Free fonts similar to Brandon Grotesque
Brandon Grotesque mixes strict geometry with softened corners and a low x-height, which gives it a warm, vintage feel. It was a signature look of lifestyle brands and boutique sites in the 2010s, usually in spaced-out capitals.
Short answer: the closest free alternative to Brandon Grotesque is Josefin Sans. Raleway is also worth a look. All are open source and free for commercial use.
Brandon Grotesque is not installed on this device, so it cannot be drawn here. The free alternatives below are live. On a device that has it, this row shows the original and unlocks the overlay.
/* Josefin Sans is open source. Self-host it or load it from Google Fonts. */ font-family: "Josefin Sans", system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif;
The alternatives in detail
1. Josefin Sans
Why it works. The same 1920s geometric inspiration with a low x-height, and it is elegant in tracked uppercase.
What differs. Thinner and more delicate, with sharper corners. Its x-height is even lower, so avoid it for small body text.
2. Raleway
Why it works. An elegant geometric sans with a wide weight range that suits the same boutique tone.
What differs. A taller x-height and a distinctive crossed w. Its numerals are old-style by default, so switch on lining figures for prices and data.
How to recognize Brandon Grotesque
Hannes von Döhren, 2010, HVD Fonts. Influenced by the geometric sans serifs of the 1920s and 1930s.
- A low x-height and tall ascenders.
- Slightly rounded corners on otherwise geometric shapes.
- Often set in uppercase with wide tracking for headings and navigation.
In a site’s CSS it may appear as brandon-grotesque, Brandon Text. Not sure what you are looking at? Identify the font on the live page first.
Is Brandon Grotesque free?
Commercial, from HVD Fonts. It is included with Adobe Fonts, where its CSS name is brandon-grotesque.
The alternatives on this page are open source, so you can use them on commercial sites, self-host the files and ship them in products. Read more in font licensing in plain English.
Use Josefin Sans in your CSS
Put the free font first and keep sensible fallbacks behind it. Self-hosting the files is the most private and usually the fastest option.
@font-face {
font-family: "Josefin Sans";
src: url("/fonts/josefin-sans-400.woff2") format("woff2");
font-weight: 400;
font-display: swap;
}
@font-face {
font-family: "Josefin Sans";
src: url("/fonts/josefin-sans-700.woff2") format("woff2");
font-weight: 700;
font-display: swap;
}
body {
font-family: "Josefin Sans", system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif;
}Saw a font you can’t place, or can’t afford?
Font Inspector names the font on any website in one click. For popular paid and system fonts it suggests free look-alikes right in the panel.
Questions & answers
What is the closest free font to Brandon Grotesque?+
Josefin Sans is the closest free alternative to Brandon Grotesque. The same 1920s geometric inspiration with a low x-height, and it is elegant in tracked uppercase. Raleway is also worth testing.
Is Brandon Grotesque free to use?+
Commercial, from HVD Fonts. It is included with Adobe Fonts, where its CSS name is brandon-grotesque.
What Google Font looks like Brandon Grotesque?+
On Google Fonts, the nearest matches are Josefin Sans and Raleway. All are open source and free for commercial use. None is an exact copy, so compare them with your own text first.
How can I tell whether a website uses Brandon Grotesque?+
Inspect the text. Browser DevTools show the rendered font in the Computed tab, and the Font Inspector extension shows the family, the rendered font and free look-alikes in one click.
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