Some Simple Things About Our Fonts
SIMPLE AND TRANSPARENT PRICING
🤝
Our fonts are priced based solely on the company size of the font’s license owner. Not the number of people working with the font files.
Company size is the only number you need to know about your client in order to calculate the price for our fonts. You don’t have to gather any information about their web traffic or app downloads.
VARIABLE FONTS INCLUDED
🛠 ✅
Variable fonts have many advantages compared to static, individual font files. They are new and here to stay.
When purchasing a complete typeface family, we include its Variable Font in your package at no additional cost. You can choose which font format—static or variable, defined or adjustable—you prefer to work with.
DISCOUNTS FOR STUDENTS
👨🎓👩🎓
At Dinamo, students receive 50% off our Retail Typefaces. We also offer a special Dinamo Student Font Pack, which bundles together our nine most popular typefaces for a one-time fee of €123.
Students can produce non-commercial and self-initiated commercial work with these fonts during the duration of their studies.
FREE TRIALS WITH ALL OUR TYPEFACES
🎭
All our fonts are available as trial versions in both desktop and webfont formats.
You can easily and legally test-drive them on your computer at no cost, in order to get to know the typeface better and see how it works for your project.
FREE FONT UPDATES ON PAST ORDERS
🐣
We constantly expand and update our typefaces. If you have purchased a typeface from us in the past, when there is a new update, you automatically receive the new version for free.
You can always re-download the latest font files from your Dinamo user area.
PERSONALIZE YOUR FONT NAME
🔠
You can customize the name of a typeface for a small additional fee during checkout.
Implementing your company’s name—say “Taco Bell”—right into your typefaces is a smart thing to do. It makes the typeface more “yours.” It’s also practical: it reminds everybody working at “Taco Bell” to use the right typeface.
Name customization happens on-the-fly after checkout; your new files will be available instantly.
SHARE YOUR FONTS WITH OTHERS
👨👩👧
If you need to share your typefaces with external freelancers, producers, or other third parties, you can simply purchase a “third party add-on” for them. You can do that instantly during checkout.
The third-party add-on is part of your own license, and it means that anybody working with you is directly covered under your license. It’s worry-free: none of your freelancers need to get their individual licenses.
BEST PRICE ALGORITHM
💸
While purchasing a typeface, pick only the styles that you need and our system will automatically suggest the best deal or discount for you.
If you’re only one-additional-font-style-away from a discount, our system will let you know.
If you purchase an Italic alongside your Upright style, you receive a discount of 50%
What is the EULA?
Licensing
It means “End User License Agreement.” It’s the terms and conditions that define the use of our typefaces, and which protects the client-foundry-relationship. You can find the entire EULA at the bottom of this page. The terms for all our customers are the same and cannot be modified. Please note that by downloading and/or installing any of our typefaces, you automatically agree to our EULA.
Glossary: Important terms when talking about Licensing
Licensing
- Typeface is the collective name of a family of related Fonts.
- Fonts are the digital files organized in weights, widths, and styles that together constitute a Typeface.
- License is the permission to use a Typeface on specified type of media.
- Licensee/License Owner/Client is the entity that commissions the design work in which the typeface is used. This entity pays for and owns the License. Hereafter the “License Owner.”
- Company Size is the total amount of staff working for the organization of the License Owner.
- License Tier is the size of a License, determined by the License Owner’s company size, web traffic, app downloads, etc.
- Design Agency/Designer/Design Studio is the entity that provides the design service to the License Owner. Hereafter “Designer.”
- Subcontractor means the third party using the Fonts on behalf of the License Owner. The Designer is a Subcontractor of the License Owner.
- Custom Typeface is an existing typeface that's modified for you.
- Bespoke Typeface is a new typeface that's been designed from scratch.
Who is the License Owner?
Licensing
It’s the client: The business entity who commissions the design work, and for who the design work is in use. It is not the agency or individual creative who is producing the work.
We know what you’re thinking, and you’re right: Only in situation where an agency designs its own identity is the agency both commissioner and client ;-)
Does agency/design studio/designer have to pay for the typefaces?
Licensing
No. The agency is merely working with the typefaces while commissioned by a client. In no situation is the agency the License Owner, which has to pay for the typefaces.
The opposite is true, actually: The agency should receive a big bouquet of beautiful-smelling flowers from us as a THANK YOU for choosing to work with us, and convincing the client to use our typefaces. You're the best.
