Monotype Fonts plan

[sprout]

Does anyone have a Monotype Fonts plan? Until now, I had a subscription to the now defunct Monotype Library Subscription, which suited my needs perfectly. They have now written to me to say they are no longer renewing it.

I was wondering if the new Monotype Fonts plan is equivalent. Can you use them and embed them into PDFs to send for print, or is it only for prototyping and if you want to use / print with a font (even embedded), do you have to pay the full licence for each font?

Thanks

[Mojo]

It’s similar to the font interface you get with an Adobe subscription, except it’s monotype and their fonts.

Yes, you can embed the fonts into PDFs, but you can’t download them to your computer. If you want to download you need to license them individually through MyFonts.

You need to have an internet connection while you are working so you can access the fonts. If your internet connection drops while you are working, all their fonts will display as missing.

They had an introductory rate of $139 USD for awhile, but I think I think the regular price is $199 USD/year. It gives you use of all their fonts. There are no additional fees.

[sprout]

So you write a pdf and send it to print under the licence?

[Mojo]

Yes, you can use them in PDFs.

[sprout]

Sorry, I am being obtuse.

I realise you can physically use them in pdfs, but does the licence allow it for finished and final work? I only ask because all I could find online was vague, so I wrote to Mionotype and they were just as vague in their reply. They said, once you deploy them, a licence needs to be purchased. This could mean sending final fiiles to clients, including fonts, which I imagine and hope it is. However, ‘deploy’ could also mean final output.

I will write back to them, but not holding my breath for a precise answer.

Thanks

[Just-B]

I could easily be wrong, but I’m interpreting their word “deploy” and their word “prototyping” they use in their descriptions of the different plans as meaning the fonts are for prototyping only, and that for actual use in a finished product, they need to be purchased at full price.

[sprout]

That was by conundrum. The wording seems particularly vague. I did hear back from them again and it seems you can ‘output’ from pdfs., but even that was vague. Ultimately, they said read the EULA. Thanks. That helps!

I will find it and see what I can glean. Naturally, as with the monotype library, if I needed to share work where clients needed the fonts, I made sure they have the licence, but I could send pdfs to the printers. If this is the same, it’s worth the money. If it just so I can create visuals, then that is different.

The deploy and prototype terminology, I think is aimed at designers building brands got clients then deploying that brand to the company and they would need licences.

All just a bit classic monotype obfuscation.

[Just-B]

From this page: Professional Font Management for Businesses

Are desktop rights included with a Monotype Fonts seat for all the fonts in the Monotype Fonts library?

You have full freedom to prototype and test with any font from the Monotype Fonts typeface library and you can even share the document internally. However, once a font needs to be deployed commercially, you’ll need to secure the appropriate desktop rights.

Does every Monotype Fonts subscription come with desktop rights for the entire Monotype Fonts library?

Every subscription offers unlimited prototyping with any font from the Monotype Fonts typeface library, and you can even share documents internally. However, once you need to deploy a font, you must secure the appropriate desktop rights.

The more I read, the more it seems their subscription is nothing more than a way to charge subscribers for a convenient catalog of fonts that can be used in the same way stock photo services allow their low-res previews to be used in comps/prototypes.

In other words, a designer might show a client several comped-up versions of a project using various Montotype fonts. Once the client chooses one of the options, the fonts must be purchased.

If this is the case, I’m not even sure why Monotype is charging a fee for this capability.

[Mojo]

@sprout

The wording seems particularly vague. I did hear back from them again and it seems you can ‘output’ from pdfs., but even that was vague. Ultimately, they said read the EULA.

The EULA was written by lawyers. Their customer service in India isn’t going to wade in. I’ve found them to be only vaguely helpful on most things.

@sprout

I will find it and see what I can glean. Naturally, as with the monotype library, if I needed to share work where clients needed the fonts, I made sure they have the licence, but I could send pdfs to the printers. If this is the same, it’s worth the money.

My interpretation is that it is the same. If you are creating PDFs for print, or interactive PDFs… flyers, postcards, catalogs, magazines… it’s not an issue. But if you are using a font to create websites, apps, software, then the entire font has to be embedded somewhere, and that’s when they define it as a commercial product, and different licensing may apply. They let you do a little bit of that under your existing desktop license.

