Free fonts similar to GT Sectra
GT Sectra combines the flow of a broad-nib pen with the sharpness of a scalpel: curves are interrupted by crisp, angular cuts. It looks literary and edgy at the same time, which made it popular with magazines, cultural institutions and fashion brands. The Fine and Display cuts push the effect further at large sizes.
Short answer: the closest free alternative to GT Sectra is Fraunces. Playfair Display is also worth a look. All are open source and free for commercial use.
GT Sectra 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.
/* Fraunces is open source. Self-host it or load it from Google Fonts. */ font-family: "Fraunces", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;
The alternatives in detail
1. Fraunces
Why it works. A characterful display serif with an optical size axis and plenty of contrast, for headlines that need a distinctive voice.
What differs. Soft and rounded where GT Sectra is sharp and angular. Set its softness axis to zero for the crispest result.
2. Playfair Display
Why it works. A dependable high-contrast display serif with a strong editorial presence.
What differs. Classical and smooth, with round curves and ball terminals. The knife-cut tension is missing entirely.
How to recognize GT Sectra
Marc Kappeler, Dominik Huber and Noël Leu, released by Grilli Type in 2014. It was first drawn for the Swiss long-form journalism magazine Reportagen.
- Curves that break into sharp, straight cuts, as if sliced with a blade.
- Razor-sharp wedge serifs and pointed terminals.
- Calligraphic thick and thin contrast, most dramatic in the Display and Fine cuts.
In a site’s CSS it may appear as GT Sectra Fine, GT Sectra Display, GT Sectra Book, GT Sectra Trial. Not sure what you are looking at? Identify the font on the live page first.
Is GT Sectra free?
Commercial, sold only by Grilli Type. It is not on Adobe Fonts and not preinstalled on any system.
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 Fraunces 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: "Fraunces";
src: url("/fonts/fraunces-400.woff2") format("woff2");
font-weight: 400;
font-display: swap;
}
@font-face {
font-family: "Fraunces";
src: url("/fonts/fraunces-700.woff2") format("woff2");
font-weight: 700;
font-display: swap;
}
body {
font-family: "Fraunces", Georgia, "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 GT Sectra?+
Fraunces is the closest free alternative to GT Sectra. A characterful display serif with an optical size axis and plenty of contrast, for headlines that need a distinctive voice. Playfair Display is also worth testing.
Is GT Sectra free to use?+
Commercial, sold only by Grilli Type. It is not on Adobe Fonts and not preinstalled on any system.
What Google Font looks like GT Sectra?+
On Google Fonts, the nearest matches are Fraunces and Playfair Display. 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 GT Sectra?+
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) SERIFDidot
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DIDONE (MODERN) SERIFBodoni
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TRANSITIONAL SERIF FOR SCREENSCambria
Try Caladea and Source Serif 4