Free font alternatives
Free alternatives to 164 commercial fonts
Pick the commercial typeface you were going to license — Helvetica, Gotham, Proxima Nova, Futura, Garamond, Bodoni — and get the closest free, open-licensed families from our library of 1,941 self-hosted fonts. Every match is scored deterministically from classification, real OpenType metrics, traits and role — no model, no votes, the same answer every time — and shown in its own face with the reasons behind the number.
Commercial names are used only to identify each typeface and link to its rights holder. We never host or embed commercial fonts.
mcpConnect your agent — find alternatives live
live endpointPoint any MCP client at the shared fonts endpoint and your agent can rank the same alternatives with every axis score — find_alternatives and list_commercial_fonts, alongside list_fonts and suggest_fonts. Read-only, no key.
endpoint
https://mcp.brandsweets.com/fonts/mcpclaude mcp add --transport http brandsweets-fonts https://mcp.brandsweets.com/fonts/mcp
try this prompt
›find a free alternative to Gotham for a modern SaaS brand
Want the agent to remember your picks and write them into a living brand? Create a free BrandSweets workspace.
164 commercial fonts
Neo-grotesque sans
- Free alternatives to HelveticaLinotype / MonotypeTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Helvetica NeueLinotype / MonotypeTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Helvetica NowMonotypeTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Neue Haas GroteskLinotype / Monotype (Christian Schwartz)Top pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to ArialMonotypeTop pick: Arimo →
- Free alternatives to UniversLinotype / Monotype (Adrian Frutiger)Top pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to SF ProAppleTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to SöhneKlim Type FoundryTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Suisse Int'lSwiss TypefacesTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to GraphikCommercial TypeTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Maison NeueMilieu GrotesqueTop pick: Rethink Sans →
- Free alternatives to Neue MontrealPangram PangramTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Aktiv GroteskDalton MaagTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Atlas GroteskCommercial TypeTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to TheinhardtOptimoTop pick: Instrument Sans →
- Free alternatives to Unica77LinetoTop pick: Roboto Flex →
- Free alternatives to FF RealFontFont / MonotypeTop pick: Golos Text →
- Free alternatives to Neue Haas UnicaMonotypeTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Helvetica CondensedLinotype / MonotypeTop pick: Roboto Condensed →
Grotesque sans
- Free alternatives to Akzidenz-GroteskBertholdTop pick: Work Sans →
- Free alternatives to GT AmericaGrilli TypeTop pick: Work Sans →
- Free alternatives to Founders GroteskKlim Type FoundryTop pick: Work Sans →
- Free alternatives to NationalKlim Type FoundryTop pick: Instrument Sans →
- Free alternatives to Basis GrotesqueColophon FoundryTop pick: Inter →
- Free alternatives to Sharp GroteskSharp TypeTop pick: Archivo →
- Free alternatives to StyreneCommercial TypeTop pick: Archivo Black →
- Free alternatives to Px GroteskOptimoTop pick: Space Grotesk →
- Free alternatives to Benton SansFont Bureau / Type NetworkTop pick: Instrument Sans →
- Free alternatives to Franklin GothicITC / MonotypeTop pick: Libre Franklin →
- Free alternatives to News GothicMonotypeTop pick: Instrument Sans →
- Free alternatives to Trade GothicLinotype / MonotypeTop pick: Archivo Narrow →
- Free alternatives to TungstenHoefler&Co.Top pick: Bebas Neue →
- Free alternatives to KnockoutHoefler&Co.Top pick: Oswald →
- Free alternatives to Alternate GothicVarious (ATF revival cuts)Top pick: Staatliches →