I think it’s confusing because technically everything I do is “commercial”, but their definition is different.

My approach on fonts is the same as with stock. I have subscriptions that cover my usage in creating finished pieces for my clients. But if the client wants to use a particular font or image, apart from me, then I point them to a place where they can license it.

[Just-B]

From Monotype’s font subscription EULA — Monotype Subscription EULA | Fonts.com

Commercial Product(s) means, with respect to the Font Software, anything created by Use of the Font Software which is offered for distribution to the general public, or to some subset of the general public, in exchange for a separate fee or other consideration (such as in an electronic game, an Application or in any manner where the Font Software is embedded into electronic content which is distributed for a separate fee or other consideration); provided that Electronic Content created by Use of the Web Font Software under the terms of this Agreement shall not be considered a Commercial Product.

From Section 9

You may embed the Desktop Font Software only into an electronic document, solely for print and view, that (a) is not a Commercial Product…

[sprout]

This is their latest correspondence…

Yes you may create PDF and send that to print. Once you add required plan to cart you will find link in cart itself to view license agreement.

Looks like it is allowable.

[PrintDriver]

Quite honestly looks like they don’t want you to use their fonts. They could make it far less obtuse.
Can’t wait for other foundries to do this.
At some point all these subscriptions are going to make it too expensive to be in this business.
That’s no joke.

[sprout]

If it does allow you to output, the $199 is a bargain. If is doesn’t, then they are ripping you a new one.

[Mojo]

@PrintDriver

At some point all these subscriptions are going to make it too expensive to be in this business.

It’s an industry with a very low barrier for entry and that’s one reason it’s so saturated. I’m not going to cry if a couple subscriptions scare some people off. The Pantone people are overplaying their hand, but Monotype subscription is a solid deal… from a company that has poor communication skills and customer service.

[Smurf2]

So not epubs

[PrintDriver]

I was more thinking my side of the business. You designers buy one or two subscriptions as suits you. I have to buy them all. For what we do with the typical designer file, having the live font is sometimes necessary. But that can change. Not for the better for you all.

But I guess this isn’t really any change from having to buy into all the crazy QuarkXPress add-ons people were using back in the day, just so we could open their files. But it sure is a heck of a lot more diverse.

[nuppieri]

Maybe is already clear for all, but if not: just asked in detail what is included and i can confirm: only prototype allowed. at the moment your design goes to (print)production you need to license the fonts. for web you need aswell a license for each site. so, is just 200 dollars/year to test fonts on print and web.

[sprout]

I spoke to Monotype before I took the subscription out. It does allow for embedding into pdfs and printing. However, if you produce work that you package and has to go to the client, you cannot include the fonts. They have to have a licence for it. This has always been the case. I believe you can still send to an output bureau, but they have to delete the one once the job is complete.

[nuppieri]

hmm, now i’m confused again

hier is my answer (was asking about printstuff):
"It is the case that the individual Standard plan (individuals) does not include production/commercial rights, but access to the library as well as use for prototyping and pitching. If a font is to be used for production, such as commercial printing, the license must be purchased from us accordingly, for example through MyFonts.

The desktop license does not need to be relicensed unless more than one user is added, etc.
The Pro plan would include a web license for 3 weights, these would be variable interchangeable."

and on the monotype startsite:

printing on my printer is clear… but the thing is when you actually send directly a pdf to the print-office… i understand this is not allowed. must ask again…

[AWorthyCause]

First post (I just signed up to add this)
I also had the Library Subscription. When they eventually stopped my yearly renewal I spoke to a customer agent in a video call about the new plan. She was really clear that for fonts in a print job (we didn’t discuss web) you were free to prototype and create visuals, then before sending to print you were supposed to ask Monotype for a quote for the fonts used. For each job!
I asked her how I was supposed to quote a client at the start of a job, if I didn’t know the font price until the end and which weights etc had been used.
She was really clear this is how it was supposed to work, even though in a second chat I pointed out how it made work more difficult.
Interestingly, this week I logged into an old fonts com account which is owned by Monotype. You can still buy, at the original price, the Library Subscription!!!