Adobe Fonts vs MainType
Adobe Fonts
fonts.adobe.comMainType
high-logic.comSide by side
| Figure | Adobe Fonts | MainType |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 3 | 3 |
| Spec score · Font Management Software | 9.1 (#2) | 7.9 (#12) |
| Founded | 1982 | 1997 |
| Headquarters | San Jose, California, USA | Bilthoven, The Netherlands |
| Support | Adobe's Fonts User Guide links users to the Fonts community and Adobe customer support. | High-Logic recommends its technical forum, where questions are usually answered within a couple of hours, and paid editions include direct developer support. |
Plans
Adobe Fonts
- Adobe Fonts FreeFree
- Adobe Fonts ProPrice not published
- Adobe Fonts StandardPrice not published
MainType
- FreeFree
- Standard Edition$49, paid once
- Professional Edition$79, paid once
In their own words
Adobe Fonts
Adobe Fonts is a font library for desktop software and supported web projects. It offers more than 30,000 fonts from over 150 foundries, with catalog access depending on subscription. Users can browse typefaces and add individual styles or full families. The free plan costs nothing and provides a basic library of about 5,500 fonts; Adobe Fonts is also included with eligible Adobe subscriptions. Desktop fonts are added through the Creative Cloud desktop app for macOS and Windows and become available in desktop software. For websites, Web Projects provide controls for styles, weights, language subsets, OpenType features, and font-display settings, with publishing through Adobe’s embed code. Adobe states that its library fonts are licensed for personal and commercial use. Web fonts must use the supplied embed code rather than self-hosting or uploading font files to a website platform. The license does not cover app embedding or server installation. Adding desktop fonts requires a named-user Adobe subscription in Creative Cloud.
MainType
MainType is a Windows font manager and viewer for finding, previewing, organizing, installing, and printing fonts. It supports TrueType, OpenType, collections, variable and color fonts, and PostScript Type 1. Variable-font axis controls and OpenType layout previews cover kerning, alternates, and complex scripts. MainType can manage fonts on network drives and synchronize selected folders with groups in the software. It detects invalid or corrupt fonts, protects system fonts, and can identify duplicates.
Font activation works with Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, and with Microsoft Word. Legacy Adobe auto-activation plug-ins have been discontinued; the recommended workflow is to install fonts before opening documents. MainType runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7, and is described as tested for Windows 11 and high-DPI or 4K displays. The Free plan is for non-commercial use and allows up to 2,500 fonts. Standard Edition costs $49, paid once, and Professional Edition costs $79, paid once. A 30-day trial is listed. The user manual is available only in English, although the interface is translated into several languages.