Last updated: June 21, 2024

Welcome

FontDownloader is a hassle free tool for managing web fonts provided by the Google Fonts Api. This GUI is tailored for developers who value efficiency and detail in their projects by only shipping the subsets of fonts that the user actually needs. Subsetting is the practice of creating a “subset” of a font which is a file that contains a limited collection of glyphs. Visit fonts.google.com for more information.

Why self-hosting fonts?

  • Performance Optimization: Self-hosting fonts can lead to faster loading times for websites. When fonts are hosted externally, the browser might have to do additional HTTP requests to fetch these fonts an external domain. Web performance metrics, such as Google's PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse, penalize sites that make numerous external requests, including for fonts. By self-hosting, these requests are reduced, speeding up page load times, which is beneficial for SEO and user experience.
  • Customization and Optimization: Self-hosting allows for more customization options. You can host specific font formats optimized for different browsers, and include only the specific subsets and weights you need, rather than the entire font family. This can significantly reduce file sizes.
  • Privacy Concerns and Avoiding Tracking: When using fonts from services like Google Fonts, there's a potential for user tracking. Google may collect data on users who visit websites using their fonts. By hosting the fonts yourself, you eliminate this external dependency, thereby enhancing user privacy by preventing third-party tracking. This approach is particularly appealing for users and developers who prioritize data privacy and want to minimize the potential tracking footprint of their websites and wanting to minimize legal issues by staying GDPR-compliant.

How to use this Font Downloader?

This web app generates all the necessary CSS needed to implement and self-host the chosen font sub sets. Get started by searching your desired font on the top nav bar and download the desired font. Select and configure only the font subsets and variants you need. It's all open-source and free!

JSON API

This API allows you to us google fonts without having to use a Google account. The API is public, feel free to use it directly (rate-limits may apply). No authentication is required. For more Visit the API Docs on GitHub!

Want to contribute?

Got ideas to make this Google Webfonts Helper even better? Visit the project on GitHub! Whether it’s suggesting new features, reporting bugs, or contributing to the code, your input is invaluable in shaping this tool.