- Free alternatives to Bebas Neue ProDharma TypeTop pick: Staatliches →
Humanist sans
- Free alternatives to Segoe UIMicrosoftTop pick: Open Sans →
- Free alternatives to Gill SansMonotype (Eric Gill)Top pick: Cabin →
- Free alternatives to FrutigerLinotype / Monotype (Adrian Frutiger)Top pick: Open Sans →
- Free alternatives to Myriad ProAdobeTop pick: PT Sans →
- Free alternatives to CalibriMicrosoft (Lucas de Groot)Top pick: Carlito →
- Free alternatives to VerdanaMicrosoft (Matthew Carter)Top pick: Red Hat Text →
- Free alternatives to TahomaMicrosoft (Matthew Carter)Top pick: Red Hat Text →
- Free alternatives to Lucida GrandeBigelow & HolmesTop pick: Open Sans →
- Free alternatives to FF MetaFontFont / Monotype (Erik Spiekermann)Top pick: Fira Sans →
- Free alternatives to FF DaxFontFont / MonotypeTop pick: PT Sans Narrow →
- Free alternatives to SyntaxLinotype / MonotypeTop pick: Lato →
- Free alternatives to WhitneyHoefler&Co.Top pick: Source Sans 3 →
- Free alternatives to Ideal SansHoefler&Co.Top pick: Lato →
- Free alternatives to AutoUnderwareTop pick: Lato →
- Free alternatives to Fedra SansTypothequeTop pick: Recursive →
- Free alternatives to FF Scala SansFontFont / MonotypeTop pick: Atkinson Hyperlegible →
- Free alternatives to Freight SansDarden StudioTop pick: Lato →
Geometric sans
- Free alternatives to Product SansGoogleTop pick: Poppins →
- Free alternatives to GT WalsheimGrilli TypeTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to CalibreKlim Type FoundryTop pick: DM Sans →
- Free alternatives to ApercuColophon FoundryTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to RoobertDisplaayTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to Sharp SansSharp TypeTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to GothamHoefler&Co.Top pick: Montserrat →
- Free alternatives to Proxima NovaMark Simonson StudioTop pick: Nunito Sans →
- Free alternatives to FuturaBauer / Neufville; Monotype & URW cutsTop pick: Jost →
- Free alternatives to AvenirLinotype / Monotype (Adrian Frutiger)Top pick: Nunito Sans →
- Free alternatives to Avenir NextLinotype / MonotypeTop pick: Nunito Sans →
- Free alternatives to CircularLineto (Laurenz Brunner)Top pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to Brandon GrotesqueHVD FontsTop pick: Josefin Sans →
- Free alternatives to Brandon TextHVD FontsTop pick: Nunito Sans →
- Free alternatives to Sofia ProMostardesignTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to Museo SansexljbrisTop pick: Nunito Sans →
- Free alternatives to NeutrafaceHouse IndustriesTop pick: Righteous →
- Free alternatives to Century GothicMonotypeTop pick: Questrial →
- Free alternatives to ITC Avant Garde GothicITC / MonotypeTop pick: Righteous →
- Free alternatives to KabelLinotype / MonotypeTop pick: Righteous →
- Free alternatives to Harmonia SansMonotypeTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to FF MarkFontFont / MonotypeTop pick: Red Hat Display →
- Free alternatives to TT CommonsTypeTypeTop pick: Manrope →
- Free alternatives to TT NormsTypeTypeTop pick: Manrope →
- Free alternatives to Cera ProTypeMatesTop pick: Quicksand →
- Free alternatives to EinaTextaxisTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to Greycliff CFConnary FagenTop pick: Poppins →
- Free alternatives to Visby CFConnary FagenTop pick: Red Hat Display →
- Free alternatives to GilroyRadomir TinkovTop pick: Red Hat Display →
- Free alternatives to ObjektivDalton MaagTop pick: Manrope →
- Free alternatives to EuclidSwiss TypefacesTop pick: DM Sans →
- Free alternatives to AeonikCoType FoundryTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to ColfaxProcess Type FoundryTop pick: Figtree →
- Free alternatives to VerlagHoefler&Co.Top pick: Righteous →
Rounded sans
Glyphic sans
Industrial sans
Techno sans
Techno
Grotesque
Old-style serif