Can an agency pay for the typefaces on behalf of its client?
Licensing
Yes! In some cases, it might be easiest for you to act as a payment facilitator for your client (the License Owner). You can also prepare a “Cart” for your client, and send them a “Cart Link”—this lets the client check out and pay.
My client already bought a license. Do I need my own license?
Licensing
If you’re the only agency working for your client, you’ll be covered by their license.
However, if your client employs more (than one) third party to create work for them, the client will need to purchase the Subcontractor add-on. This add-on allows the font files to be shared with more than one subcontractor.
What’s different between Limited and Unlimited Licenses?
Licensing
We offer “Limited Licenses” directly via the website. You can choose the fonts you need and add the individual licenses depending on your intended use (for Print, Web, Social Media, or Product/App). The licenses are priced based on the company size of the License Owner and have to be upgraded if the company size grows.
→ A “Limited License” is mostly used by small companies, cultural institutions, and individuals.
As an alternative licensing options, we offer an “Unlimited License” (a.k.a the Enterprise License, or Corporate License). It bundles Print, Web, Social Media, and Product/App, as well as the Subcontractor add-on, into one “care-free package” for a one time fee. It’s unlimited, unrestricted, and valid in perpetuity.
→ An “Unlimited License” is mostly used by bigger companies or startups with fast growth ambitions, in order to not have to deal with growth monitoring and license upgrading.
Upgrading Licenses
Licensing
If you purchased a “Limited License” via our website, the License has to be upgraded once your License metrics (your company size) increases. You can add Licenses or upgrade the License tier any time after your initial purchase, via your customer panel. If you purchased an “Unlimited License,” you won’t have to ever upgrade your License.
What is the Third-Party/Subcontractor License?
Licensing
It’s an add-on that you can purchase in addition to your main typeface License(s). It allows a License Owner to share the typeface with any of their subcontractors during their working relationship.
My company has multiple offices. How do I license correctly?
Licensing
When it comes to stating your “Company Size,” select the number of employees working for your company across all offices.
Are the pricing metrics the same for the different Licenses?
Pricing
The prices for Print, Website, and Mobile App Licenses are all based on the company size of the License Owner. For use on Social Media, we look at the number of followers (the first 25k are for free).
How does the Dinamo pricing work?
Pricing
We believe that individuals, small companies, and institutions should not have to pay the same price for a typeface as large companies. Therefore, we’ve established a “value based” pricing system as opposed to “usage based” pricing. We reckon: The bigger the size and reach of a company, the bigger the commercial value being extracted from the typeface.
Following that understanding, we’ve based the price of a typeface on the company size of the License Owner, rather than on how many people within that company use the font files. Imagine a large car company where only a small number of employees actually work on computers, compared to a small cultural institution or non-governmental organization where a lot of the work is done with computers.
My client is surprised about the cost of the typefaces…
Pricing
Tip for designers: Adding typeface licensing costs to your initial design quote right from the start (next to photography, printing, your design fee, etc.) helps avoid confusion or problems with clients down-the-line.
Try making the client understand the value that quality typefaces bring to the table, and the many hours and minds that it takes to create them. To put it in the words of Aldo Gucci: “Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.”
What Licenses can be purchased directly from this website?
Purchasing
We offer Limited Licenses for using the font files in Print, Web, Social Media, and Mobile Apps. Additionally there is the optional “Subcontractor” add-on, which allows the License Owner to share the font files with third party subcontractors. You can get those directly via this website. We also offer Unlimited Licenses (more in other sections of this FAQ)—please get in touch for information regarding those.
Will I receive an invoice?
Purchasing
Yes! Each order automatically generates an invoice, which is sent to you after your purchase.
Can I test typefaces before purchasing?
Purchasing
Yes! Trial versions of all our typefaces are available for free. These cover A–Z, a–z, and 0–9, and include Variable / OTF / WOFF formats. You can get them all on this page, or via each typeface’s page. Enjoy your test drive!
Can I buy a License on behalf of someone else?
Purchasing
During check-out, you have the option to differentiate between Billing Details and License Owner Details, in case you’re buying the license on behalf of your client (ie. the License Owner)
You can also prepare a “Cart” for your client, and send them a “Cart Link,” so that they can check out and pay themselves.
Will I receive upgrades if a typeface I bought gets extended?
Purchasing
Yes! You’ll always receive the most recent files of typefaces that you’ve purchased. You can download new files directly via your personal customer page.
