Browser Font Extensions - and Their Limits
Browser extensions like WhatFont and Fontanello let you identify fonts with a hover or click. Here's how they compare - and when a URL scanner does the job better.
Popular Font Extensions
WhatFont
Hover over any text to see the font family, size, weight, and color. One of the most popular font inspector extensions.
Pros
- +No DevTools required
- +Shows font on hover instantly
- +Works in Chrome and Safari
Cons
- −One element at a time
- −No full-page font inventory
- −Must be installed per browser
Fontanello
Right-click any text to see font details. Available for Chrome and Firefox.
Pros
- +Context-menu integration
- +Clean output
- +Works on Firefox
Cons
- −Element-by-element only
- −No export or full inventory
Common Limits of Font Extensions
- •Extensions only inspect one element at a time - no full inventory.
- •They can't detect fonts that are declared but not applied to visible text.
- •Only work in the browser where installed - not useful for sharing or auditing remotely.
- •May not detect web fonts loaded via complex CSS (e.g. conditional @supports rules).
When to Use a URL Scanner Instead
For a complete inventory of every font a website loads - @font-face declarations, Google Fonts, Bunny Fonts, Fontshare - paste the URL below. One scan, full result, no installation needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is WhatFont?
WhatFont is a browser extension (Chrome, Safari) that shows the font family, size, weight, and color of any text you hover over. It's great for quick lookups but limited to one element at a time.
Is there a WhatFont alternative?
Yes - Fontanello works on Chrome and Firefox with a right-click menu. For a full-page audit without any extension, paste the URL into the scanner above.
Can extensions detect all fonts on a page?
No. Extensions inspect individual elements. They won't tell you about fonts that are loaded but not applied to currently-visible text. A URL scanner catches everything.
Do I need to install anything to use this tool?
No. Paste any URL and the scanner does the work in the cloud - no extension, no DevTools, no installation required.