Free alternatives to Arial
The closest free alternative to Arial is Arimo. It has the same letter widths, so text keeps its line breaks when you swap it in. For a more modern look on screens, use Inter or Roboto.
- 5 free alternatives
- Free for commercial use
- Updated November 2026
At a glance
| Font | Match | Weights | Italics | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arimo | Same widths | 400 to 700 | Yes | Documents and existing layouts |
| Inter | Close match | 100 to 900 | Yes | Interfaces and body text |
| Roboto | Close match | 100 to 900 | Yes | Everyday UI text |
| Public Sans | Similar feel | 100 to 900 | Yes | Plain, neutral UI |
| Open Sans | Similar feel | 300 to 800 | Yes | Readable body text |
The 5 best free alternatives
Same widths: drawn to the same letter widths, so nothing reflows. Close match: nearest look. Similar feel: same mood, different details.
Arimo
Same widths
Best alternative
Same letter widths as Arial, so documents and layouts keep their line breaks. Regular to bold with italics.
Inter
Close match
A cleaner, more modern take on the same neutral style, drawn for screens with weights from 100 to 900.
Roboto
Close match
A familiar grotesque with 9 weights. Slightly narrower, so text takes a little less room.
Public Sans
Similar feel
A plain, neutral sans made for government websites. Good when you want no personality at all.
Open Sans
Similar feel
Friendlier and more open than Arial, and very easy to read in long text.
Pair it with
Curated pairings that use these alternatives.
About Arial
Arial was drawn by Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders at Monotype in 1982, with the same widths as Helvetica. It became the default sans serif in Windows and comes with macOS too. Monotype owns it.
- Designed by
- Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders, 1982
- License
- Ships with Windows and macOS. Webfont use needs a license.
- Same widths
- Arimo
Questions about Arial
Is Arial free?
It comes with Windows and macOS, so you can use it in your own documents. Serving it as a webfont or embedding it in an app needs a license from Monotype.
What is the closest free font to Arial?
Arimo. It has the same letter widths as Arial, so it's a drop-in replacement.
Is Arial on Google Fonts?
No. Arimo is the Arial match on Google Fonts. Inter and Roboto are close in style.
What font pairs well with Arimo?
Arimo pairs well with a soft serif for body text, like Yrsa.
More font alternatives
- Free alternatives to Helvetica (Free match: Inter)
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- Free alternatives to Impact (Free match: Anton)
- Free alternatives to Century Gothic (Free match: Questrial)
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- Free alternatives to Calibri (Free match: Carlito)
- Free alternatives to Proxima Nova (Free match: Figtree)
- Free alternatives to Segoe UI (Free match: Selawik)
- Free alternatives to Neue Haas Grotesk (Free match: Inter)
- Free alternatives to The Seasons (Free match: Playfair Display)
- Free alternatives to Aptos (Free match: Inter)
- Free alternatives to Avenir (Free match: Nunito Sans)
- Free alternatives to Futura (Free match: Jost)
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- Free alternatives to Recoleta (Free match: Fraunces)
- Free alternatives to SF Pro (Free match: Inter)
- Free alternatives to Trajan (Free match: Cinzel)
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- Free alternatives to SF Pro Rounded (Free match: Nunito)
- Free alternatives to Coolvetica (Free match: Work Sans)
- Free alternatives to Verdana (Free match: PT Sans)
- Free alternatives to Bodoni (Free match: Bodoni Moda)
- Free alternatives to Cooper Black (Free match: Caprasimo)
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- Free alternatives to ITC Avant Garde (Free match: Questrial)
- Free alternatives to Old English (Free match: UnifrakturCook)
- Free alternatives to Aktiv Grotesk (Free match: Inter)
- Free alternatives to Comic Sans (Free match: Comic Neue)
- Free alternatives to Didot (Free match: Playfair Display)
- Free alternatives to Garamond (Free match: EB Garamond)
- Free alternatives to Nexa (Free match: Montserrat)
- Free alternatives to Acumin (Free match: Source Sans 3)
- Free alternatives to Monument Extended (Free match: Unbounded)
- Free alternatives to Aeonik (Free match: Manrope)
- Free alternatives to Cambria (Free match: Caladea)
- Free alternatives to Garet (Free match: Poppins)
- Free alternatives to Palatino (Free match: Domine)
- Free alternatives to Roca (Free match: Fraunces)
- Free alternatives to Brush Script (Free match: Yellowtail)
- Free alternatives to Tahoma (Free match: PT Sans)
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- Free alternatives to Degular (Free match: Rethink Sans)
- Free alternatives to Trebuchet MS (Free match: Fira Sans)
- Free alternatives to Eurostile (Free match: Michroma)
- Free alternatives to Lemon Milk (Free match: Montserrat)
- Free alternatives to Söhne (Free match: Inter)
- Fonts like Manrope (Closest: Plus Jakarta Sans)
- Free alternatives to Akira (Free match: Unbounded)
- Free alternatives to Neue Montreal (Free match: Inter)
- Fonts like Inter (Closest: Roboto)
