Add to ChromeBraveFree alternatives toNational
The closest free alternative to National is Inria Sans, 81% alike by measurement, free from Google Fonts. Orienta and Merriweather Sans come next.
National, by Kris Sowersby for Klim Type Foundry, 2007. Measured on klim.co.nz, October 23rd, 2026.
The six closest.
- 01
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Inria Sans
81%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 7% taller x-height
- Sets 6% wider
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 02
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Orienta
81%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 15% taller x-height
- Sets 20% wider
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 03
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Merriweather Sans
78%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 21% taller x-height
- Sets 16% wider
- Same weight
- More stroke contrast
- 04
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Source Sans 3
76%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- 5% taller x-height
- Sets 3% wider
- A touch lighter
- Same stroke contrast
- 05
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Ancizar Sans
76%Close matchGoogle Fonts · SIL Open Font License
- Same x-height
- Sets 3% narrower
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
- 06
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is what language looks like.
Bespoke Sans
76%Close matchFontshare · ITF Free Font License
- 12% taller x-height
- Sets 14% wider
- Same weight
- Same stroke contrast
Measured, side by side.
National against Inria Sans, from the letters themselves. These numbers are why Inria Sans comes first, and what the CSS below corrects for.
National Inria Sans
Keep your line breaks.
Swap National for Inria Sans and nothing reflows. This sets Inria Sans at National’s x-height and line length, so headings, buttons and paragraphs break where they did.
font-family: "Inria Sans", sans-serif;
font-size: 0.933em; /* down to National’s x-height */
letter-spacing: 0.004em; /* to National’s line length */About National
National is a paid sans serif designed by Kris Sowersby, published by Klim Type Foundry in 2007.
See National on klim.co.nz ↗Questions, answered.
What is the best free alternative to National?
Inria Sans. Measured letter by letter, it’s 81% alike: 7% taller x-height, sets 6% wider, same weight, same stroke contrast. Orienta, Merriweather Sans, Source Sans 3, Ancizar Sans and Bespoke Sans are also close.
Is there a free version of National?
No. National is a paid sans serif from Klim Type Foundry. 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. National was measured as klim.co.nz, October 23rd 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 Inria Sans change my layout?
Not if you use the CSS on this page. It sets Inria Sans 6.7% smaller with a touch more letter-spacing, so text written for National keeps its x-height and its line lengths, and lines break in the same places.
Spot National 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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