Helvetica is one of the fonts most famous and used in the world of graphic design. It is a sans serif font, with a neutral and elegant style, that adapts to almost any project. However, Helvetica is not the only option, nor the most original. There's a lot other sources that may offer a similar look, but with a touch of personality and distinction.
In this article we are going to show you 10 modern and free fonts that can be excellent alternatives to Helvetica for your designs. These fonts are high quality, easy to use, and come in different weights and styles. Additionally, they have an advantage over Helvetica: they are for free. So you have no excuse not to try them and give your projects a fresh look.
Source Inter
Inter is a sans serif font created by Rasmus Andersson, which was inspired by neo-grotesque fonts such as Helvetica. Inter has a clean and minimalist appearance, but with some details that give it character and personality. For example, he has rounded terminals, a high x height and a right leg R.
Inter is optimized for screens, making it ideal for web projects, applications or user interfaces. Plus, it comes in 18 weights, from fine to black, and has many OpenType features, such as small caps, ligatures, or proportional numbers. You can download Inter for free here
Roboto Font
Roboto is a sans serif font designed by Christian Robertson for Google. Roboto is the official source of Android and many other Google products, such as Google Maps, Google Photos or Google Assistant. Roboto has a modern and geometric look, but with soft curves and open shapes that give it a feeling of friendliness and warmth.
Roboto is a very versatile and functional font, which adapts to different sizes and contexts. Plus, it comes in 12 weights, from fine to black, and has condensed and slab variants. It also has support for more than 130 languages and alphabets. You can download Roboto for free from here
Font Alte Haas Grotesk
Alte Haas Grotesk It is a sans serif font created by Yann Le Coroller, a French designer. Alte Haas Grotesk is a neo-grotesque style typeface, which is based on Helvetica and other similar fonts. Alte Haas Grotesk has a clean and minimalist look, which looks a lot like Helvetica, but with some differences, such as the R with a straight leg, the Q with a vertical tail or the A with a straight tail.
Alte Haas Grotesk is a simple and elegant font, which can be used for any type of project. Plus, it comes in two weights, normal and bold, and has support for more than 30 languages and alphabets. You can download Alte Haas Grotesk for free from here.
Font Arimo
Arimo is a font sans serif created by Steve Matteson, the designer of Open Sans. Arimo is a classic and neutral style font, which is inspired by XNUMXth century grotesques such as Helvetica or Arial. Arimo has un clear and legible appearance, which works well both on screen and on paper.
Arimo is a thoughtful font to improve the reading experience on mobile devices, as it has good resolution and good spacing. Plus, it comes in four weights, from regular to black, and has support for over 100 languages and alphabets. You can download Arimo for free from here
Variants of Helvetica
coolvetica
Coolvetica is a sans serif font created by Ray Larabie, a Canadian designer. Coolvetica is a retro-style font, inspired by Helvetica and other fonts from the 70s and 80s. Coolvetica has a fun and original look, which is noticeable in details such as the G with a long tail, the R with a curved leg, the a with a round tail or the y with a short tail.
Coolvetica is an ideal font for creative and casual projects that seek a touch of nostalgia and personality. Plus, it comes in six weights, from light to heavy, and has support for more than 40 languages and alphabets. You can download Coolvetica for free from here
Lowvetica
Lowvetica is a sans serif font created by David Alexander Slaager, a Dutch designer. Lowvetica is a neo-grotesque style typeface, which is based on Helvetica and other similar fonts. Lowvetica has a low and wide appearance, which gives it a unique and distinctive character. Lowvetica eliminates all the ups and downs of the letters, creating a uniformity and stability.
Lowvetica is an ideal font for projects that seek a touch of originality and modernity. Plus, it comes in just one weight, regular, and has support for more than 20 languages and alphabets. You can download Lowvetica for free from here
Montserrat Fountain
Montserrat It's a source sans serif created by Julieta Ulanovsky, an Argentine designer. Montserrat is a geometric style font, which is inspired by the posters and signs of the city of Buenos Aires. Montserrat has a modern and elegant appearance, which is evident in details such as the G with a long tail, the R with a curved leg, the Q with a diagonal tail or the A with a round tail.
Montserrat is a very versatile and popular font, which can be used for any type of project. In addition, it comes in 18 weights, from fine to black, and has alternative and stylistic variants. It also has support for more than 200 languages and alphabets. You can download Montserrat for free from Google fonts.
New sources for your repertoire
In this article we have shown 10 modern and free fonts which can be excellent Helvetica alternatives for your designs. These fonts are high quality, easy to use, and come in different weights and styles. Plus, they have an advantage over Helvetica: they're free. So you have no excuse to Don't try them and give your projects a fresh look.
These are just some of the many options that exist to replace Helvetica in your designs. We invite you to explore other fonts that suit your needs and preferences, and experiment with them to create original and attractive designs. Remember that typography It is a key element in graphic design, and that can make the difference between good and bad design.