- Free alternatives to Copperplate Gothic (Free match: Copperplate CC)
- Free alternatives to Agrandir (Free match: Bricolage Grotesque)
- Free alternatives to Brittany (Free match: Ms Madi)
- Free alternatives to Horizon (Free match: Michroma)
- Free alternatives to Larken (Free match: Fraunces)
- Free alternatives to Bembo (Free match: Cardo)
- Free alternatives to Courier New (Free match: Cousine)
- Free alternatives to Minion Pro (Free match: Crimson Pro)
- Free alternatives to Suisse Int'l (Free match: Inter)
- Free alternatives to Averta (Free match: Figtree)
- Free alternatives to Bogart (Free match: Fraunces)
- Free alternatives to Myriad Pro (Free match: Source Sans 3)
- Free alternatives to Amoresa (Free match: Parisienne)
- Free alternatives to Bahnschrift (Free match: DINish)
- Free alternatives to Ethnocentric (Free match: Michroma)
- Free alternatives to Glacial Indifference (Free match: Questrial)
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- Free alternatives to Canva Sans (Free match: Figtree)
- Free alternatives to Druk Wide (Free match: Dela Gothic One)
- Free alternatives to PP Mori (Free match: Inter)
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- Free alternatives to FF Meta (Free match: Fira Sans)
- Free alternatives to ABC Diatype (Free match: Inter)
- Free alternatives to Action Condensed (Free match: Oswald)
- Free alternatives to Adelle (Free match: Zilla Slab)
- Free alternatives to Adobe Garamond (Free match: EB Garamond)
- Free alternatives to Agenda (Free match: Fira Sans)
- Free alternatives to Akkurat (Free match: Inter)
- Free alternatives to Akzidenz Grotesk (Free match: Work Sans)
- Fonts like Albert Sans (Closest: Figtree)
- Free alternatives to Ambroise (Free match: Bodoni Moda)
- Free alternatives to Anisette (Free match: Josefin Sans)
- Free alternatives to Antenna Condensed (Free match: Barlow Condensed)
- Free alternatives to Apercu (Free match: Work Sans)
- Free alternatives to Archer (Free match: Zilla Slab)
- Fonts like Archivo (Closest: Work Sans)
- Free alternatives to Arnhem (Free match: Source Serif 4)
- Fonts like Atkinson Hyperlegible (Closest: Lexend)
- Free alternatives to Atlas Grotesk (Free match: Inter)
- Free alternatives to Atlas Typewriter (Free match: IBM Plex Mono)
- Free alternatives to Austin (Free match: Playfair Display)
- Free alternatives to Axiforma (Free match: Poppins)
- Free alternatives to Bank Gothic (Free match: Michroma)
- Free alternatives to Basis Grotesque (Free match: Work Sans)
- Free alternatives to Baskerville (Free match: Libre Baskerville)
- Fonts like Be Vietnam Pro (Closest: Plus Jakarta Sans)
- Free alternatives to Beatrice (Free match: Bricolage Grotesque)
- Free alternatives to Berkeley Mono (Free match: JetBrains Mono)
- Free alternatives to Bookmania (Free match: Young Serif)
- Free alternatives to Brandon Grotesque (Free match: Jost)
- Free alternatives to Brioso (Free match: Alegreya)
- Free alternatives to Brown (Free match: Jost)
- Fonts like Cabinet Grotesk (Closest: Clash Display)
- Free alternatives to Calibre (Free match: Manrope)
- Free alternatives to Calluna (Free match: Literata)
- Free alternatives to Campton (Free match: Poppins)
- Free alternatives to Canela (Free match: Gloock)
- Fonts like Cardo (Closest: EB Garamond)
- Free alternatives to Optima (Free match: Marcellus)
- Free alternatives to Trade Gothic (Free match: News Cycle)
- Free alternatives to Rockwell (Free match: Rokkitt)
- Free alternatives to Georgia (Free match: Gelasio)
- Free alternatives to Franklin Gothic (Free match: Libre Franklin)
- Free alternatives to Gill Sans (Free match: Cabin)
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- Free alternatives to Univers (Free match: Inter)
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- Free alternatives to Clarendon (Free match: Ultra)
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- Free alternatives to Druk (Free match: Anton)
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- Free alternatives to Mrs Eaves (Free match: Baskervville)
- Free alternatives to Snell Roundhand (Free match: Pinyon Script)
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- Free alternatives to Century Schoolbook (Free match: Old Standard TT)
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- Free alternatives to Larsseit (Free match: DM Sans)
- Free alternatives to Museo Sans (Free match: Nunito Sans)
- Free alternatives to Circular (Free match: Outfit)
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- Free alternatives to Effra (Free match: Figtree)
- Free alternatives to Egyptienne (Free match: Domine)
- Free alternatives to Freight Display (Free match: Playfair Display)
- Free alternatives to Futura Condensed (Free match: Oswald)
- Free alternatives to Gotham Condensed (Free match: Barlow Condensed)
- Free alternatives to Gotham Narrow (Free match: Barlow Semi Condensed)
- Free alternatives to Gotham Rounded (Free match: Varela Round)
- Free alternatives to Greycliff (Free match: Outfit)
- Free alternatives to GT Alpina (Free match: Fraunces)
- Free alternatives to GT Pressura (Free match: Saira)
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- Free alternatives to Lucida Grande (Free match: Source Sans 3)
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