What it does
Birdfont is a font editor for drawing vector letters, adjusting spacing and exporting font files on Windows, Mac and Linux. A free edition is available for fonts released under the SIL Open Font License. Paid Commercial and Plus editions add different rights and output options.
Match the edition to your font
Birdfont separates the software you download from the kind of font you can produce. Its free binary edition is for creating fonts under the SIL Open Font License. Birdfont also publishes its code under the GNU GPL.
| Edition | Price | Main distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Freeware | Free | Fonts must use the SIL Open Font License |
| Commercial | From USD 4.99 | Suitable for commercial fonts |
| Plus | From USD 9.99 | Adds colour, variable and OTF font support |
Both paid editions include a year of upgrades, and the purchased version keeps working afterwards. Choose an edition on Download, then continue to the installer for your system. Drawing, kerning and ligatures are part of the font-building workflow; select Plus if your intended delivery includes the additional formats it covers.
Strengths
- Available for Linux, Windows and Mac.
- Offers drawing, kerning and ligature workflows.
Watch out for
- Edition restrictions affect font licensing and output formats.
Best for
- Creating small custom typefaces.
- Designers comparing free and paid font-editor workflows.
Sources
- Birdfont font editor (Oct 27, 2026)
- Birdfont editions and downloads (Oct 27, 2026)