Google Fonts vs Lost Type Co-op

Google Fonts is a catalog of fonts for websites, released under open-source licenses for commercial and non-commercial use. A website can use a font by linking a stylesheet and referencing the font in CSS. Developers can also query the REST-based Google Fonts Developer API for font metadata in JSON; each request requires an API key. The API supports sorting by alphabet, date, popularity, style count, and trending growth, plus filters for family, subset, and category. It can return variable font files and axis-range metadata when capability=VF is requested. For projects that need specific characters, the text parameter can reduce a requested font file’s size by up to 90%. Native Android apps can use the Font Provider in Google Play Services, supported from Android Jelly Bean API level 16 onward. Fonts can also be self-hosted for redistribution under their license terms. Google says the Web API is designed to limit data collection, storage, and use, and is not used to create end-user profiles or for advertising. The catalog is free at free.

Lost Type Co-op has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.