Fonts, clip art, photos, mockups, textures and icons make digital products look professional. Almost all of them come with a licence: the creator's terms for how you may use their work. Using an asset in a way its licence does not allow can lead to a listing being removed or a claim against you, even if you paid for it or found it for free.
This article explains what to look for. It is not legal advice, and licence wording varies. If you are unsure what a licence means, ask the creator or get professional advice before you use the asset in something you sell.
Four questions to ask of every licence
- Can I use it commercially? Personal use only means you cannot use it in anything you sell, including a free product that promotes a paid one. Free does not automatically mean free for commercial use.
- Can I use it in products I sell? Some commercial licences cover using an asset in your own marketing or client work, but not in items for sale. Others allow it in finished designs, but not where the asset itself is the main thing being sold.
- Can I include it in editable files? This matters for templates. When you sell an editable Canva, Word or PowerPoint file, the buyer can use the font or graphic too. Many licences treat this differently, or need an extra licence.
- Are there limits or conditions? Look for caps on the number of sales, requirements to credit the creator, and rules such as flattening text or images so they cannot be extracted.
Common types of licence
- Personal use only: not for anything you sell.
- Commercial use: usually allows use in products for sale, often with conditions. Read the details.
- Extended or unlimited: usually removes some limits, such as sales caps, for a higher fee.
- Public domain or CC0: generally free to use, including commercially, without credit. Check the source is reliable.
- Creative Commons with conditions: some versions require a credit, and some do not allow commercial use at all. The letters NC mean non-commercial.
Fonts need extra care
Font licences often separate desktop use, such as using the font to make a PDF, from embedding it in files or apps. A PDF with embedded text is usually fine under a desktop licence, but an editable template that lets buyers type in your font may not be. If in doubt, flatten text in fixed products, choose fonts with clear commercial terms for templates, or tell buyers which free font to install.
Keep a dated record
Licences can change over time. The terms that usually apply are the ones in place when you got the asset, so save a copy of the licence or your receipt, with the date, somewhere safe. For each asset, note:
- what it is and where you got it,
- the licence type and what it allows,
- any limits or credits needed,
- where the licence copy is saved, and
- which of your products use it.
Then if a question ever comes up, you can answer it in minutes, and if you ever need to replace an asset, you know exactly which products to update.
Start with your best sellers
You do not need to record everything in one go. Start with the products that sell most, then work back through the rest. Anything you are unsure about can be checked with the creator or swapped for an asset with clearer terms.
A ready-made register
The free Rights and Asset Register has a row for each asset and flags anything that needs attention: licences to check, assets not allowed in products for sale, missing licence copies and credits to give. When you check a product before publishing, the Quality-Check Checklist includes a reminder to confirm every asset is licensed.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Always read the licence for each asset you use, and seek professional advice if you are unsure.