Helvetica Free Alternatives

 

Helvetica Free Alternatives

Hello and welcome to LibreType, where we will discuss alternatives to the ever-so-popular font, Helvetica. You will see Helvetica everywhere, from Apple from everyday logos-- You want that font, so you go to it's page to get it, then you realize---- it's completely out of your budget.

What do you do then? Save your money? Ask for PayPal donations? That's fine and all, but

Helvetica can fit inside your budget, if you can find good alternatives! 

Also, i don't have the font either, so you're not alone. I'm only using Helvetica because it's 

pre-packed with Blogspot. And it took that sentence to make you guys realize this is written in Helvetica. Well, let's dive into the many alternatives now! 

Preinstalled Font: Arial 

 Arial was Monotype's answer to Helvetica. Arial is one of the few copycat fonts that normal people cannot tell apart from the real version. Why is this font so popular?

The answer is availability. This font is available on BOTH Mac and Windows, making it more popular than Helvetica. It is a go-to for Windows users who can only afford the preinstalled

fonts (ironic). 

Nimbus Sans L (open-source demo)

This font isn't on Google Fonts, so i'll be using Helv, but actually it doesn't care because this is literally free Helvetica.

Nimbus Sans L is basically Helvetica but for the losers who still use Linux.

URW provided a open source normal and bold weight of their font for the Ghostscript software.

The sad news is that the actual font is not free at all. Each style is $35, which is added up to $2,023.70 when you buy all of the 59 fonts from MyFonts. So if you want the other styles of Helvetica for free you should keep search because you're not finding them here.

So, if you're wondering, "L" is actually an indicator that the font was digitized from a laserprinter version of the font. 

Like all the GPL Nimbus fonts, this font has many derivates, so we will be discussing them in subheadings.

TeXGyreHeroes

TeXGyreHeroes is a derivative of Nimbus Sans L, under the GUST Font License. It has added math symbols, and also an extra condensed version for completely free, something which was not offered by URW for free. You can download the font and more TeXGyre fonts here.

FreeSans

FreeSans is yet another derivative of Nimbus Sans L. More symbols have been added. Nothing more significant than that. Download it with FreeSerif and FreeMono here.

Roboto

Roboto is one of the biggest family of fonts i've ever seen. This font is a huge treat for the people who don't bother to pay. Roboto is Google's Helvetica, which is basically a hyperfamily. No joke. It has so many variants that some of them extend from sans serif. For example, there is Roboto Slab, Mono, and if that wasn't enough, there is A VERSION WITH HEBREW LETTERS.

There is a font named Heebo, which became a VARIABLE FONT a while ago. So, if you don't have this, GET IT because it's absolutely something.

QuasiSwiss

This is an earlier version of TeX Gyre Heroes. Sadly it became obsolete when TGH came out and the only clues to it is on the TeX Gyre fonts download page. The full font is available on Fontke, and the TTF version is on Font Yukle.

Inter

Inter is another Helvetica alternative similar to Roboto in appearance and similar to Helvetica in execution. It is a variable font made by Ramsus Anderson.

In Conclusion

There are many alternatives to Helvetica you can find online, and each has it's difference, but maintain the same appeal Helv. does. If anyone has any more Helvetica alternatives, please tell me in the comments below.

If you think you're ready to pay for Helvetica, go here*: MyFonts

*Not sponsored