Add to ChromeBraveFree alternatives toPalatino
Set in Libertinus Serif, its closest free match
The closest free alternative to Palatino is Libertinus Serif, 84% alike by measurement, free from Google Fonts. Caudex and Ovo come next.
The six closest.
- 01
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Libertinus Serif
84%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 9% shorter x-height
- Sets 7% narrower
- A touch heavier
- Same stroke contrast
- 02
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Caudex
79%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 3% shorter x-height
- Same width
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 03
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Ovo
78%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 3% shorter x-height
- Same width
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 04
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Castoro
78%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- Same x-height
- Same width
- Heavier
- Same stroke contrast
- 05
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Gambetta
78%Close matchFontshare · ITF Free Font License
- 4% shorter x-height
- Same width
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 06
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Average
76%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 3% shorter x-height
- Sets 5% narrower
- A touch heavier
- Less stroke contrast
Measured, side by side.
Palatino against Libertinus Serif, from the letters themselves. These numbers are why Libertinus Serif comes first, and what the CSS below corrects for.
Palatino Libertinus Serif
Keep your line breaks.
Swap Palatino for Libertinus Serif and nothing reflows. This sets Libertinus Serif at Palatino’s x-height and line length, so headings, buttons and paragraphs break where they did.
font-family: "Libertinus Serif", serif;
font-size: 1.093em; /* up to Palatino’s x-height */
letter-spacing: -0.006em; /* to Palatino’s line length */About Palatino
Zapf’s Renaissance-inspired serif, named after the 16th-century writing master Giambattista Palatino. Its broad, open letters made it one of the most copied faces of the century.
Questions, answered.
What is the best free alternative to Palatino?
Libertinus Serif. Measured letter by letter, it’s 84% alike: 9% shorter x-height, sets 7% narrower, a touch heavier, same stroke contrast. Caudex, Ovo, Castoro, Gambetta and Average are also close.
Is there a free version of Palatino?
No. Palatino is a paid serif from Stempel. Every alternative on this page is free for commercial use, under the SIL Open Font License and ITF Free Font License.
How were these alternatives chosen?
By measuring the letters, not by comparing names or tags. Palatino was measured from a licensed copy: its proportions, the width of every letter and figure, its weight, its stroke contrast and the shapes of telling letters like a, g, R and Q. The same measurements were taken of 1,506 free fonts, and these came closest. Each match was then checked by eye.
Will Libertinus Serif change my layout?
Not if you use the CSS on this page. It sets Libertinus Serif 9.3% larger with a touch less letter-spacing, so text written for Palatino keeps its x-height and its line lengths, and lines break in the same places.
Spot Palatino in the wild?
Point Fontsight at any text on any website. It names the font, and offers a free look-alike you can try on the page, line breaks intact.
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