Font Squirrel alternative

FontPivot vs the Font Squirrel Webfont Generator

The Font Squirrel Webfont Generator has helped people make @font-face kits for years, and in several areas its Expert mode offers more fine-tuning than FontPivot does. FontPivot’s webfont generator takes a different approach: your fonts are converted and subset in your browser, and the CSS includes modern options such as font-display and unicode-range. Here is how they compare.

We checked the generator page and the Font Squirrel FAQ on November 12, 2026. Features change, so confirm the details on Font Squirrel’s site before you decide.

Feature comparison

Font Squirrel Webfont Generator and FontPivot compared, as of November 12, 2026
Feature	Font Squirrel	FontPivot
Where your fonts are processed	Uploaded to Font Squirrel’s server and returned as a kit download	In your browser; the files are not uploaded
File limits	No limit stated on the generator page	25 MB per file; several files at once
Fonts it refuses	Some fonts are blocked, for example at a foundry’s request, and you must confirm the fonts are legally eligible for web embedding	No block list; FontPivot reminds you to check the license but does not check it for you
Modes	Basic, Optimal, and Expert	One converter, with an Advanced options panel
Output formats	TrueType, WOFF, WOFF2, EOT Lite, EOT Compressed, SVG	TTF, OTF, WOFF, WOFF2
Hinting and rendering	Font Squirrel hinting, keep existing, or TTFAutohint; fix the GASP table; remove kerning	Keep existing hinting (default) or remove it, with the size saved shown; no automatic hinting or GASP options
Vertical metrics	Auto-adjust, no adjustment, or custom ascent, descent, and line gap	“Fix vertical metrics” option (off by default) following Google Fonts’ rules, with before and after line heights for macOS and Windows; no custom values
Variable fonts	No instancing options on the generator page	Variable font instancer: fix an axis at one value or narrow its range, with the real file size shown; the CSS follows the new weights
Fallback font CSS to reduce layout shift	No generator for fallback CSS; x-height matching (below) resizes the web font itself instead	Font fallback generator: calculates `size-adjust`, `ascent-override`, `descent-override`, and `line-gap-override` for system fallbacks such as Arial or Roboto from your font’s metrics and character widths, with a layout shift demo. Released versions of Safari apply only `size-adjust`
x-height matching	Resize the font to match the x-height of Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet, Georgia, Times New Roman, Courier, or a percentage	Not available
Subsetting	Basic (Western languages) or custom: 34 language options, character types (lowercase, currency, math…), Unicode tables, single characters, Unicode ranges, Mac Roman encoding	Six character sets (Latin as Google Fonts serves it, which is the default, plus Basic Latin, Latin-1 Supplement, Latin Extended-A, Latin Extended Additional, and numbers and punctuation), extra characters, and Unicode ranges, with the real file size shown as you choose; optional split into one file per script, like Google Fonts
OpenType features	Keep all features or a list you type; flatten small caps, figure styles, slashed zero, stylistic alternates, or style sets 1–20 into the default glyphs	Every feature is kept by default; untick the ones you do not need. No flattening
Desktop-use protection	“WebOnly” option to disable desktop use	Not available
CSS options	Base64 embedding, style linking (family support), CSS file name	`font-display` (all five values), `local()` sources, base64 embedding, font folder, and `unicode-range` for each subset; weights and styles of one family share a `font-family`
Other tools	Font Identifier (finds a font from an image) and a large library of free fonts	Webfont generator, font subsetter, variable font instancer, font fallback generator, font viewer (details, characters, OpenType features, variable axes, vertical metrics, license notes), and 12 format-to-format converter pages
Price	Free	Free, no account

