As a creative in the marketing or media space, chances are that the Helvetica Neue font is one of your favorite fonts. Designed by Max Miedinger, the font is an updated version of the original Helvetica font.
I’d say, it’s one of the oldest typefaces we have at the moment. While the Helvetica font was released in 1957, Helvetica Neue was released in 1983 by Linotype, a font foundry.
Over the years, the font has grown to be highly recognized and popular because of its clean and timeless look. Because of its balanced proportions and versatility, Helvetica is usually the go-to font for creatives designing logos, building brand identities, or simply writing media publications.
Some of the best fonts similar to Helvetica Neue include Arial, Roboto, Lato, Open Sans, Gotham, and Montserrat. However, Arial tops the list because of its clean and straightforward design. It’s also highly versatile and universally available.
Also Read: Best Free Helvetica Alternatives
Why Should You Explore The Best Fonts Like Helvetica Neue?
While Helvetica Neue is one of the best fonts out there, you shouldn’t be stuck on it. You can explore other alternative fonts that share the same style.
The good thing about these fonts is that as much as they are similar to Helvetica, they also come with their own unique charm.
Aside from that, Helvetica Neue is not acceptable on some platforms which can be very limiting. For example, you can’t find the font on Google Docs.
What happens on days when you need to work with it but can’t access it?
Well, I have researched and analyzed the best fonts that resemble Helvetica Neue, with simple, timeless, and versatile typefaces.
Whether you’re a designer, marketer, or writer working on a logo, website design, or presentation, you’re in for a real treat as we explore these alternatives.
You’ll surely find something that works for you, so read to the end.
Also Read:Â Best Cursive Fonts For Email Signature
Best Fonts Like Helvetica Neue
1. Arial
This popular sans-serif typeface surely bears a striking resemblance to Helvetica Neue. It is so popular that it is the first font you meet when typing on Google Docs. In fact, it was designed to replicate the same aesthetic and functionality as Helvetica.
I love Arial’s clean and straightforward design. Its balanced letterforms and neutral appearance make your work super easy to read. And it doesn’t matter how small the letters are.
Like Helvetica, Arial is highly versatile and suitable for various spaces. First, it’s a go-to font in print and digital media, especially when designing your work’s body text, headlines, or captions.
Another similarity between Arial and Helvetica Neue is that both fonts have a modern, timeless style that excuses professionalism and clarity. However, while Arial is universally available, Helvetica Neue is not, giving Arial an edge.
This means that whether you’re working on a document or design on any platform, Arial is constantly available.
Also Read:Â Best Cursive Fonts In Word
2. Roboto
Another popular and versatile font like Helvetica is Roboto. Interestingly, this font was developed by Google to serve as a system font for the Android operating system.
However, its use has extended to other platforms and design applications. Like Helvetica Naue, Roboto has a modern and clean design with a neutral appearance.
I particularly love that the font has a geometric structure with straightforward and approachable letterforms. This means that you can use it for different kinds of content.
Additionally, Roboto, like Helvetica Neue, can adapt well when designing any kind of project whether on a digital interface or print. I love that Roboto comes with unique characteristics.
The font has a slightly more rounded and softer aesthetic, giving it a friendlier and more contemporary vibe. This makes it much more suitable for modern designs.
Finally, unlike Helvetica Neue, Roboto is readily available and widely supported across platforms. This means that designers, developers, or writers who want to work with the font can easily access it.
Check Out: Best Handwriting Fonts In Word
3. Open Sans
If you want a typeface that is not only eligible but versatile as well, then you shouldn’t miss out on Open Sans. Developed by Steve Matteson, this font suits almost every type of design application.
I love its clean and modern design aesthetic, a similar feature to Helvetica Neue. Additionally, you’ll love its balanced letterforms and neutral appearance.
All these features contribute to its readability and adaptability across different mediums, both web and print applications. You can use the font in the body of the text including the headlines and user interfaces of your website.
This will ensure that your work looks consistent and cohesive all through. More so, Open Sans’ well-proportioned letterforms give ample space between characters, making readability easy.
However, the font has a more rounded and softer appearance than Helvetica Neue. This gives it a friendly and approachable feel, making it a suitable option if you’re working on a design that requires a warmer and more inviting tone.
The best part is that Open Sans has an extensive font family, from light to bold, and regular to italic, there’s enough visual style to cater to your design needs. Finally, the font is freely available as an open-source font, making it easily accessible to designers and developers.
Check Out:Â Best Fonts For Resume
4. Lato
Also Read:Â Creative Fabrica vs Creative Market
This is another great font option for designers and writers seeking an alternative to Helvetica Neue. It was developed by a Polish font designer named Lukasz Dziedzic.
Interestingly, this designer created the font during summer in the year 2010. That’s why, “Lato” means “Summer’ in Polish. Lato is known for its versatility, legibility, and modern appearance.
One feature that stands out with this font is its round edges and approachable warmth. These characteristics alone made it one of the popular fonts on Google font.
Interestingly, whenever I look at this font, the words that come to my mind are professional and approachable. I love its soft edges which is a feature Helvetica Neue lacks.
Because the font was developed clearly for delivering information, it’s much more suitable when you’re writing your resume. It also works well on websites and magazines.
In addition to that, you can use the font when designing your business cards, especially when you want them simple and neat. If you’re using it on promotional materials like flyers, it’s even better because the required information will be delivered without distractions.
