“What font am I going to use for this?,” you breathlessly ask yourself as you scroll through all of your existing font stacks. All too often, you can’t seem to find one font that not only looks good on its own, but that also exists harmoniously with your overall piece. Today, I am going to reveal Purple Crayon’s top ten favorite free fonts that are for commercial use. Without further delay, here they are in random order.
1. Anivers: This great font is a very interesting example of a sans-serif typeface. It is a bit more decorative than your standard bearers (like Helvetica), but it retains enough rigidity to be easily read. This is a great font choice if you desire something unique without sacrificing legibility.
2. Nevis: A no nonsense sans serif which expounds upon the classic history of Gill Sans. In fact, through all of my font odysseys, this is the closest I have gotten to a free, commercial use Gill Sans. It is not exact, nor could it be, but considering the price is zero dollars, this is a terrific find. If you are a fan of the original (as I am) feel free to use this one in most situations, as rarely does it appear ineffective.
3. Coolvetica: Speaking of classic font adaptations, here is a playful and retro looking entry. Since its introduction in 1957 by Hoffman and Miedinger, Helvetica has taken its place on the highest pedestal in the Pantheon of typography. It is unmistakable. Ubiquitous. Timeless. It also happens not to be free in any way, which is really a bummer if you do not happen to own a Mac (and assuming you have a personal distaste for Arial). However, many designers, caught in the gravitational pull of Helvetica, have adapted it in ways large and small, making variants of it available to the masses. This variant was modeled on several fonts created during the 1970’s fetishization of Helvetica. Some letters in Coolvetica are basically exact copies of its parent, the main difference being the exaggerated, swooping tails on the letter “t”. So if you are ever in need of something in between Arial and Helvetica, with its own amount of personality, then Coolvetica is your font.
4. Mimix: This script based serif font is a great choice for someone looking for a calligraphic flare, without sacrificing readability. It has a very elegant transition between its thick and thins, and it also features distinctive baroque ears.
5. Report School: As the name implies, this is a thin, sleek sans serif font that serves an educational function. This font borrows slightly from Century Gothic, most notably in the lower case “a”. With uniform letter spacing and consistent kerning, this font is quite easy on the eyes. Clearly, its legibility is a major factor for it being used liberally in schools. These strengths easily translate outside of the classroom, which make it an effective choice.
6. Bebas: This font is a bit of a rarity, being a sans serif font without a lower case family. Normally, the advantage of a sans serif IS the lower case variant, as they are the most readable of any type of font. However, Bebas is the exception that proves the rule. Even though it is limited to capitals only (which make it outstanding for headlines), it has an air of unspoken authority. It is very easy to discern a positive vocal inflection from this font, just by reading it. This is plainly one of our favorites.
7. Chunk Five: Recently, as sans serif fonts have achieved great exposure and commercial success, serifed fonts have fallen by the wayside. They are typically seen as old fashioned, stodgy, and well, not very “design-y”. However, they are making a comeback in the way of slab serif fonts that hearken back to the old American West. A great (and free) example of such fonts is Chunk Five. It has a great amount of visual weight, as it is big, heavy, and bold. Using this font can really set your work apart, as it distances you both from the old serifed fonts, and from the preponderant use of sans serif fonts. Saddle up with Chunk Five, and ride off into the sunset (lame I know, but it serves its purpose.)
8. MEgolopolis: One of the more unique free fonts you will find, MEgolopolis just looks like it was invented for use in Cirque du Soleil. It is brash and bold, and it is very unorthodox in its construction. It is very decorated and has extended foot serifs on letters such as the lower case “d” and “t.” This one , when cleverly arranged, can look very unique and useful in certain circumstances.
9. Neuropol: One of our favorite “techno” fonts, Neuropol is perfect for use with your sci-fi projects and your utopian futurist commentaries. This font is has a short and squat x-height, which makes it more wide than it is tall. It is of course a streamlined sans serif font (they don’t believe in unnecessary decorative flourishes in the future) with a high degree of elegance. This of course has limited uses, but it is perfect for what it was intended.
10. Museo: This font is exacting and precise. It is quite interesting to note that it combines both organic curves and extended, rigid serifs. It also has a fairly shallow depth of the descender, making this a visually interesting font.
Well that about does it. I hope that you enjoyed some of these fonts, and I also hope that they can improve your designs!
