iFontCloud vs MainType
iFontCloud
ifontcloud.comMainType
high-logic.comSide by side
| Figure | iFontCloud | MainType |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 0 | 3 |
| Spec score · Font Management Software | 7.6 (#17) | 7.9 (#12) |
| Founded | 1990 | 1997 |
| Product | iFontCloud is a cloud font service offering font rental and web fonts. | MainType is a font manager and viewer for finding, managing, previewing, organizing, installing and printing fonts. |
| Support | The site lists iFontCloud business support at [email protected] and telephone 02-8259-8356 extensions 205 and 206. | High-Logic recommends its technical forum, where questions are usually answered within a couple of hours, and paid editions include direct developer support. |
Plans
MainType
- FreeFree
- Standard Edition$49, paid once
- Professional Edition$79, paid once
In their own words
iFontCloud
iFontCloud is a cloud font service offering licensed font rentals and web fonts, with products from Arphic and Morisawa. Its catalog can be filtered by type, weight, language, application, style, and designer, and supports TTF/TTC and OTF formats. Rental licenses run annually, and fonts included in a plan may be used during its license period. The Windows and Mac desktop app lists Windows 10 with .NET Framework 4.6 or macOS 10.13 and later as requirements. Supported applications include Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, InDesign, and Premiere Pro, along with Microsoft Office and Apple Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. Registered members can access four free fonts to check software compatibility. Members with an active font or package order can install included fonts on one iPad or iPhone through the app at no extra charge. One account can be used across multiple computers, but only one computer can be logged in at a time. The service also offers personal and commercial web font plans selected according to page views. Work completed during a license period may continue to be sold after the font plan is not renewed.
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.