Also Read: Best Signature Fonts In Word
5. Proxima Nova
When Mark Simonson was creating this font, he had one goal in mind and that was to have a font that bridges the gap between the Futura and Akzidenz Grotesk typefaces.
When he finally released the finished product in 2005, the result was a hybrid font that blends modern proportions with a geometrical appearance.
Mark also noted on his website that he first released the font in 1994 as Proxima Sans. Then, the font had just three weights including Regular, Medium, and Black.
However, with the revised Proxima Nova, he expanded the font into 42 fonts to ensure its versatility. At the moment, the font has seven weights and they include, light, thin, regular, semibold, bold, extra bold, and black.
And each of them has matching italics plus small caps styles with condensed and extra condensed widths. I particularly love how legible and clean this font is.
Like Helvetica Neue, Proxima Nova will give your work a balanced and harmonious appearance. You can use it for a wide range of design contexts including logo design, branding, app interfaces, editorial design, advertising materials, and web design.
Explore: Handwriting Fonts To Feed Every Designer’s Inspiration
6. Gotham
Gotham is another popular font you can use in place of Helvetica Neue. It was created by an American type designer, Tobias Frere-Jones, and was released in 2000.
Upon more research, I discovered that the font was primarily created to solve some of the limitations and improve the legibility of the former Gotham typeface. You’ll notice that it has a geometric design with straight lines and clean shapes, giving it a contemporary and professional look.
This means that you can use the font in writing your professional resume. It can also be used in other media outlets. I love that the font works effectively both in headlines and body text across various mediums like print, digital, and branding.
Another feature to like about this font is its extended character set that supports multiple languages and typographic features. This makes it a versatile choice for international projects and publications.
Additionally, the font comes in different weights and styles including light, regular, medium, bold, and black as well as italic variations.
Check Out:Â Best Sites Like Dafont
7. Montserrat
You can’t go wrong with the Montserrat font. Designed by an Argentina graphics designer, Julieta Ulanovsky in 2010, the font is known for its geometric design and extensive typeface.
Interestingly, the font was inspired by the typography found in posters and signs found in the Montserrat neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Since its release, the Montserrat font has become popular among website designers.
In fact, more than 15 million websites are currently using the font. Aside from that, Montserrat made it to the Google Fonts catalog in 2011. It’s currently one of the free and open-source fonts in the library.
From this, it’s easy to tell why the font has widespread usage across different design projects. Interestingly, the font also has different weights and styles including regular, medium, extra light, light, semibold, bold, extra-bold, and black.
I love that this variety allows for flexibility and the ability to create a visual hierarchy within your designs. Best of all, the font has an open and friendly appearance.
This means that it works well in both display settings and body text, adding a modern and approachable feel to your projects. Overall, if you love Helvetica Neue’s geometric appearance, then you should give Montserrat a try since both fonts share the same features.
Also Read:Â Best Fontello Alternatives
8. Source Sans Pro
If you’re a fan of Adobe’s products, then this font will be super useful. It is a popular typeface developed by Adobe but designed by Paul D. Haunt.
Additionally, the font is available on Google Font Library, further reinstating its versatility. Because it has a sans-serif typeface, it’s evident that the font will work well in user interfaces.
Unlike Helvetica Neue, Source Sans can be used freely within your Adobe Fonts account. You’ll love its clean and legible design and how it blends effortlessly with the body and headings of your text.
Also, the font’s well-proportioned letterforms and generous spacing add to its readability across all mediums.
Most importantly, Source Sans Pro supports OpenType features such as ligatures, fractions, and tabular figures. All these help to enhance the font’s usefulness and give space for a more creative typographic expression.
Another great feature of the font is that it supports a wide range of Latin-based languages, making it a suitable option for international projects and publications.
Overall, Source Sans Pro is designed for screen and that’s why it’s a popular choice for web designers and developers.
Check Out:Â Best Transfonter Alternatives
9. Nunito
Also Read:Â Best Creative Fabrica Alterntatives
If you want a simple font with an open and approachable feel, then Nunito is your best bet. Designed by Vernon Adams, this font has a sans-serif typeface like Helvetica Neue.
Interestingly, the font combines geometric and humanist design elements which adds to its contemporary feel. While the normal version offers a straightforward yet simple tone, the rounded version has cap strokes that heighten the humanist touch.
This combination gives it an edge over Helvetica Neue. You’ll also love the font’s high legibility, spacing, and proportions carefully ensuring readability across different mediums.
Overall, I love that this font oozes simplicity and straightforwardness. Because of these features, Nunito has become the go-to font for web designers and developers.
The font is available for free on Google Fonts library including Adobe Font.
Also Read:Â Best Safe Web Fonts To Use With CSS
10. Museo Sans
This is another beautiful font you can use in place of Helvetica Neue. Designed by Jos Buivenga in 2008, Museo Sans is available on Adobe Font. You’ll love how sturdy, geometric, and highly legible the font is.
It is the best choice for any text display on any medium. I particularly love its clean and modern appearance.
The font comes in different weights and styles including regular, italic, bold, and bold italic allowing designers to create typographic hierarchies and emphasize certain elements in their works.
Explore: Worst Fonts Ever
Conclusion
As you can see from the review above, there are up to 10 different fonts that have similar features as Helvetica Neue. However, my top choice is Arial and that’s because of the balanced letterforms that give it a neutral appearance.
Plus the font is universally available and highly legible no matter how small the characters are. You’re free to explore other fonts and see which one works well for you.
