Can You Use Google Fonts for Logos? The Facts Explained

Designing a typographic logo can be tough. Especially if you’re trying to do it at a low cost. For this reason, many people end up turning to Google Fonts. Still, this leaves the question, can you legally use Google Fonts for logos?

Google Fonts can legally and freely be used to create logos. The fonts themselves are almost all under the open-source license SIL OFL. This means that they are open for the public to use, even in the marketplace. Still, there are some steps you might want to take to distinguish your logo. 

If you’re looking to create a typographical logo using Google fonts, you’ve come to the right place. In our guide below, we will walk you through what fonts can be used commercially and how they can be used. We will even give you a brief guide on how to use Google fonts to make a logo as well as our recommendation on the best logo generating service out there. 

Can All Google Fonts Be Used Commercially?

Just because some Google fonts can be used commercially, doesn’t necessarily mean they all can. So we have to ask the question, are there any google fonts that can’t be used commercially, and if so, what are they?

Fortunately, in this case, all Google fonts can indeed be used commercially. They are all open-source–though some are licensed differently–and can therefore be used by anyone in the public for private or commercial reasons. 

Making a logo in Google Fonts is actually quite easy. That’s why we’ve put together this brief guide to get you started. 

Follow the steps below to create an excellent logo in Google Fonts:

  1. Open Google Fonts: You can either open it through Google itself or follow this link.
  2. Change the sample text and apply the font: You just need to click on the text in the middle box and write in whatever word you want for your logo. When the word you want is typed in, click on “Apply to All Fonts.” It should be located at the bottom of the text box you’re typing in. 
  3. Adjust the font: On the right side of the screen, there is a panel that controls the font you’re using and other aspects of the style like how close the letters are together. Adjust this according to your needs. It’s a good idea to do something with the style that will make your logo unique even if someone uses the same word and font. 
  4. Zoom in and take a screenshot: Now you just need to full screen it by typing ctrl+ and screenshot it. 

While it may take some practice at first, creating logos on Google Fonts is a pretty straight forward process. Still, while you’re doing it you should make sure that you do something with the font to distinguish it from others. This could be by manipulating one of the characters in the word you’re using, or in the way you space the letters apart. Just something to make yours stand out.   

What is the Best Service for Creating Logos?

If you’re considering stepping up your game to a logo-making service, look no further than Placeit

Placeit is an excellent service that–among other things–allows you to effortlessly create professional-looking logos. These logos can be trademarked and used for both private or commercial purposes. 

What are the Advantages of Making a Logo in Placeit?

While Google Fonts makes for a great place to begin your journey of logo making, it can’t quite compete with the advantages of Placeit in the long run. Below we’ve outlined all the major advantages you can expect to receive if you use Placit to make your logo instead of Google Fonts:

  • More types of logos: With Google Fonts, you’re really limited to typographical logos. Sure you can adjust the style and color and jazz up your logo a little bit, but you can’t do much more than that. With Placeit on the other hand, you can make any kind of logo you like. Be it an image, text or a combination of both. 
  • Logo templates: Going along with the last point, Google Fonts is quite limited on the kind of logo you can have. With Placeit however, you get access to thousands of professionally made templates. These handcrafted templates will really make your logo stand out from others and give it that professional feel it deserves. 
  • Intuitive user interface: You won’t have to go seek out complex step-by-step guides to know how to make a logo in Placeit because the user interface is so intuitive and straightforward to use. As long as you know how to type and use a mouse, you’ve got everything you need to make an outstanding logo. 
  • Professional support: With Google Fonts, you do have access to some great fonts. That said, with Placeit, you not only have access to great fonts but art created by professional artists as well. 
  • Full commercial usage rights: Everything you create and download from Placeit comes with full commercial usage rights, and the ability to copyright or trademark the design.

The last thing we want to do is make you feel like you have to use Placeit for a good logo. You can make a good one with Google Fonts as well. Still, for those of you out there that want to take your logo making game to the next level, Placeit is something you should really consider using. 

So Really, Can You Use Google Fonts for Logos?

Google Fonts can be used to create excellent typographic logos. The fonts that Google uses are all open source and free to use by the public for both private and commercial use. Still, it’s a good idea to mess with the style of the font–such as how close the letters are together–so that your logo is distinguished from others even if they use the same word and the same font. 

If you really want to step up your logo making game, however, it’s not a bad idea to consider upgrading to a more professional service like Placeit. With placeit you get thousands of templates–designed by professional artists–at your fingertips, along with all the fonts you’d ever need.