- Free alternatives to Garamond (Adobe / Stempel)Adobe; Linotype / MonotypeTop pick: EB Garamond →
- Free alternatives to SabonLinotype / Monotype (Jan Tschichold)Top pick: Source Serif 4 →
- Free alternatives to Minion ProAdobe (Robert Slimbach)Top pick: EB Garamond →
- Free alternatives to Caslon (Adobe Caslon)Adobe; ITC; variousTop pick: Libre Caslon Text →
- Free alternatives to BemboMonotypeTop pick: Crimson Pro →
- Free alternatives to PalatinoLinotype / Monotype (Hermann Zapf)Top pick: Literata →
- Free alternatives to Adobe JensonAdobe (Robert Slimbach)Top pick: Crimson Pro →
- Free alternatives to Goudy Old StyleMonotype / variousTop pick: Forum →
- Free alternatives to PlantinMonotypeTop pick: Literata →
- Free alternatives to Freight TextDarden StudioTop pick: Crimson Pro →
- Free alternatives to Freight DisplayDarden StudioTop pick: Playfair Display →
- Free alternatives to LyonCommercial TypeTop pick: Spectral →
- Free alternatives to RecoletaLatinotypeTop pick: Fraunces →
- Free alternatives to WindsorBitstream / MonotypeTop pick: Fraunces →
Transitional serif
- Free alternatives to BaskervilleMonotype; ITC New Baskerville; variousTop pick: Libre Baskerville →
- Free alternatives to Times New RomanMonotypeTop pick: Tinos →
- Free alternatives to CambriaMicrosoft (Jelle Bosma)Top pick: IBM Plex Serif →
- Free alternatives to Editorial NewPangram PangramTop pick: Instrument Serif →
- Free alternatives to CharterBitstream (Matthew Carter)Top pick: IBM Plex Serif →
- Free alternatives to GT SectraGrilli TypeTop pick: Pixelify Sans →
- Free alternatives to GT SuperGrilli TypeTop pick: DM Serif Display →
Scotch serif
- Free alternatives to GeorgiaMicrosoft (Matthew Carter)Top pick: Gelasio →
- Free alternatives to MillerFont Bureau / Type Network (Matthew Carter)Top pick: Gelasio →
- Free alternatives to MercuryHoefler&Co.Top pick: Gelasio →
- Free alternatives to ChronicleHoefler&Co.Top pick: Source Serif 4 →
- Free alternatives to PublicoCommercial TypeTop pick: Gelasio →
- Free alternatives to SurveyorHoefler&Co.Top pick: DM Serif Display →
Contemporary-serif serif
Didone serif
- Free alternatives to DomaineKlim Type FoundryTop pick: Playfair Display →
- Free alternatives to OggSharp TypeTop pick: Instrument Serif →
- Free alternatives to BodoniVarious (Bauer Bodoni, ITC Bodoni, Bodoni Moda is open)Top pick: Bodoni Moda →
- Free alternatives to DidotLinotype / Monotype; HTF DidotTop pick: Playfair Display →
- Free alternatives to Noe DisplaySchick ToikkaTop pick: Abril Fatface →
- Free alternatives to RecklessDisplaayTop pick: Fraunces →
- Free alternatives to MigraPangram PangramTop pick: Fraunces →
Glyphic serif
Fat-face
Glyphic
Geometric-slab
Clarendon
Slab
Monospace
- Free alternatives to Courier (Courier New)Monotype / IBMTop pick: Courier Prime →
- Free alternatives to Operator MonoHoefler&Co.Top pick: Victor Mono →
- Free alternatives to Berkeley MonoU.S. Graphics CompanyTop pick: JetBrains Mono →
- Free alternatives to Dank MonoPhil PlückthunTop pick: Victor Mono →
- Free alternatives to MonoLisaFaceTypeTop pick: JetBrains Mono →
- Free alternatives to Input MonoFont Bureau / DJR (David Jonathan Ross)Top pick: IBM Plex Mono →
- Free alternatives to SF MonoAppleTop pick: JetBrains Mono →
- Free alternatives to MenloApple (Bitstream Vera derivative)Top pick: JetBrains Mono →
- Free alternatives to ConsolasMicrosoft (Lucas de Groot)Top pick: Inconsolata →
- Free alternatives to PragmataProFabrizio SchiaviTop pick: JetBrains Mono →
- Free alternatives to GT Pressura MonoGrilli TypeTop pick: IBM Plex Mono →
Brush
Script
Blackletter
Stencil
How the score works
0.35 classification + 0.25 metrics + 0.20 traits + 0.10 role + 0.05 language + 0.05 variable. Open-font proportions are measured from the files; the thresholds, sibling classes and tie-breaks are all published so you can reproduce any result — or argue with it.