Free fonts similar to Didot
Didot is fashion’s typeface: razor-thin hairlines against heavy verticals, best set large. It is tied to magazine mastheads and luxury branding. It needs size and good rendering, so it is a headline face rather than a body face.
Short answer: the closest free alternative to Didot is Playfair Display. Bodoni Moda is also worth a look. All are open source and free for commercial use.
Didot 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.
/* Playfair Display is open source. Self-host it or load it from Google Fonts. */ font-family: "Playfair Display", Didot, "Bodoni 72", "Times New Roman", serif;
The alternatives in detail
1. Playfair Display
Why it works. The most popular free high-contrast display serif, and it delivers the same editorial glamour.
What differs. Rounder and softer, with bracketed serifs. It is inspired by the period rather than a strict Didone.
2. Bodoni Moda
Why it works. A true Didone with unbracketed hairline serifs and an optical size axis that keeps hairlines from vanishing.
What differs. Follows Bodoni’s Italian model, so it is a little sturdier and less delicate than French Didot.
How to recognize Didot
Based on the types of Firmin Didot, cut in Paris between 1784 and 1811. Linotype Didot was drawn by Adrian Frutiger in 1991.
- Extreme contrast between thick and thin strokes.
- Flat, unbracketed hairline serifs.
- Vertical stress: round letters are thinnest exactly at top and bottom.
In a site’s CSS it may appear as Linotype Didot, Didot LT, HTF Didot. Not sure what you are looking at? Identify the font on the live page first.
Is Didot free?
Commercial in its professional versions. A version of Didot comes preinstalled on macOS, so only Apple users see it without a web license.
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 Playfair Display 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: "Playfair Display";
src: url("/fonts/playfair-display-400.woff2") format("woff2");
font-weight: 400;
font-display: swap;
}
@font-face {
font-family: "Playfair Display";
src: url("/fonts/playfair-display-700.woff2") format("woff2");
font-weight: 700;
font-display: swap;
}
body {
font-family: "Playfair Display", Didot, "Bodoni 72", "Times New Roman", 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 Didot?+
Playfair Display is the closest free alternative to Didot. The most popular free high-contrast display serif, and it delivers the same editorial glamour. Bodoni Moda is also worth testing.
Is Didot free to use?+
Commercial in its professional versions. A version of Didot comes preinstalled on macOS, so only Apple users see it without a web license.
What Google Font looks like Didot?+
On Google Fonts, the nearest matches are Playfair Display and Bodoni Moda. 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 Didot?+
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.
Times New Roman
Try Tinos, Source Serif 4 and Newsreader
TRANSITIONAL SERIF FOR SCREENSGeorgia
Try Gelasio, Merriweather and Source Serif 4
OLD-STYLE (GARALDE) SERIFGaramond
Try EB Garamond, Cormorant Garamond and Crimson Pro
DIDONE (MODERN) SERIFBodoni
Try Bodoni Moda and Playfair Display
NEO-GROTESQUE SANS SERIFHelvetica
Try Inter, Arimo and Roboto
NEO-GROTESQUE SANS SERIFHelvetica Neue
Try Inter, Arimo and Hanken Grotesk