FontLab 8 vs Prototypo
FontLab 8
fontlab.comPrototypo
devvv.prototypo.ioSide by side
| Figure | FontLab 8 | Prototypo |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $9.08/mo | $8.25/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 3 |
| Spec score · Font Design Software | 8.1 (#9) | 8.1 (#10) |
| Founded | 1992 | 2009 |
| Product | FontLab 8 is an integrated font editor for creating fonts from simple designs to complex projects. | Prototypo is an online app that lets designers customize their own typeface. |
| Support | The maker offers expert support with the Starter and Pro licenses and provides support through its support portal and email. | The FAQ says users may contact the team regardless of subscription, and company plan subscribers receive 24-hour premium support. |
Plans
FontLab 8
- Starter — 3-months license$97, paid once
- Workshop 2-weeks$99, paid once
- Student 1-year$109 a year
- Course 4-months$249, paid once
- Student / teacher lifetime$335, paid once
- Pro — Lifetime license$499, paid once
In their own words
Prototypo
Prototypo is an online app for designing typefaces from four parametric starting points: Prototypo Fell, Prototypo Grotesk, Prototypo Elzevir, and Spectral. Its controls cover more than thirty characteristics, including thickness, aperture, and roundness, with separate adjustments for serif details. Users can change individual letters or groups of letters, then export fonts in OTF format for installation on macOS, Windows, or Linux, or display them in a browser. A Chrome extension previews font changes on websites, and fonts can be sent to Glyphr Studio for further editing. Prototypo supports the Latin Extended 3 glyph set, but has no cursive templates and does not let users import their own fonts to modify. The maker says exported fonts use a CC0 license, permitting commercial use without permission. The free plan has limited parameter range and one week of support; Pro is $8.25 per month and Team is $49.96 per month. The FAQ lists a free trial and requires an up-to-date Chrome, Firefox, or Opera browser.