Free fonts similar to DIN
DIN looks engineered because it was: simple strokes, squared curves and narrow proportions made for signage. Designers use it for a technical, precise, no-nonsense voice, often in its condensed weights.
Short answer: the closest free alternative to DIN is Barlow. Roboto Condensed is also worth a look. All are open source and free for commercial use.
DIN 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.
/* Barlow is open source. Self-host it or load it from Google Fonts. */ font-family: "Barlow", "DIN Alternate", "Roboto Condensed", Arial, sans-serif;
The alternatives in detail
1. Barlow
Why it works. A low-contrast grotesque inspired by California road signs and plates, which puts it in the same utilitarian family. It comes in normal, semi condensed and condensed widths.
What differs. Slightly rounder and friendlier, without DIN’s strict squareness.
2. Roboto Condensed
Why it works. A practical match for DIN’s condensed weights in dense interfaces and data tables.
What differs. More mechanical curves and a different character in a, g and t.
How to recognize DIN
Rooted in DIN 1451, the German standard lettering of 1931 for road signs and engineering. FF DIN by Albert-Jan Pool (1995) made it a design staple.
- Squared-off round letters, as if an o were a rounded rectangle.
- Narrow, uniform widths and a technical rhythm.
- Simple, open numerals that are easy to read at a glance.
In a site’s CSS it may appear as FF DIN, DIN Next, DIN 2014, DIN Pro, DIN Alternate, DIN Condensed. Not sure what you are looking at? Identify the font on the live page first.
Is DIN free?
Commercial in all professional versions. DIN 2014 is part of Adobe Fonts, and macOS ships DIN Alternate and DIN Condensed.
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 Barlow 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: "Barlow";
src: url("/fonts/barlow-400.woff2") format("woff2");
font-weight: 400;
font-display: swap;
}
@font-face {
font-family: "Barlow";
src: url("/fonts/barlow-700.woff2") format("woff2");
font-weight: 700;
font-display: swap;
}
body {
font-family: "Barlow", "DIN Alternate", "Roboto Condensed", 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 DIN?+
Barlow is the closest free alternative to DIN. A low-contrast grotesque inspired by California road signs and plates, which puts it in the same utilitarian family. It comes in normal, semi condensed and condensed widths. Roboto Condensed is also worth testing.
Is DIN free to use?+
Commercial in all professional versions. DIN 2014 is part of Adobe Fonts, and macOS ships DIN Alternate and DIN Condensed.
What Google Font looks like DIN?+
On Google Fonts, the nearest matches are Barlow and Roboto Condensed. 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 DIN?+
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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