Are you designing your own labels or boxes and need a clean, easy-to-read sans serif font but tired of using the Helvetica font? This blog is the one for you. There are some crucial information such as vintage, alcohol percentage, nutritional facts and allergens that need to be written in a simple, clear font without too many frills. The Helvetica font, born in Switzerland in 1957, has all these characteristics, we know. It is no coincidence that the Helvetica font has been used in countless situations, from advertising and publishing to urban signage. It is such a widely used font that it sometimes causes nausea in designers all over the world. For this reason, similar sans serif fonts have emerged over time. The goal of this article is precisely to show you the sans serif fonts suitable for printing and web that are most similar to Helvetica. Let's begin.
Arial
The Arial font is considered perhaps the twin of the Helvetica font. The big difference is certainly in the end of the font which is angled and in the slightly greater spacing between characters.
Akzidenz Grotesk
Accordigly to history, Helvetica font was created as a replacement and competitor to Akzidenz Grotesk. In fact, there is no doubt that the two fonts are very similar.
Univers
The Univers font, designed by Andrian Frutiger, has very different proportions and weights from the Helvetica font. Univers also has more space between letters than the Helvetica font.
VISIA Pro
VISIA Pro is a geometric and rounded font but also very mininal. Its readability and clarity make it a perfect alternative to the Helvetica font.
Noirden Sans
Noirden Sans is very similar to the Helvetica font but slightly rounder and more contemporary. At first glance it is difficult to distinguish it from the Helvetica font.
Exensa Grotesk
The Exensa Grotesk font has been defined by its Fontastisca designers as the "authentic sans serif". It is a very readable font and it is perfect for both titles and longer texts.
Noveltica Nova Pro
The Noveltica Nova Pro font is a geometric font that comes from the mixture of the Helvetica and Verdana font. It is a neutral font perfect for many uses.
Lorin
The Lorin font, designed by Fontastica, has a very modern and contemporary look. It is ideal for those projects that want to have a little more personality.
AS Grammatika
The AS Grammatika font has a vintage-industrial feel. It is a perfect mix between the Helvetiva font and the D-Din font. It has a less round appearance than others on this list. Great for indications such as ingredients.
Neue Fofi
Designed by Arrtde, the Neue Fofi font is a modern and geometric font. Great alternative to the Helvetica font but with a more contemporary look.
Herz
The Herz font is slightly condensed. It has a neutral appearance which makes it perfect for numerous uses.
CA Saygon Text
The CA Saygon Text font was designed with the goal of being easy to read. It is offered in 5 different weights and styles.
Hamlin
The Hamlin font is very minimal and inspired by classic geometric fonts. It has a clean and stylish look, which makes it the perfect font for a brand or logo.
Grotte
The Grotte font is available in 3 weights. It features useful glyphs for several languages including Spanish, Portuguese, German, Danish, French and Cyrillic. If you are looking for an alternative to the Helvetica font that supports multiple languages this is the font for you.
SOLO
Designed by Unique Foundry, the SOLO font is a fresh and easy to read font.
Config
The Config font has a large font family. To be exact, we are talking about 40 fonts and 10 weights. It has an almost robotic look, which is why it is best suited for use in apps and websites.
Oxford
The Oxford font designed by designer jenwagnerco is an essential and quality font. Although it differs greatly from the others, it maintains the minimalism and legibility typical of the Helvetica font.
ARS Maquette
The ARS Maquette font is a grotesque type font designed by Angus R. It is very reminiscent of the Proxima Nova and Gotham fonts.
Brandon Grotesque
The Brandon Grotesque font was designed by the German designer Hannes von Döhren and released in 2010. It is a very used and interesting font.
FF Bau
Designed by Christian Schwartz in 2002, the FF Bau font is a large family of sans serif fonts designed in the "Grotesk" genre.
National
The National font is a deceptively simple sans serif with subtle details that give it a distinctive, yet not distracting, personality. It is a font suitable for long, small body texts.
Proxima Nova
Proxima Nova (2005) bridges the gap between typefaces like Futura and Akzidenz Grotesk. The result is a hybrid that combines modern proportions with a geometric look.
Slate
The Slate font, designed by award-winning Rod Mcdonald, is a truly beautiful font that reaches stellar levels of readability, on print and on screen.
We hope this guide has allowed you to find the Helvetica replacement font you've been waiting for.