The Best Free Fonts for Agency Work (That Rival Paid-For Foundry Fonts)
Expensive foundry fonts can really stretch a project budget to breaking point, which is why it pays to consider using free fonts for agency work. Far from inferior, there are now plenty of fantastic free fonts that rival paid-for typefaces for quality, versatility and sheer style.
Read on to discover our edit of the best free fonts for agency-standard design projects, from brand identities to websites, alongside examples of these free fonts in use for professional projects. All of the fonts listed below are free to download as commercial fonts, meaning you can use them on all types of projects with no need to pay for a licence. Win win.
1. Bluu Next
A sharper, edgier take on serif styles with a hint of blackletter, Bluu Next will bring headlines and logotypes to life. The typeface was created by French designer JB Morizot and is available through BlackFoundry. It makes a great contrasting pairing with round sans serifs or curvy, distorted fonts.
2. Open Sauce Sans
Designed by Alfredo Marco Pradil as an in-house typeface for Creative Sauce, Open Sauce Sans is one member of a broader Open Sauce family. Featuring distinctive ink traps and a Helvetica-esque look, Open Sauce Sans is the most stylish of the family and makes for an interesting yet still tone-appropriate typeface for corporate branding or designs that require a clean and minimal style.
3. League Spartan
Clean and minimal with a bit of bounce, League Spartan is a friendly and open sans serif typeface released by The League of Moveable Type. that makes for ultra-legible branding and website copy. True to its name, the font has a sporty and energetic personality, making it a great fit for sports brands or projects that require an endorphin boost.
4. Cormorant
Created by Christian Thalmann, Cormorant pays tribute to the elegant inheritance of Garamond while retaining a clean, contemporary feel. Slim and wispy, Cormorant makes the perfect typeface choice for brands that require a little more refinement, from luxury lifestyle to university websites.
5. League Gothic
A revival of Alternate Gothic, which was designed by Morris Fuller Bentonfor the American Type Founders Company in 1903, League Gothic was reworked and released by The League Of Moveable Type in 2009. Condensed and highly legible, with plenty of vintage impact. It pairs well with geometric sans serif fonts or romantic serifs.
6. Muli
A minimalist sans serif designed by Vernon Adams (a prolific designer of various open-source typefaces on Google Fonts), Muli is an ultra-simple typeface that can be used across a broad range of projects. The 14-weight family is in a similar vein to other minimalist-favourites Avenir and Proximan Nova, and makes an excellent companion font to more flamboyant display type.
7. Reforma
A bespoke typeface created by Pampatype for the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina, Reforma is split into three families which lift characteristics of the type era—1918, 1969 and 2018. For a more traditional look, try Reforma 1918, a curvier serif typeface which has a gentlemanly and serene nature. 1969 and 2018 are, respectively, increasingly more simplistic in style, while retaining the font’s carved form.
8. Metropolis
Metropolis is a modern geometric typeface designed with readability in mind, created by Chris Simpson. If you’re looking for a similar feel to brand-favourite Gotham, Metropolis is an excellent alternative. Use for serious, impactful branding, such as political campaigns, newspaper websites or financial firms.
