Why Should You Audit Fonts?
Your website may have dozens of pages, multiple templates, and contributions from several developers and designers. Unlicensed fonts can slip in unnoticed over time. Regular font audits:
- Detect legal risks early
- Help you plan licensing budgets accurately
- Maintain brand consistency
- Build trust with clients and partners
Manual Audit Methods
1. Browser Developer Tools
Chrome DevTools → Elements → Computed → check the font-family field. This only covers a single page at a time.
2. Inspect CSS Files
Search for @font-face rules and font-family declarations. Self-hosted font filenames often reveal the typeface name.
3. Network Tab
Check which font CDNs are requested during page load (fonts.googleapis.com, use.typekit.net, etc.).
Downside: Manual methods do not cover your entire site and are time-consuming.
Automated Auditing with FontScanner
FontScanner crawls your entire website and automatically detects all fonts:
- Enter your domain — e.g.,
yourcompany.com - Full-site scan — crawls every page
- Detects font sources — Google Fonts, Adobe, self-hosted, system
- Flags licensed fonts — matched against a database of known commercial typefaces
- Page-level report — see exactly which font appears on which page
Post-Audit Action Plan
After your audit:
| Status | Action |
|---|---|
| ✅ Open-source font | No issue — continue using |
| ⚠️ Unknown self-hosted font | Verify the license documentation |
| 🔴 Commercial/licensed font | Purchase a license or switch to an alternative |
Alternative Font Options
If you need to replace a licensed font, similar open-source alternatives exist:
- Helvetica → Inter, IBM Plex Sans
- Gotham → Montserrat, Poppins
- Proxima Nova → Nunito, Source Sans 3
- Avenir → Nunito Sans, Work Sans
Recommended Audit Schedule
- New site launch — always scan before going live
- After a redesign — every major visual update
- Quarterly — routine periodic check
- After agency handoff — a new team may have added different fonts
Conclusion
Font auditing is no longer optional — it is essential. With FontScanner, you can scan your entire site in minutes, identify license risks, and protect your business.