Fontello
Fontello is a free web tool and API for assembling icon artwork into webfonts for websites.
What Fontello is
Fontello is a free web tool and API for assembling icon artwork into webfonts for websites. It can reduce glyph collections and combine symbols from multiple fonts into one file, and it includes open-source artwork. You can add custom SVG icons or SVG fonts by dragging them into the web app, then download the generated files in a ZIP archive. That archive includes a config.json file that can be imported into Fontello to continue editing. Its API can create a session from a font configuration, reopen the configured project, and download the generated font; sessions remain stored for 24 hours. The project also lists a Makefile example, Node.js and Ruby command-line tools, and a Grunt integration. Fontello does not provide accounts for storing projects on its server, so it recommends keeping project archives in version control. Generated font icons are single-color. The code is MIT-licensed, while embedded fonts retain their own licenses. The site requires JavaScript and will not work if cookies are completely disabled.
Good
- Free service for generating webfonts
- Accepts custom SVG icons and SVG fonts
- ZIP archive includes a reusable project configuration
- API and several listed workflow integrations
Watch out
- Generated font icons are single-color
- No user accounts for server-side project storage
- Requires JavaScript and cookies cannot be completely disabled
Who it suits
Fontello suits web developers who want to combine built-in or custom SVG artwork into webfonts. It may fit projects that can keep their own archives and work within single-color icons.
Verdict
Fontello offers a direct way to assemble and export webfont icons, with an API and integrations for repeatable workflows. Keep the archive yourself and account for the single-color icon limitation.
Plans and prices
From Fontello's own pricing page, checked 11 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free service; generated fonts are intended for web use |
The facts
Each one read from Fontello's own pages, with the date it was checked.
Where it runs
- Browser requirements
- The site requires JavaScript and will not work if cookies are completely disabled.checked 11 Oct 2026
What it does
- Built-in artwork
- The tool includes a collection of open-source artwork.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Combine icons
- It can shrink glyph collections and merge symbols from several fonts into one file.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Custom artwork
- Users can import their own artwork in SVG format and generate a font from it.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Custom icons
- The web app accepts custom SVG icons or SVG fonts by drag and drop.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Export
- Fontello creates the generated files in a single ZIP archive.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Icon color
- The project documentation describes generated iconic-font icons as single-color.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The project lists a Makefile example, a Node.js CLI, a Ruby CLI gem, and a Grunt integration.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Intended audience
- The project describes the tool as a way to combine icon webfonts for use in a user's own project.checked 11 Oct 2026
- License
- Fontello's code, except for fonts, is distributed under the MIT license; embedded fonts retain their primary licenses.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Licensing
- The code is MIT-licensed, while embedded fonts retain their primary licenses, including SIL OFL, CC BY, and CC BY-SA.checked 11 Oct 2026
- No project accounts
- The project says it does not provide user accounts for storing projects on its server and recommends storing projects in version control such as GitHub.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Notable limitation
- The introduction says icons in the generated fonts are single-color.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Project recovery
- Generated archives contain a config.json file that users can import back into Fontello to continue editing.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Project storage
- Fontello does not provide user accounts for storing projects; it recommends saving project archives in version control such as GitHub.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Fontello combines icon webfonts for a project, shrinks glyph collections, merges symbols from several fonts, and provides open source icons.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to its wiki for help and its GitHub issue tracker to share ideas.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Support and help
- The project links to a help wiki covering usage, importing, licensing, and troubleshooting topics.checked 11 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Fontello packs vector images into webfonts for use on web pages.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Workflow API
- The API can create a session from a font configuration, reopen it with the configuration loaded, and download the resulting font; sessions are stored for 24 hours.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Workflow automation
- Its API can create a session from a config file, reopen a configured project, and download the generated font; sessions are stored for 24 hours.checked 11 Oct 2026
Alternatives to Fontello
- 1

Counterpunch
Free planOpen sourceWebAPILinuxmacOS8.0From €5 a month - 2

FontBob
Free planAndroidiOSWebLinux7.9From $7 a month - 3
Calligraphr
Free planWebmacOSWindows7.6From £8 a month - 4

Fontra
Free planOpen sourceWebLinuxmacOSSelf-hosted7.5Free plan - 5
FontMaker
Free planAndroidiOSWebLinux7.3From $3.99 a month - 6
Prototypo
Free planWebExtensionLinuxmacOS7.0From $8.25 a month
