Palatino® Linotype alternatives. Closest free font by our measurements: Average, score 85.
Average (85) edges out Kaisei Decol (81) as the free font nearest Palatino Linotype; Quattrocento comes third at 80 of the 24 we measured.
5 / 5
Score 85 · closest by measurements
Average

Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow
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Palatino Linotype

Against Palatino Linotype: x-height 2.5% shorter, 6.9% narrower, and 8.8% heavier.
Letters that differ most from Palatino Linotype: x, 4, and 5.
Styles: 1 weight, no italics.
- ✓Web
- ✓Logo
- ✓Selling
- OFL 1.1
3 of the 24 reach 80 against Palatino Linotype.
Which Palatino Linotype alternative to pick
Choose Average for Palatino Linotype if score is your first filter: it scores 85, with letters 6.9% narrower and ink 8.8% darker. Quattrocento comes closer to the width of Palatino Linotype, only 0.8% wider, with ink 6.8% lighter; Rosarivo supplies italics if that matters more than having several weights.
Where Average and Palatino Linotype differ
01 / Where the difference shows
x, 4, and 5: Average parts from Palatino Linotype most here
Average keeps Palatino Linotype’s x-height within 2.5%; the widest gap is 8.8% heavier.
The lab labels Average against Palatino Linotype: 7% narrower and 9% heavier.
- x-height−2.5%
- Width−6.9%
- Weight+8.8%
Every free font measured against Palatino Linotype
| Free font | Score | x-height | Width | Weight | Contrast | Letters that differ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 85 | −2.5% | −6.9% | +8.8% | none recorded | x 4 5 |
| Kaisei Decol | 81 | +16% | +8.4% | −13% | none recorded | Q 7 u |
| Quattrocento | 80 | −1.9% | +0.8% | −6.8% | none recorded | b o x |
| Ruwudu | 79 | −10% | −8% | +25% | none recorded | x a 3 |
| Rosarivo | 79 | +8.8% | +2.8% | +0.5% | none recorded | 0 5 3 |
| Castoro | 78 | +2% | −0.1% | +21% | none recorded | x y 4 |
| Lusitana | 78 | −7.2% | −5.8% | +16% | none recorded | x t e |
| Esteban | 77 | +2.6% | −1.3% | +7.5% | none recorded | s x f |
| Półtawski Nowy | 77 | −5.5% | −0.5% | +21% | none recorded | y w z |
| Vollkorn | 76 | −1.7% | −1.2% | +17% | none recorded | 0 5 x |
| Alike | 76 | +8% | +1% | +16% | none recorded | x 3 Z |
| Libertinus Serif | 75 | −7.9% | −8.9% | +6.8% | none recorded | x 2 7 |
| Adamina | 75 | +15% | +6.7% | +10% | none recorded | x Z 9 |
| Walleye | 74 | −7% | −6.2% | −1.5% | none recorded | s o 9 |
| UoqMunThenKhung | 73 | +16% | +8.4% | +16% | none recorded | j a Q |
| Andada Pro | 73 | +5.6% | +2.1% | +6% | none recorded | x 4 a |
| Lustria | 72 | +7.7% | +4.3% | −6.1% | none recorded | Z 5 x |
| Tienne | 71 | +9.8% | +14% | +12% | none recorded | 9 x t |
| Prociono | 70 | +12% | −4.7% | +13% | none recorded | 0 X a |
| Junicode | 70 | −11% | −15% | +7.7% | none recorded | x 4 W |
| Vollkorn SC | 70 | +7.5% | +24% | −15% | none recorded | 3 X 5 |
| Gambetta | 69 | −3.4% | −1.4% | −11% | none recorded | Z X 7 |
| Amiri | 69 | −10% | −13% | +5.1% | none recorded | x c 2 |
| Chiron Sung HK | 68 | +8.3% | +3.9% | −1.7% | none recorded | x Z 7 |
Can I use these Palatino Linotype alternatives for…
| Free font | Web | App | Logo | Selling | Commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | ✓ | !* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kaisei Decol | ✓ | !* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Quattrocento | ✓ | !* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- * Average, Kaisei Decol, and Quattrocento, Palatino Linotype alternatives inside an app: include the copyright notice and licence with the font files.
- OFL 1.1 text
- Full conditions for Palatino Linotype alternatives
Palatino Linotype alternatives: questions
What is the closest free alternative to Palatino Linotype?
Average scores 85 against Palatino Linotype, ahead of Kaisei Decol (81) and Quattrocento (80) among 24 free fonts.
Which Palatino Linotype alternative is closest in size?
Quattrocento matches both Palatino Linotype’s width (0.8% wider) and its x-height (x-height 1.9% shorter) most closely of these 5.
How does Kaisei Decol differ from Palatino Linotype?
Kaisei Decol scores 81 against Palatino Linotype: x-height 16% taller, 8.4% wider, and 13% lighter. Its Q, 7, and u differ most from Palatino Linotype’s.
Which Palatino Linotype alternative has the most weights?
Ruwudu has the most of the Palatino Linotype picks here, 4 weights; Kaisei Decol has 3 weights, Quattrocento has 2 weights, and Rosarivo has 1 weight.
Can I use the Palatino Linotype alternatives commercially?
Yes, all 5 free alternatives to Palatino Linotype here allow commercial work.
Is Palatino Linotype an open font?
No. Palatino Linotype ships with Windows 11 and Microsoft 365.
Paid fonts that share free alternatives with Palatino Linotype
- Constantia → Bespoke Serif8 free fonts measured against both, none among the closest to Palatino Linotype. Constantia against Palatino Linotype: x-height 3.2% shorter, 4.1% narrower, and 12% heavier.score 85
- Cambria → Noto Serif2 free fonts measured against both, none among the closest to Palatino Linotypescore 85
- Times New Roman → Sneaky TimesOne free font measured against both, none among the closest to Palatino Linotypescore 96
About Palatino Linotype
Hermann Zapf designed Palatino Linotype for Stempel in 1949, a old-style serif.
Beside Palatino Linotype, the same font lists carry Palatino (macOS Tahoe).
Your device may list Palatino Linotype as Palatino; the preview above looks for the font under that name too.
Palatino Linotype carries the Palatino® trademark of Monotype Imaging Inc.; FontForThat is not affiliated with Monotype Imaging Inc.; this is an independent comparison.