Add to ChromeBraveFree alternatives toSignifier
Set in Newsreader, its closest free match
The closest free alternative to Signifier is Newsreader, 80% alike by measurement, free from Google Fonts. Spectral and Lusitana come next.
The six closest.
- 01
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Newsreader
80%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- Same x-height
- Same width
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 02
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Spectral
80%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- Same x-height
- Sets 5% wider
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 03
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Lusitana
80%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 4% 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.
Crimson Text
76%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 6% shorter x-height
- Sets 7% narrower
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 05
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Sedan
75%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 3% shorter x-height
- Sets 4% wider
- Same weight
- More stroke contrast
- 06
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Cardo
74%Same spiritGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- Same x-height
- Same width
- A touch lighter
- Same stroke contrast
Measured, side by side.
Signifier against Newsreader, from the letters themselves. These numbers are why Newsreader comes first, and what the CSS below corrects for.
Signifier Newsreader
Keep your line breaks.
Swap Signifier for Newsreader and nothing reflows. This sets Newsreader at Signifier’s x-height and line length, so headings, buttons and paragraphs break where they did.
font-family: "Newsreader", serif;
font-size: 1.022em; /* up to Signifier’s x-height */
letter-spacing: -0.013em; /* to Signifier’s line length */About Signifier
Signifier is a paid serif designed by Kris Sowersby, published by Klim Type Foundry in 2019.
See Signifier on klim.co.nz ↗Questions, answered.
What is the best free alternative to Signifier?
Newsreader. Measured letter by letter, it’s 80% alike: same x-height, same width, same weight, same stroke contrast. Spectral, Lusitana, Crimson Text, Sedan and Cardo are also close.
Is there a free version of Signifier?
No. Signifier is a paid serif from Klim Type Foundry. Every alternative on this page is free for commercial use, under the SIL Open Font License.
How were these alternatives chosen?
By measuring the letters, not by comparing names or tags. Signifier was measured as klim.co.nz draws it: 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 Newsreader change my layout?
Not if you use the CSS on this page. It sets Newsreader 2.2% larger with a touch less letter-spacing, so text written for Signifier keeps its x-height and its line lengths, and lines break in the same places.
Spot Signifier 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.
Add to ChromeBrave Free