Positives
- Cloud-based solution
- Font activation technology
- Font pairing AI recommendations
- Clean and intuitive interface
- Customizable collections
Negatives
- No live chat or phone support
- Limited subscription offers
Since its launch in 2022, Extensis Connect Fonts – a combination of Suitcase Fusion and TeamSync – has been innovating non-stop in the font management industry. Following this merge, the software became a desktop and web-based font manager tool designed to help users find, view, organize, and use different fonts.
Fundamentally, the platform simplifies font management and improves workflow for designers and creative professionals. Features range from font search and sharing to more advanced technology like AI-recommended font pairings.
Each and every one is designed to streamline users’ day-to-day work, whether using macOS or Windows operating systems. Due to this, the intuitive software is an excellent choice for anyone wanting to take their font management to the next level.
When it comes to pricing, the structure couldn’t be more straightforward: there’s only one subscription plan, which costs $10 per month with annual billing. If you don’t want to commit straight away, there’s a 15-day free trial to test the platform first.
Features
Connect Fonts has developed many excellent ways to save users time and energy. For one, there’s the font activation technology, which removes the hassle of installing fonts on a computer system. By having the option to activate the fonts both permanently and temporarily, users are presented with a handy and intuitive way to list their fonts. It’s also helpful that Connect Fonts allows you to sync fonts directly from your computer and from Google Fonts.
Going a step further, there’s a font searching function that locates specific fonts based on particular attributes, such as style or weight. This tool, aligned with the service’s document tracking capability, makes it possible for the platform to detect and find fonts from creative software like Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer.
Connect Fonts doesn’t just stop there. Once a desired font is selected, the AI font pairing recommendation will show all the fonts that go together well with the selected font, saving users research, analysis, and pairing time. In the web version, there is also the possibility to add and adapt font licenses to the most recent models.
To access Connect Fonts in full, users must make sure they install the desktop version, since it runs the necessary background processes that enable several features. Even though the desktop app doesn’t need to be kept open, it needs to be installed.
Font Organization and Sharing
In terms of organization, Connect Fonts doesn’t fall behind. Finding and arranging projects couldn’t be easier with the option to fully customize font collections. Users can add ratings and tags to fonts, making them show up when searched for. This combined with the font detection tool are the perfect match for creating useful personal libraries.
These libraries can be made in the web version where team members are able to view, upload, and collect fonts. Once created, these libraries are automatically synced to the desktop version. Shared libraries are particularly convenient when collaborating with coworkers on the same project, as they’re able to access the selected fonts and edit in the same design files, keeping consistency within teams.
Preview Options
There are many different font preview options. The tile view shows the font family, quicktype displays a list, waterfall showcases the font in different sizes, and ABC123 allows users to view the font in the form of a letter, symbol (glyph), or number. Switching between the preview types takes only a click of a button, so choosing the correct font doesn’t need to be a long-winded process.
When needing to compare several fonts, there’s also the option to activate the font list on top of the preview options. This makes the process of selecting fonts much faster and easier.
Web and Desktop Apps
While Connect Fonts’ desktop version meets all the basic font management requirements, the web application is designed to enrich creative flow, enhancing the traditional elements by offering automated font pairing suggestions and intuitive search.
Due to the slight differences between the web and desktop versions, it’s best to combine the two for an optimal experience. This way, there’s a benefit to having the choice of both, as some projects will be better suited to one app over the other.
Pricing
Connect Fonts offers a 15-day free trial, giving users full access to the software without restrictions. To top it off, no credit card information is required to activate this trial, so you can get started testing the service in an instant.
To keep things simple, the company only offers one subscription-based package, which is $10 per user per month, billed annually. Customers have the freedom to set up this payment via PayPal or credit card. Overall, the software is a little pricey compared to its competitors, but its innovations and unique features make the price worth it for those who constantly work with fonts.
Extensis also has a cloud-based digital asset management platform: Connect Assets. It’s designed to help users find, sync, compile, and edit their documents in only one place. Much like Connect Fonts, there’s only one subscription available, costing $25 per month, billed annually. Although the two services go hand in hand, there’s unfortunately no bundle available, so they need to be bought separately.
Customer Service
Connect Fonts leaves room for improvement when it comes to its customer support. Even though the platform offers an extensive support page that contains desktop and web software information, video tutorials, and informative articles, it lacks interactivity with its customers. There is no phone line assistance and no operating live chat.
On the other hand, there’s a chatbot designed to help users find answers to their questions through the articles in the knowledge base. If the desired information can’t be found on this page, users can submit a request online for more specific queries. Despite the lack of direct contact, Extensis still promises a fast response rate.
If you simply want to find out about software updates, fonts, typography, creativity, and design, you can turn to the platform’s blog. It provides the opportunity for users to engage in a fun and relaxed way with the products Extensis offers, while simultaneously acquiring more knowledge of the creation and font industry.
Bottom Line
Overall, Connect Fonts is a reliable and easy-to-use font management platform that offers unique benefits for designers and creative professionals working independently or in teams. The two highly intuitive browser and desktop apps of the service make finding and using the right fonts for the job at hand easier. Compared with other similar software available, Connect Fonts is a comprehensive solution that checks all the required boxes for effective font management.
The 15-day free trial is a great way to explore the platform before committing to the $120 annual fee. While the subscription-based pricing may be a deterrent for some customers, the software’s advanced features and clean usability make it a valuable investment for those who regularly work with fonts.
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