Web designers, rejoice: Monotype buys Typecast, more webfonts to follow

This morning, we learned that O.G. type giant Monotype has acquired Typecast, a newcomer to the type scene and one that’s been making large waves in the webfont pool.

Typecast, which is currently in a public beta, allows web designers and developers to combine and compare different webfonts directly from the browser. The app also generates CSS and HTML code on the fly for designers’ further convenience.

The acquisition was made specifically to bolster Monotype’s position in the world of web design — to give it a stronger product suite for webfonts and to increase its own talent pool of web-focused creatives. Currently, Monotype offers its Fonts.com webfont service as well as SkyFonts, a cloud-based service.

The deal was worth up to $5.1 million; Monotype bought all outstanding Typecast shares, paying $2.6 million in cash, with the remainder due when certain performance goals are met over the next two years.

Here’s a quick look at what Typecast brings to the table:

“The Web has become a critical publishing platform, where brands need to represent themselves with clarity and consistency across connected devices,” said Monotype president and CEO Doug Shaw in a statement on the news.

“We believe Typecast has the potential to take webfonts to a whole new level of productivity and creative expression.”

Typecast employees will continue to work in their current locations, and the shop’s Belfast office will remain its headquarters under Monotype’s leadership.

Top image courtesy of Hasloo Group Production Studio, Shutterstock