Even if you’ve purchased an entire family, and we add more font styles to that family at some point, you’ll receive those new, additional styles at no additional cost.
What is the Desktop License?
Media Types
It allows the License Owner to install the font files on a desktop computer, in order to design printed and digital images and documents.
What is the Web License?
Media Types
It allows for embedding the font files into one website.
What is the App/Product License?
Media Types
It allows for embedding the font files into a mobile app or digital product.
What is the Social Media License?
Media Types
It’s an add-on to the Print License. It covers the use of the typefaces embedded into digital images and videos on channels like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Youtube.
What is the Ad-Campaign & Broadcasting License?
Media Types
It allows for any kind of broadcasting bigger than social media, such as streaming (Netflix, Amazon, HBO, SKY), TV, cinema, video advertising, video billboards, or video clips longer than one minute. It is a one time fee. Please get in touch for pricing.
What is the Logo License?
Media Types
If the typeface is used in the word mark of a company, an additional fee applies. This fee depends on the revenue of the company, and is only charged for companies with $5 million+ gross revenue. Please get in touch for pricing.
Can I embed the typeface in PDFs and eBooks?
Media Types
Yes. You’ll need a Desktop License in order to create those file types in the first place, but we do not charge additional costs for embedding the typefaces in PDFs or eBooks.
Can I embed your typeface into my Video Game?
Media Types
Yes! You’ll need a special License for this. Please get in touch for pricing with a description of the game, the distribution platform, and the number of users.
Do you offer student discounts?
Student Discounts
Yes! We offer student discounts of 50% off all typefaces, so long as they’re used for individual, non-commercial or and student-initiated, commercial projects (that is, for instance, your own T-Shirt label). If you apply for a such a discount, you can identify your student status during the check out process.
We also offer a Dinamo Educational Font Package that contains a selection of our typefaces for only €123! 🦉
How do I purchase with the 50% Student Discount?
Student Discounts
How it works:
- Click the “Buy Font” button on your chosen typeface’s page
- When asked for whom the typeface is being used, click “Yourself” and tick to confirm in the “Are you a student?” box
- Add the font styles you want to your bag
- You’ll be asked to confirm your student status during checkout
What is the €123 “Dinamo Student Font Pack”?
Student Discounts
We offer a package that contains full versions of a selection of our typefaces for a discounted price of €123. Students are allowed to produce any type of work with these typefaces during the duration of their studies. These typefaces carry the suffix “Edu” in the font name (which stands for “educational”), ie. “ABC Favorit Edu Regular.”
In total, the Dinamo Student Font Pack contains several different families and more than 150 font styles, including:
× Diatype
× Favorit
× Favorit Mono
× Favorit Lining
× Grow
× Pareto
× Prophet
× WhyteCan I use my discounted typefaces for commercial projects?
Student Discounts
In the case of commissioned, commercial projects, your client needs to purchase the font License(s). You can also purchase License(s) on behalf of your client.
In general: At Dinamo, the designer (you) never needs to pay for a License. It’s always the client who owns the License and who needs to cover all of the production costs behind a project (including printing, development, material supplies, and therefore also the typefaces in use).
Are web fonts included in the Student Font Pack?
Student Discounts
No. The Student Font Pack contains print fonts only (*.otf). We had to draw the line somewhere, unfortunately.
If you need fonts for your website, you can still purchase them individually using the 50% discount, though! Just check the “I am a Student” box when you put the fonts into your cart.
Do my Licenses cover external freelancers as well?
Licensing Next Level
As a License Owner, your License covers your own company and one subcontractor. In the case that you have more than one subcontractor, you’ll need to obtain the Subcontractor add-on.
Can I share/hand over the font files to my client?
Licensing Next Level
It’s actually the other way round: your client, who is the License Owner, needs to purchase all required Licenses. You’ll then be covered by the License of your client.
How do I upgrade my License?
Licensing Next Level
Congratulations that your business is doing so well!
You can add Licenses or upgrade the License Tier of previously purchased Licenses any time after your initial purchase via the panel on your personal customer page.
Can I use your typefaces in videos?
Licensing Next Level
Yes, but you will either need a Social Media License or an Ad-Campaign/Broadcasting License to cover for that use (a Print License does not suffice). Both are described in this FAQ, and can get licensed via this website or by getting in touch with us.
Can I modify and re-export your typeface?
