# Free alternatives to Interstate

Interstate is a commercial industrial sans from Font Bureau / Type Network (Tobias Frere-Jones) (https://fontbureau.typenetwork.com/fonts/interstate). Commercial; licensed from Type Network. The name is used only to identify the typeface; BrandSweets does not host or embed it. Below: the 8 closest free, open-licensed families, ranked by a published deterministic score (https://brandsweets.com/fonts/alternatives/methodology).

## Reference profile

- Slug: `interstate`
- Category: sans · Class: industrial, grotesque
- Traits: industrial, technical, bold, modern, monoline
- Roles: heading, display, ui
- Metrics: x-height 0.55, cap height 0.71, normal width, low contrast (approximate, publicly documented)
- Languages: latin, latin-ext · Variable: no
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/alternatives/interstate

## Score

`score = 0.35·classification + 0.25·metrics + 0.20·traits + 0.10·useCase + 0.05·language + 0.05·variable`; every axis in [0, 1]. A family gate runs first: specialist families (blackletter, script, glyphic, stencil, monospace, pixel) only list same-family fonts; elsewhere a cross-family mismatch is capped at 0.2. Curated picks are listed first, then pure formula; ties break on popularity, then slug.

## Ranked alternatives

### 1. Overpass — 84% (curated)

- Slug: `overpass` · sans · OFL-1.1 · Delve Withrington, Dave Bailey, Thomas Jockin · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/overpass · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/overpass/font.md
- Why (curated): Also based on Highway Gothic — Interstate's signage roots with the same squared forms.
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: industrial, grotesque.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.89 — x-height 0.51 vs 0.55 for Interstate (close); cap height 0.70 vs 0.71 for Interstate (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.60 — Shares industrial, monoline, technical (3 of 5 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 0.50 — Both suit heading, ui; Overpass is not tagged for display.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Interstate's subsets (latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Interstate.
- Family gate: pass — Same family: sans.

### 2. Barlow — 85% (curated)

- Slug: `barlow` · sans · OFL-1.1 · Jeremy Tribby · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/barlow · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/barlow/font.md
- Why (curated): Low-contrast grotesque with Interstate's slightly rounded, engineering feel.
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: industrial, grotesque.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.88 — x-height 0.51 vs 0.55 for Interstate (close); cap height 0.70 vs 0.71 for Interstate (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.67 — Shares industrial, modern, monoline, technical (4 of 6 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 0.50 — Both suit heading, ui; Barlow is not tagged for display.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Interstate's subsets (latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Interstate.
- Family gate: pass — Same family: sans.

### 3. Archivo — 90%

- Slug: `archivo` · sans · OFL-1.1 · Omnibus-Type · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/archivo · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/archivo/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: grotesque.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.89 — x-height 0.53 vs 0.55 for Interstate (close); cap height 0.69 vs 0.71 for Interstate (close); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.80 — Shares bold, industrial, modern, monoline (4 of 5 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 0.67 — Both suit heading, ui; Archivo is not tagged for display.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Interstate's subsets (latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Interstate.
- Family gate: pass — Same family: sans.

### 4. IBM Plex Sans — 86%

- Slug: `ibm-plex-sans` · sans · OFL-1.1 · Mike Abbink, Bold Monday · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/ibm-plex-sans · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/ibm-plex-sans/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: grotesque.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.90 — x-height 0.52 vs 0.55 for Interstate (close); cap height 0.70 vs 0.71 for Interstate (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.67 — Shares industrial, modern, monoline, technical (4 of 6 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 0.50 — Both suit heading, ui; IBM Plex Sans is not tagged for display.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Interstate's subsets (latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Interstate.
- Family gate: pass — Same family: sans.

### 5. Saira — 84%

- Slug: `saira` · sans · OFL-1.1 · Omnibus-Type · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/saira · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/saira/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: industrial, grotesque.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.86 — x-height 0.51 vs 0.55 for Interstate (close); cap height 0.69 vs 0.71 for Interstate (close); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.60 — Shares industrial, monoline, technical (3 of 5 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 0.50 — Both suit heading, ui; Saira is not tagged for display.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Interstate's subsets (latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Interstate.
- Family gate: pass — Same family: sans.

### 6. Viga — 82%

- Slug: `viga` · sans · OFL-1.1 · Fontstage · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/viga · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/viga/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: grotesque.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.95 — x-height 0.57 vs 0.55 for Interstate (near-identical); cap height 0.71 vs 0.71 for Interstate (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.40 — Shares industrial, monoline (2 of 5 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 0.50 — Both suit heading, ui; Viga is not tagged for display.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Interstate's subsets (latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Interstate.
- Family gate: pass — Same family: sans.

### 7. Bai Jamjuree — 82%

- Slug: `bai-jamjuree` · sans · OFL-1.1 · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/bai-jamjuree · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/bai-jamjuree/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: industrial.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.87 — x-height 0.50 vs 0.55 for Interstate (close); cap height 0.70 vs 0.71 for Interstate (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.50 — Shares industrial, monoline, technical (3 of 6 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 0.50 — Both suit heading, ui; Bai Jamjuree is not tagged for display.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Interstate's subsets (latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Interstate.
- Family gate: pass — Same family: sans.

### 8. Schibsted Grotesk — 81%

- Slug: `schibsted-grotesk` · sans · OFL-1.1 · Bakken & Bæck, Henrik Kongsvoll · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/schibsted-grotesk · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/schibsted-grotesk/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: grotesque.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.93 — x-height 0.53 vs 0.55 for Interstate (near-identical); cap height 0.70 vs 0.71 for Interstate (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.40 — Shares industrial, monoline (2 of 5 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 0.50 — Both suit heading, ui; Schibsted Grotesk is not tagged for display.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Interstate's subsets (latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Interstate.
- Family gate: pass — Same family: sans.

## Self-host Overpass (woff2)

- 100 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-100.woff2
- 200 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-200.woff2
- 300 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-300.woff2
- 400 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-400.woff2
- 500 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-500.woff2
- 600 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-600.woff2
- 700 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-700.woff2
- 800 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-800.woff2
- 900 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-900.woff2
- 100 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-100i.woff2
- 200 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-200i.woff2
- 300 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-300i.woff2
- 400 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-400i.woff2
- 500 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-500i.woff2
- 600 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-600i.woff2
- 700 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-700i.woff2
- 800 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-800i.woff2
- 900 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/overpass/overpass-900i.woff2

## Connect an agent

Point any MCP client at the BrandSweets fonts endpoint to get this list with scores, or search the catalog:

- Endpoint: https://mcp.brandsweets.com/fonts/mcp
- Tools: `find_alternatives` (e.g. `find_alternatives({ commercialFont: "interstate", limit: 8 })`), `list_commercial_fonts`, `list_fonts`, `suggest_fonts`.