Free Alternatives to Franklin Gothic
About Franklin Gothic
- Foundry
- URW Type Foundry
- Classification
- sans-serif
- Style
- american-gothic
Franklin Gothic is an American sans-serif typeface designed by Morris Fuller Benton and released by American Type Founders (ATF) in 1902. It became one of the most influential American typefaces of the 20th century, defining the "American gothic" style of advertising and editorial typography.
History and Design
Morris Fuller Benton designed Franklin Gothic during his prolific career at ATF, where he created or supervised over 200 typefaces. Named after Benjamin Franklin, the typeface was intended as an American response to European grotesque types like Akzidenz-Grotesk.
Franklin Gothic's design features characteristic traits of American gothics: moderate stroke contrast, a slightly condensed proportion, and sturdy, no-nonsense letterforms. The family expanded significantly over the decades, with ITC releasing a comprehensive revival in 1980.
Why Franklin Gothic is Iconic
Franklin Gothic became the voice of American advertising, newspapers, and magazine headlines throughout the 20th century. Its bold weights in particular achieved iconic status, appearing in countless advertisements, movie posters, and publications. The typeface captures a distinctly American pragmatism—confident, direct, and unpretentious.
Sports teams, news organizations, and entertainment brands have long favored Franklin Gothic for its authoritative presence. The New York Post, CBS, and numerous other media outlets have employed it for headlines.
Use Cases
Franklin Gothic excels in:
- Headlines and display: Bold weights command attention
- Editorial design: Classic newspaper and magazine typography
- Advertising: Authoritative voice for marketing materials
- Sports branding: Strong, athletic character
Finding Free Alternatives
Libre Franklin is an exceptional free alternative, designed as a faithful open-source revival of the original Franklin Gothic. It offers excellent weight coverage and authentic character. Work Sans provides a more contemporary interpretation with similar American gothic proportions.
Free Alternatives (3)
Direct open-source revival with excellent fidelity to the original
Similar American gothic character with modern proportions
Comparable weight range with neo-grotesque refinement
How to Use Libre Franklin
Copy these code snippets to quickly add Libre Franklin to your project.
CSS Import
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Libre+Franklin:wght@100..900&display=swap');HTML Link Tags
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Libre+Franklin:wght@100..900&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">Tailwind CSS
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
theme: {
extend: {
fontFamily: {
'libre-franklin': ['"Libre Franklin"', 'sans-serif'],
},
},
},
}
// Usage in HTML:
// <p class="font-libre-franklin">Your text here</p>React / Next.js
// Using next/font (Next.js 13+)
import { Libre_Franklin } from 'next/font/google';
const libre_franklin = Libre_Franklin({
subsets: ['latin'],
weight: ['100', '200', '300', '400', '500', '600', '700', '800', '900'],
});
export default function Component() {
return (
<p className={libre_franklin.className}>
Your text here
</p>
);
}
// Or using inline styles with Google Fonts link:
// <p style={{ fontFamily: '"Libre Franklin"' }}>Your text</p>Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Franklin Gothic?
Libre Franklin is the best free alternative to Franklin Gothic with 92% similarity. It shares similar proportions and characteristics while being available under the OFL-1.1 license for both personal and commercial use at no cost.
Can I use Libre Franklin commercially?
Yes, Libre Franklin can be used commercially. It is licensed under OFL-1.1, which allows free use in websites, applications, print materials, and commercial projects without purchasing a license or paying royalties.
Is Libre Franklin similar enough to Franklin Gothic?
Libre Franklin achieves 92% similarity to Franklin Gothic. While not identical, it offers comparable letterforms, proportions, and visual style. Most designers find it works excellently as a substitute in web and print projects.
What are the main differences between Franklin Gothic and its free alternatives?
Free alternatives to Franklin Gothic may differ in subtle details like letter spacing, curve refinements, and available weights. Premium fonts typically include more OpenType features, extended language support, and optimized screen rendering. However, for most projects, these differences are negligible.
Where can I download free alternatives to Franklin Gothic?
Download Libre Franklin from Google Fonts. Click the "Get Font" button on any alternative above to visit the official download page. Google Fonts also provides embed codes for easy web integration.