Fonts Similar to Times New Roman: Free Google Font Alternatives
Of the fonts similar to Times New Roman, the closest free Google Font is Tinos, which matches its character widths exactly. STIX Two Text, Source Serif 4, Newsreader and PT Serif are good alternatives with a similar classic look that read better on screens. Each one loads in the preview, set as both the heading and body font.
About Times New Roman
Times New Roman was commissioned by the British newspaper The Times and introduced in 1932. Stanley Morison supervised the project and Victor Lardent drew the letters. The brief was a typeface that fit more text into narrow newspaper columns while staying readable, and the result is compact, with short ascenders and descenders, moderate contrast and sharp, bracketed serifs.
Because Microsoft shipped Times New Roman with Windows for decades, it became the default serif of offices, schools and academic papers. On the web it has a different reputation: it often signals a page with no styling at all, since many browsers fall back to it when a font is missing. That is one reason designers look for alternatives that keep its classic feel but look intentional.
The Best Free Fonts Similar to Times New Roman
These five fonts are free on Google Fonts. Use the buttons to preview each one as both the heading and body font.
Tinos
Tinos was designed by Steve Matteson to be metrically compatible with Times New Roman: every character has the same width. Documents set in Times New Roman keep the same line breaks and page count in Tinos, which makes it the right choice for templates, forms and anything with a strict page limit. It looks very close to the original, with slightly crisper details on screen.
STIX Two Text
STIX Two Text comes from the Scientific and Technical Information Exchange project, a group of scientific publishers who needed a Times-style typeface with extensive support for mathematics and technical writing. It keeps the familiar proportions of Times while refining the details, and it has true bold and italic styles. It suits academic sites, journals and research.
Source Serif 4
Source Serif 4, by Frank Grießhammer at Adobe, is a transitional serif in the same broad tradition as Times, but with more open letters and a calmer texture suited to screens. Its optical sizes keep small text sturdy and large headings elegant. Choose it when you want the authority of Times with better readability on the web.
Newsreader
Newsreader, from Production Type, was designed for reading news on screens, so it shares the editorial purpose of Times New Roman. It is a little wider and softer, with optical sizes from small text to large headlines. It is a natural replacement for news sites, magazines and long-form blogs.
PT Serif
PT Serif, from ParaType, is a transitional serif with sturdy serifs and a slightly humanist feel, designed as a companion to PT Sans. It holds up better than Times New Roman at small sizes, which makes it a practical choice for body text in interfaces, documentation and long articles.
Times New Roman Alternatives Compared
How the five free alternatives compare with Times New Roman, with the weights each one offers on Google Fonts.
| Font | Compared with Times New Roman | Weights | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tinos | Same character widths, nearly identical look | 400 and 700 | Documents, forms, page-limited work |
| STIX Two Text | Times-style proportions, refined details | 400 to 700 | Academic, scientific, journals |
| Source Serif 4 | More open and calm, built for screens | 200 to 900 | Websites, documentation, reports |
| Newsreader | Wider, softer, editorial | 200 to 800 | News, magazines, blogs |
| PT Serif | Sturdier at small sizes, slightly humanist | 400 and 700 | Body text, interfaces, articles |
What to Pair with Times New Roman
Times New Roman and its alternatives work best as the body font under a clean sans serif, or as a heading font over a neutral sans. A Times-style serif with Inter or Source Sans 3 gives an editorial look, while Montserrat headings over Tinos body text give a modern contrast. Use the buttons below to try these combinations with Tinos.
These follow the same rule the tool uses for every pair: contrast in style, similar proportions. Because Times-style serifs are compact, pair them with sans serifs that are not too wide, or set the sans one size smaller.
Using a Times New Roman Alternative on Your Site
For academic or document work where the layout must not change, use Tinos and list Times New Roman after it in your font stack. For a website, choose the alternative whose tone fits your content, load it from Google Fonts, and add Times New Roman and the generic serif as fallbacks. The Use These Fonts button in the full-screen preview writes that CSS for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about Times New Roman and its free alternatives.
What Is the Closest Font to Times New Roman?
Tinos. It was designed to match Times New Roman’s character widths, so text keeps the same line breaks and page count, and its letters look very similar.
Is Times New Roman on Google Fonts?
No. Times New Roman is a commercial typeface licensed through Monotype. Tinos is the closest free equivalent on Google Fonts.
What Font Is Similar to Times New Roman in Google Docs?
Google Docs includes Times New Roman itself. For an alternative, open More fonts in the font menu and search for Tinos, STIX Two Text or Source Serif 4.
Is Georgia Similar to Times New Roman?
Georgia, designed by Matthew Carter for Microsoft in the 1990s, has a similar classic feel but a larger x-height and wider letters, so it reads better on screens and takes up more space. Gelasio is a free Google Font that matches Georgia’s widths.
Use These Fonts
On WordPress? Most themes, including GeneratePress, have a Typography setting where you can pick these two fonts by name instead.
How to Divide Perennials in Fall
Dividing crowded clumps every few years keeps hostas, daylilies and asters blooming. Here is when to do it, what you need, and how to replant.
- Best time
- 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes
- Tools
- Spade, garden fork, sharp knife
- Time needed
- About 20 minutes per clump
Most perennials slow down after a few years in the same spot. The center of the clump gets woody and crowded, the roots compete for water, and you see fewer flowers each summer. Dividing the plant fixes all three problems at once, and it gives you free plants for the rest of the garden.
Fall is the easier season for most gardeners. The soil is still warm, so new roots keep growing, while the cool air means the leaves lose less water. Plants divided in late September usually settle in well before winter, and you will notice the difference in next year’s bloom.
When to Divide
As a rule, divide spring and early summer bloomers in fall, and late bloomers like asters in spring. Give each division at least a month of root growth before the ground freezes. In zone 5, that usually means finishing by early October.
Signs a Clump Needs Dividing
- The center has died out, leaving a ring of growth.
- Flowers are fewer and smaller than last year.
- The plant has spread past its spot in the bed.
Divide in fall when the soil is still warm and the air is cool. The roots keep growing for weeks after the leaves stop.Tom Reyes, head gardener
| Plant | Divide every | Best season |
|---|---|---|
| Hosta | 3 to 4 years | Spring or early fall |
| Daylily | 3 to 5 years | Late summer |
| Bearded iris | 3 to 4 years | July to August |
| Aster | 2 to 3 years | Spring |
| Peony | Rarely needed | Late September |
How to Divide a Perennial
- Water the plant well the day before so the root ball holds together.
- Cut back the leaves to about 6 inches to make the clump easier to handle.
- Dig around the clump, 6 inches out from the stems, and lift it with a fork.
- Split it with a spade or knife so each piece has three to five growing points.
- Replant at the same depth, water deeply, and add 2 inches of mulch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I divide perennials while they are blooming?
You can, but the plant puts its energy into flowers instead of roots. Wait until blooms fade, or cut the flowers off when you divide.
How small can a division be?
Each piece needs healthy roots and at least one growing point. Smaller pieces take a season or two longer to fill out.
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Enter your ZIP code once and every plant shows whether it grows in your zone.
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