The Best Free Alternatives to Arial
Arimo was commissioned by Google specifically as a free, metric-compatible substitute for Arial — every character has the same width and height as its Arial counterpart, so text set in Arimo occupies exactly the same space. It's the most accurate free Arial stand-in there is: swap it in and your layout doesn't move.
More free alternatives
Why look for an alternative?
Arial isn't free to license — but because it's so widely needed, Google commissioned Arimo as a metric-compatible open-source substitute.
Google Fonts are free and open-source. A well-chosen alternative gets you most of the look at no cost — free to use on the web, in print, and in apps.
Questions, answered
Is there a free version of Arial?
Arial isn't free to license, but Arimo — a Google-commissioned font — is metrically identical to it and free under an open license.
What Google Font is identical to Arial?
Arimo. Google built it to be metric-compatible with Arial, so character widths match exactly. Inter and Roboto are strong stylistic alternatives.
Is Arimo the same as Arial?
In metrics, yes — same character widths and heights, so layouts don't shift. The glyph shapes differ slightly (they have to, legally), but at a glance it reads as Arial.
Can I use Arimo commercially?
Yes. Arimo is a Google Font under an open license — free for personal and commercial use.
Browse the family
Same general style as Arial. Not necessarily close matches — different feel, different giveaways. Use them to widen the search.
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