10 Budget-Friendly Typeface Resources for RPG Designers
Tired of using free fonts? Here are 10 foundries and type designers who make and sell quality typefaces and fonts for indie-level budgets.
The most affordable fonts are free.
If you have no budget for type, you can find plenty of great options that are 100% free. One might argue these free and open-source typefaces are overused, but with the right technique and pairings, even ubiquitous typefaces can feel fresh. So, before going any further, if you're strapped for cash, you should try open-source typefaces. Here's an article with some advice and curated favorites:
Clayton Notestine
Tips for finding affordable typefaces:
- Limit yourself to only the type styles you need. Some type families cost as much as $1,200 to $3,000, but the fonts you need might cost less than $100.
- Don't be afraid to trial fonts. Some foundries offer trial versions for download, while many others have interactive type specimens on their website. Worst case scenario, you can always use screenshots to get a rough idea.
- Study the font licenses. You probably don't need every version. Web, app, and logo licenses in particular can be very expensive.
- Doublecheck for punctuation and multilingual support. The more affordable the fonts, the less likely they'll have these.
Here are 10 font foundries (and designers) who won't break the bank (maybe).
1. Pangram Pangram Foundry
Technically, you have to subscribe to their starter pack if you want to stay in budget, but the included fonts are well-made, full-kit, no nonsense type families. Over 70 of them. This foundry is packed with workhorse fonts.
Price: 💰💰 ($29/year Font Starter Pack)
Fonts: Experimental, mono, script, sans serif, and serif.
Functionality: Art, titles, headers, and body text
Multilingual support: Yes.
2. Type of Feeling
This boutique type foundry, founded by Jessica Walsh, has some super high-quality typefaces that punch way above their weight in price. They're on the higher end, closer to Pangram Pangram—but they sure pack a punch.
Price: 💰💰💰💰 ($140.00/typeface)
Fonts: Display, experimental, sans serif, and serif.
Functionality: Art, titles, and headers.
3. Central Type
Nothing about Central Type is subtle, which makes them the perfect fit for a cover, handout, or piece of art. I particularly like these typefaces because they can be the central figure of the cover, in other words, you might not need art.
Price: 💰💰💰💰 ($140.00/typeface)
Fonts: Display, sans serif, and serif.
Functionality: Art, titles, and (maybe) headers.
4. Atypical Type Foundry
Atypical is a type foundry with a small—but diverse—range of semi-affordable typefaces. (wait for sales), available in a variety of styles, weights and languages. This foundry is based out of Greece, which guarantees some needed glyphs.
Price: 💰💰💰💰 (€140.00/typeface)
Fonts: Display, sans serif, serif, and mono.
Functionality: Art, titles, headers, and (some) body text.
5. Pretend Foundry
The name is funny but the fonts are 100% real. And they're well-made! The range here is great, too. There's stuff here that feels modern, elegant, funky, and cute. Maybe it's the messaging about Animal Crossing, but I love it.
Price: 💰 ($10.00/typeface)
Fonts: Display, experimental, sans serif, serif, and mono.
Functionality: Art, titles, and headers.
6. Silver Stag Type Foundry
If you love hand lettering, you'll love this one-person shop full of eclectic typefaces. They range from the rough and tumble stuff you'd see in a sandwich shop to the fancy stuff on a wine bottle. In other words, typefaces full of character.
Price: 💰💰 (€24,00/typeface)
Fonts: Display, experimental, handwritten, sans serif, and serif.
Functionality: Art and titles.
7. Future Fonts
Fresh fonts from a curated list of designers. The catch here is that the fonts are new, newer than new, actually—they're not done. Future Fonts is where designers share early versions of their work. Buy the early version and get free updates.
Price: 💰💰💰 ($35.00/type style)
Fonts: Varies. Lots of experimental and handwritten.
Functionality: Varies. Some display and header opportunities.
8. Simple Bits
This tiny design studio based out of Salem, Massachusetts produces awesome little typefaces, books, and merchandise. Many are reminiscent of old hand-painted signage, like the kind you would see outside a grocery store.
Price: 💰 ($25.00/typeface)
Fonts: Blackletter, display, handwritten, sans serif, and serif.
Functionality: Art and titles.
9. Brandon Nickerson
There's a good chance you already know this one. Brandon Nickerson has designed a lot of fonts over the years, all of them perfectly imperfect, with clear signs they were made by hand. Sign up for his newsletter for the occasional free font.
Price: 💰💰 ($35.00/typeface)
Fonts: Blackletter, display, handwritten, sans serif, and serif.
Functionality: Art, titles, and (maybe) headers.
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10. Taylor Penton
Surf shops, cowboys, and motel pools. Taylor Penton's work delivers on vibes that are hard to recreate any other way. I wouldn't use these for layout, but for art, covers, and titles—its hard to imagine these handwritten fonts not elevating things.
Price: 💰💰 ($30.00/typeface)
Fonts: Display, handwritten, sans serif, serif, and script.
Functionality: Art, titles, and (maybe) headers.
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What have I missed?
If there's a font designer or foundry you think I missed, let me know in the comments or on Bluesky. I have a pretty long shortlist, so depending on how this post performs, I might write sequels. Until then, I'll keep exploring.
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