Where your fonts are processed: Font SquirrelUploaded to Font Squirrel’s server and returned as a kit download; FontPivotIn your browser; the files are not uploaded
File limits: Font SquirrelNo limit stated on the generator page; FontPivot25 MB per file; several files at once
Fonts it refuses: Font SquirrelSome fonts are blocked, for example at a foundry’s request, and you must confirm the fonts are legally eligible for web embedding; FontPivotNo block list; FontPivot reminds you to check the license but does not check it for you
Modes: Font SquirrelBasic, Optimal, and Expert; FontPivotOne converter, with an Advanced options panel
Output formats: Font SquirrelTrueType, WOFF, WOFF2, EOT Lite, EOT Compressed, SVG; FontPivotTTF, OTF, WOFF, WOFF2
Hinting and rendering: Font SquirrelFont Squirrel hinting, keep existing, or TTFAutohint; fix the GASP table; remove kerning; FontPivotKeep existing hinting (default) or remove it, with the size saved shown; no automatic hinting or GASP options
Vertical metrics: Font SquirrelAuto-adjust, no adjustment, or custom ascent, descent, and line gap; FontPivot“Fix vertical metrics” option (off by default) following Google Fonts’ rules, with before and after line heights for macOS and Windows; no custom values
Variable fonts: Font SquirrelNo instancing options on the generator page; FontPivotVariable font instancer: fix an axis at one value or narrow its range, with the real file size shown; the CSS follows the new weights
Fallback font CSS to reduce layout shift: Font SquirrelNo generator for fallback CSS; x-height matching (below) resizes the web font itself instead; FontPivotFont fallback generator: calculates size-adjust, ascent-override, descent-override, and line-gap-override for system fallbacks such as Arial or Roboto from your font’s metrics and character widths, with a layout shift demo. Released versions of Safari apply only size-adjust
x-height matching: Font SquirrelResize the font to match the x-height of Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet, Georgia, Times New Roman, Courier, or a percentage; FontPivotNot available
Subsetting: Font SquirrelBasic (Western languages) or custom: 34 language options, character types (lowercase, currency, math…), Unicode tables, single characters, Unicode ranges, Mac Roman encoding; FontPivotSix character sets (Latin as Google Fonts serves it, which is the default, plus Basic Latin, Latin-1 Supplement, Latin Extended-A, Latin Extended Additional, and numbers and punctuation), extra characters, and Unicode ranges, with the real file size shown as you choose; optional split into one file per script, like Google Fonts
OpenType features: Font SquirrelKeep all features or a list you type; flatten small caps, figure styles, slashed zero, stylistic alternates, or style sets 1–20 into the default glyphs; FontPivotEvery feature is kept by default; untick the ones you do not need. No flattening
Desktop-use protection: Font Squirrel“WebOnly” option to disable desktop use; FontPivotNot available
CSS options: Font SquirrelBase64 embedding, style linking (family support), CSS file name; FontPivotfont-display (all five values), local() sources, base64 embedding, font folder, and unicode-range for each subset; weights and styles of one family share a font-family
Other tools: Font SquirrelFont Identifier (finds a font from an image) and a large library of free fonts; FontPivotWebfont generator, font subsetter, variable font instancer, font fallback generator, font viewer (details, characters, OpenType features, variable axes, vertical metrics, license notes), and 12 format-to-format converter pages
Price: Font SquirrelFree; FontPivotFree, no account

When Font Squirrel is the better choice

You need the deepest subsetting control: by language, by character type, by Unicode table, or by encoding.
You want OpenType features flattened into the font, so small caps, old-style figures, or a stylistic set appear even where CSS cannot switch features on.
You want to match the fallback font’s x-height, or enter your own vertical metric values.
You want to add automatic hinting or set the GASP table yourself.
You need EOT or SVG fonts for very old browsers or devices.

When FontPivot is the better choice

You would rather not upload a font, for example an unreleased brand font or a font from client work.
You want font-display and unicode-range written into the CSS for you.
You want text to jump less when the web font loads without changing the font itself: the fallback generator adjusts a system fallback font instead.
You want to see the real size of each subset while you choose characters, with ligatures and kerning kept.
You want to inspect a font first: its name, weight, characters, OpenType features, variable axes, and license notes.
You need OTF output for a design app.

Good to know

If Font Squirrel refuses a font because its foundry asked to be excluded, that foundry may have rules about converting its fonts. FontPivot does not keep a block list, but that is not permission: check the license, and ask the foundry if you are unsure.
Most websites today only need WOFF2. EOT and SVG fonts were for browsers that are no longer in use; see WOFF2, WOFF, TTF, or OTF?
Subsetting changes a font file. How to subset a web font explains how to choose characters and what unicode-range does.
FontPivot’s converter also opens TTC and OTC font collections: it lists the fonts inside so you can pick the ones to convert, each as its own file.

Subset a font Open the font converter