Licensing Next Level
Hell no! Regard a typeface as the results of years of practice, doubt, and consideration, which has been poured into various shapes and distilled into digital font files. We hope you appreciate the work of your fellow designers and understand that you’re not allowed to change anything without permission.
If you imagine the typeface might be better differently, please get in touch with us. We can potentially apply the modifications that you have in mind with and for you!
What kind of technical support do you offer?
Tech & Support
Dinamo fonts are optimized for up-to-date browsers, mobile operating systems, and professional graphic design applications. Dinamo does not guarantee support for office applications like Microsoft Word. In any case, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via email.
How can I embed your web fonts into my website?
Tech & Support
You can use this code:
@fontface { font-family: "Favorit"; src: url("/fonts/Favorit-Regular.woff2") format("woff2"), url("/fonts/Favorit-Regular.woff") format("woff"); }
How can I embed your fonts into my application?
Tech & Support
We recommend the following guide for Xcode:
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/text_display_and_fonts/adding_a_custom_font_to_your_appAnd this guide for Android Studio.
What file formats do you support?
Tech & Support
For use on Desktop Computers and inside iOS/Android applications we provide OTF files. For implementation into Websites and Web Browsers, we provide: WOFF/WOFF2
Variable Fonts for Desktop Computers are provided as TTF files and Variable Fonts for Web are provided as WOFF/WOFF2 files.
Most of the formats which people request (EOT, SVG) are outdated and not necessary anymore today. However, we can generate TrueType (TTF) files in case they are really needed—please get in touch.
You can use this website to see font file support across different web browsers:
caniuse.com woff
caniuse.com woff2Why does the vertical alignment of my web fonts seem off?
Tech & Support
Each typeface comes with a set of pre-defined vertical metrics. Desktop publishing tools, browsers, and operating systems interpret those values differently. There’s no one-to-rule-them-all solution to visually center the typeface in a way that works across all those operating systems and browsers.
We produce our typefaces using values that ensure that no part of the design (for instance accents) are being clipped—as this would be the worst, wouldn’t it? —and we apply a set of rules that guarantee as-best-as-currently-possible-scenarios, as far as we can control it.
This website provides great help at controlling and fine-tuning the vertical orientation of text within your layout! Hope it helps.
How can I use variable fonts on my website?
Variable Fonts
There are many interesting ways. Please read our guide and tutorial on Using Variable Fonts on the Web.
What are variable fonts and why are they so interesting?
Variable Fonts
A variable font is a special type of font file, which contains multiple fonts within it. They’re interesting because this technology essentially enables static fonts to become dynamic and shift their appearance.
What are the advantages of using variable fonts?
Variable Fonts
Variable fonts…
× Are supported by all major browsers
× Have a smaller download size compared to many static fonts
× Consist of just one font file, containing all styles
× Help address accessibility and readability issues via context-responsive type display settings
× Allow for typographic forms of interactivity
× With them, you can animate typography. See for yourself by streaming one of our variable fonts directly on this website, or using our Dinamo Pipeline and Dinamo Font Gauntlet.Why does the spacing of my variable font seem off?
Variable Fonts
Older versions of macOS had trouble rendering variable glyphs that contain components, such as letters with äccéñts. We recommend updating to the latest version of macOS, on which the variable font support is much better.
What is the difference between your Retail Typefaces vs. Beta Typefaces?
Beta Typefaces
Our catalogue of Retail Typefaces consists of fully developed and original typefaces for Web, Print, and Mobile Apps. We try to retain a good balance in terms of typeface genres, and the reasons for making and publishing them. All of our Retail Typefaces are constantly updated according to the highest production standards. They cover a wide range of styles and languages, and often come with additional stylistic alternates, too.
Our Beta Typefaces are also finalized and ready-to-use typefaces, but they’re not yet fully released. Some of them are scheduled for release and waiting in line to be published. Others may not be intended for public release for various reasons. But you can request—and potentially use—any of our Beta Typefaces for special projects. Some of you might be familiar with a couple of the Beta Typefaces from what we previously called “Dinamo Standards”—our label for revivals and interpretations.
What is the idea behind having to “request” a Beta Typeface?
Beta Typefaces
We think typefaces are not only a tool to design but also a tool to start interesting conversations. By requesting a typeface and telling us a little bit about how you intend to use it, it feels less like a cold transaction—“Money for Product”—and more like an intentional exchange, where we can learn more about each other and our design choices.
