Free Font Alternatives: Google Fonts That Match Paid Fonts
Many of the best-known typefaces, such as Helvetica, Avenir and Proxima Nova, need a paid license to use on a website. These guides compare the closest free font alternatives on Google Fonts for each one, with a live preview so you can judge the match yourself.
Free Font Alternatives by Typeface
Each guide compares the closest free matches, shows the weights each one offers and suggests pairings.
- Fonts like HelveticaInter, Arimo, Public Sans, Archivo and Roboto compared.
- Fonts Similar to Times New RomanTinos matches its widths; four more classic serifs for screens.
- Proxima Nova Alternatives and Font PairingsMontserrat, Figtree, Mulish and Nunito Sans, plus pairings.
- Avenir Alternatives and Font PairingsNunito Sans, Mulish, Albert Sans and Figtree, plus pairings.
Why Use a Free Alternative
Commercial fonts are licensed, not bought outright. A desktop license lets you design with a font, but serving it on a website usually needs a separate web license, often priced by monthly page views, and some foundries charge again for apps or ebooks. For a small site those costs add up quickly, and the license has to be tracked for as long as the font stays on the site.
A font that is already installed on your computer is not covered either. Helvetica and Avenir come with Apple devices, but that license covers using them on those devices, not sending the font files to every visitor of your website. Free Google Fonts avoid the question entirely: they are released under open licenses that allow use anywhere, including commercial work.
How to Judge a Match
No free font is identical to a commercial one, so it helps to know what to compare. The four things that matter most are width, x-height, letter shapes and tone.
Width decides how much text fits on a line. Some free fonts were drawn to match a commercial font’s character widths exactly, a property called metric compatibility, so text keeps the same line breaks and page count. Tinos matches Times New Roman, and Arimo matches Arial and Helvetica. These are the right choice when a layout must not change.
X-height, the height of lowercase letters, decides how large a font looks at a given size. A font with a taller x-height reads bigger and clearer on screens. Letter shapes, such as the ending of a c or the tail of a g, are what most people notice first. Tone is the overall impression, from neutral and corporate to warm and friendly. A good alternative matches the tone first, then as many details as possible.
Popular Paid Fonts and Their Free Matches
A quick reference for common commercial typefaces and the free Google Fonts most often used in their place. Metrically compatible matches keep the same character widths.
| Paid Font | Closest Free Google Fonts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Helvetica | Inter, Arimo, Public Sans | Arimo is metrically compatible |
| Arial | Arimo | Metrically compatible |
| Times New Roman | Tinos, STIX Two Text | Tinos is metrically compatible |
| Courier New | Cousine | Metrically compatible |
| Georgia | Gelasio | Metrically compatible |
| Proxima Nova | Figtree, Montserrat | Montserrat is wider |
| Avenir | Nunito Sans, Mulish | Similar proportions and warmth |
| Futura | Jost | Inspired by Futura |
| Garamond | EB Garamond | Revival of Claude Garamond’s types |
| Baskerville | Libre Baskerville | Tuned for body text on screens |
When a Free Alternative Is Not Enough
Free alternatives cover most needs, but there are cases where the original is worth paying for. A brand with strict guidelines may require the exact typeface, and a logo set in Helvetica or Futura should keep it. Some commercial families also include features free alternatives lack, such as extra widths, small caps or language support for specific markets.
In those cases, a common approach is to license the commercial font only where it matters most, such as the logo and headlines, and use a free alternative for body text and interfaces. That keeps the brand intact while keeping license costs and page weight down.
Using a Free Alternative on Your Site
You can set up a free alternative in one of two ways. To show the same font to every visitor, load the free font from Google Fonts and make it your primary font. To show the commercial font where it is already installed, list it first in your CSS font stack and the free font second, so visitors without it see the alternative.
The first approach gives a consistent design; the second keeps the original for visitors who have it. Either way, test the font at your real body size, since small differences in width and spacing are easiest to see in paragraphs. Each guide’s Use These Fonts panel gives you the embed code and CSS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about free font alternatives.
Are Google Fonts Really Free for Commercial Use?
Yes. Google Fonts are released under open licenses, most often the SIL Open Font License, which allows use on commercial websites, in print, in apps and in logos without payment.
What Does Metrically Compatible Mean?
It means every character has the same width as in the original font, so text takes up exactly the same space. Swapping a metrically compatible font keeps line breaks, page counts and layouts unchanged.
Can I Use Helvetica or Avenir Because They Are on My Mac?
You can use them in documents and designs on that computer. Serving the font files to visitors of a website needs a separate web license from the foundry.
What Is the Free Alternative to Futura?
Jost is a free Google Font inspired by Futura, with the same geometric shapes and a range of weights from 100 to 900. It suits headings, branding and posters.
Is There a Free Alternative to Gotham?
Montserrat is the usual choice. Gotham, drawn by Tobias Frere-Jones in 2000, was inspired by the lettering on mid-century New York buildings, and Montserrat comes from a similar tradition of urban signage in Buenos Aires. The two share wide, geometric capitals and a confident tone, which makes Montserrat a strong free stand-in for headings and branding.
Which Free Font Is Closest to Helvetica?
Inter is the closest in overall look for websites, and Arimo is the closest in widths, since it matches Arial, which shares Helvetica’s metrics.
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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