streamline your process, organize your typefaces, help you pick the right fonts for your projects, and even create your very own typography! Check them out and download your favorites.

1. RightFont  —Font Management App

RightFont  is a font management app for Mac that lets you preview, install, sync, and manage all of your font files in one place. This app is great for designers who don’t want to waste a ton of time searching through fonts and want an easier way to view and organize their font files. You can download it for a free 15 day trial before purchasing the app for $35 USD.

2. Fonts Ninja   — Identify Typefaces Instantly

Do you often get typography inspiration from fonts you come across on the web? Instead of furiously searching for the font online, try using Fonts Ninja —a Chrome extension that lets you hover over the text on your screen to instantly help you identify a font, its size, line spacing, letter-spacing, and even the color hex code.

Plus, Fonts Ninja enables you to test the font out with your desired text which you can do by typing something out in the extension’s drop-down window. If you absolutely love it, there’s a handy link for you to find the web font’s source so you can purchase and/or download it for free.

3. Font Self  — Create Your Own Fonts

Have you ever wanted to create your very own custom font? Fontself Maker  is an extension for Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop that can help you quickly turn any of your lettering into OpenType fonts! Simply drag and drop any shape or piece of handwriting into the extension and it’ll transform it instantly into an editable glyph. You can purchase it for Adobe Illustrator for $39 USD or for both Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop for $59 USD.

4. Archetype  — Create Typographic Design Systems

Archetype is an online tool that helps you create consistent typography styling and spacing for all of your digital projects. Use Archetype  to create typographic design systems with consistent and reusable components that can be easily be exported to CSS for developers. Simply pick from a set of fonts, and set sizing and spacing parameters live from your browser. This tool is great for Product Designers and is developer-friendly which is a huge plus!

5. Typeface App  — Tag and Organize Fonts

Browsing through your robust collection of fonts doesn’t have to be overwhelming anymore. Typeface App  is another font manager for macOS with a super minimal interface that helps you pick the perfect typefaces for your design projects. Sift through all of your font files with live previews of your desired text and font size. You can also tag your fonts to group them together and spend less time searching for the perfect fit.

There you have it! We hope these tools help to enhance your design processes, boost your creativity, and stay organized. For even more helpful typographic resources, tools, and tips, be sure to check out the articles below. Happy designing! ■