Another reason is that cool typefaces burn out quickly. Therefore we’re trying to protect our typefaces from being “swallowed-up” and contextualized too heavily by a handful of large project alone. It feels best to keep the first steps of a typeface slow but steady. We want to give smaller projects the stage first, before the typeface gets released publicly and starts its unpredictable journey.
Can I commission Dinamo to create a Custom Typeface?
Custom Typefaces
Yes, we occasionally accept commissions for custom typeface designs, word marks, or modifications of our Retail Library typeface releases.
We’ve done so for SSENSE, Acqua di Parma, Warp Records, Suisse Institute, RIMOWA, The International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Nike, among others.
For inquiries, please get in touch via email and kindly describe the vision and scope of your project.
What is a Custom Typeface?
Custom Typefaces
A typeface designed in close collaboration with you and custom-tailored to suit your needs. It can either mean that we modify one of our existing typefaces, or design a new bespoke typeface from scratch. Only you will be able to use this bespoke typeface—it might even carry your name!
Can Dinamo modify one of its existing typefaces for me?
Custom Typefaces
Yes! Just get in touch and tell us what you need and what you can give.
When was Dinamo founded?
General
2013, in Amsterdam.
Do you offer internships?
General
Yes! Usually, we’re booked out already one year in advance. Please get in touch via jobs@abcdinamo.com
Can I visit your studio spaces in Basel or Berlin?
General
Yes! Student groups or individuals are more than welcome to visit us. Just get in touch.
What is the Dinamo Darkroom?
General
It’s a virtual space to test drive internally developed type design tools or plugins—dreamt up to help or confuse the modern type designer.
What is Dinamo Hardware?
General
As a counterpart to our “type software”, we invented “Dinamo Hardware”: a separate platform to translate our type design thinking into tangible objects and their production.
What is the Different Times t-shirt?
General
“Different Times” comes from the title of Johannes’ bachelor thesis at the Rietveld Academie, in which he wrote about what it means to be a type designer today, holding a mouse in our hands.
Two years after the fact, we had the idea to make a “statement” t-shirt, a reminder that “different times” ask for “different approaches”—very cheesy. The shirt eventually featured five different digital versions of the ubiquitous Times typeface: Times Ten, Times New Roman, Times LT, AT CG Times, and MT Times Bitmapped—all of which are more or less the same and are therefore undermine the shirt’s message.
For some t-shirts in the series, the template was modified according to what was going on in our own lives or in the culture at large when it was published. Hence “Difficult Times” (after Trump’s presidential election) and “Spiritual Times” (on the occasion of a short stay in Los Angeles). So far, five editions have been released with a print run of 120 each, as well as an anniversary edition in collaboration with the Danish label Wood Wood.
Can I customize the name of your typefaces? What is this for?
Custom Font Names
Adding your company’s name—say “Taco Bell”—to one of our typefaces to turn it into—for example, “Taco Bell Favorit”—obviously feels great and is a boost of confidence. But it’s also very practical: It’s an easy way to make sure everybody working for “Taco Bell” (to stick to this tasty example) uses the right typeface.
Naturally, custom naming is something we received a lot of requests for, and we’ve done so manually in the past for our clients.
For this new website, however, we’ve developed a server-side feature, which we’re proud of: You can now automatically add your own name to the typeface during check-out for a small additional fee. Our website will then generate new and customized font files with your named typefaces on the fly.
How does custom naming my font files work?
Custom Font Names
Its actually very easy and can be done in few steps online:
- As you choose the licenses you need, you can also select the “custom font naming“ add-on
- Once selected, you can enter a prefix of your choice
- Below the input field, you’ll get preview of your custom named font files
- Once you’ve completed your checkout process, our system will generate and then send you the new font files on the fly
- Please note: Changing the name after you’ve completed your checkout doesn’t work. Think about your name carefully :-)
Will custom named font files be generated on the fly?
Custom Font Names
Yes, once you’ve completed the checkout process, your custom named files will be delivered straight to your inbox and, additionally, they’ll be available for download on your user page.
Can I get a refund for my font purchase?
Purchasing
Unfortunately we cannot issue refunds for software purchases.
If I’ve purchased a Beta typeface will I receive any updates?
Beta Typefaces
Yes! Once you’ve purchased Beta typefaces you can simply re-download your order through your customer profile to grab the latest font files.
What payment methods do you accept?
Purchasing
We accept payments via PayPal and credit card.
We’re here for you
Licensing
Our client-foundry-relationship needs to be protected. Our software licensing terms can be found below: