FontShaper

FontShaper supports After Effects versions from CC 2018 through 2024, including 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. That range covers a wide span of recent releases, so users on older or current builds should find a match. Beyond After Effects, the script also runs in Adobe Illustrator across the 2018 to 2024 versions and in Photoshop from CC 2018 through 2023. For the exact version you're on, check GothLab's page on aescripts, since compatibility can change with later updates. The current release is version 1.0, published on April 4, 2024.

FontShaper isn't limited to After Effects. GothLab lists it as compatible with Adobe Illustrator across the 2018 through 2024 versions and with Photoshop from CC 2018 through 2023. The core idea is the same in each app: use fonts without needing to install them. Photoshop support stops at 2023 in the listed compatibility, while After Effects and Illustrator reach 2024, so confirm your app version on the developer's page before relying on it. This gives the script coverage across three of Adobe's widely used creative applications.

FontShaper can be installed in a couple of ways. The easiest is through the aescripts + aeplugins manager, which handles the setup for you. You can also install it manually using the ZXP installer. After installing, enable 'Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network' under Edit > Preferences > Scripting and Expressions in After Effects so the script can function. If you plan to use Google Fonts, the Read Me file explains how to add a Google API key, which is required for that feature, and a tutorial is provided to walk you through the process.

FontShaper can pull from Google Fonts, but that feature requires a Google API key. GothLab provides a tutorial and notes in the Read Me file how to add the key so the connection works. For this to run, After Effects also needs 'Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network' enabled in the Scripting and Expressions preferences. Alongside Google Fonts, FontShaper can draw from a local fonts folder, which supports one level of folders; the developer advises against using digits as font names in that folder.

FontShaper is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing terms and any conditions tied to using it across After Effects, Illustrator, and Photoshop, check GothLab's page on aescripts, since availability and terms can change over time. Note that using the Google Fonts feature requires setting up a Google API key, which is separate from the script itself, while the local fonts folder option works without that requirement. Always confirm the latest details on the developer's page before downloading.