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Free Alternatives to Apolline
About Apolline
- Foundry
- Typofonderie
- Classification
- serif
- Style
- old-style
Apolline is a Venetian old-style serif typeface designed by Jean François Porchez for Typofonderie. First drawn in 1993, it was among the foundry's three inaugural typefaces when Typofonderie launched in 1994, alongside Angie Sans and Anisette.
History and Design
Porchez modeled Apolline's initial drawings after his own calligraphy, working at very small size — 2 cm capitals on tracing paper — to preserve the irregularity of handwriting. The design explores the transition from Renaissance handwriting to early printing types, drawing on the tradition of Nicolas Jenson and his contemporaries. Rather than pursuing geometric precision, Apolline follows the natural rhythms of the pen: horizontal strokes are emphasized with asymmetrical serifs that reinforce writing direction, and the italic — set at 8 degrees, influenced by Van Krimpen and Gill — features full serifs and unusually narrow, fluid forms.
The family spans five weights from Regular through Extra Bold, each with matching italics, plus an ornaments set. A Book weight was specifically added for optimal spacing at small text sizes. The PRO OpenType version, implemented in 2011, expanded glyph coverage to 880 characters per font across 43 languages. Apolline won a Morisawa Award in 1993.
Technical Characteristics
- 10 styles plus ornaments: Regular, Book, Demi, Bold, Extra Bold — each with italics
- Calligraphic construction: Drawn from the designer's own handwriting at small scale
- Low contrast: Venetian proportions optimized for extended text reading
- Asymmetrical serifs: Reinforce horizontal writing rhythm
- Distinctive italic: 8-degree angle with full serifs and narrow, fluid letterforms
Use Cases
Apolline works effectively for:
- Editorial and book typography: Low-contrast Venetian proportions designed for extended reading comfort
- Brand identity: Calligraphic warmth with professional refinement for cultural and luxury brands
- Corporate communications: Trustworthy, readable character for reports, presentations, and formal documents
- Packaging and visual identity: Display sizes reveal the calligraphic details and asymmetrical serif construction
- Multilingual publishing: PRO version supports 43 languages across Latin Extended character sets
FAQ
Is Apolline free?
No, Apolline is a premium typeface from Typofonderie. The closest free alternative is EB Garamond at 78% similarity, offering a similar Renaissance old-style character.
What is the best free alternative to Apolline?
EB Garamond is the strongest free match at 78% similarity, sharing the same scholarly Renaissance tradition with calligraphic warmth and extensive OpenType features.
Who designed Apolline?
Jean François Porchez designed Apolline in 1993 as one of the founding typefaces of Typofonderie, the independent French type foundry he established in 1994. Porchez also served as President of ATypI from 2004 to 2007.
How many languages does Apolline support?
The PRO OpenType version supports 43 languages including French, German, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, and other Latin Extended character sets.
Is Apolline on Google Fonts?
No, Apolline is a premium font from Typofonderie and is not available on Google Fonts.
The closest Google Fonts alternative is EB Garamond with 78% similarity. Get it free on Google Fonts ↗
Free Alternatives (4)
Shares the Renaissance old-style heritage with scholarly elegance and calligraphic warmth
Old-style serif with calligraphic influence and similar text-first readability
Calligraphic serif designed for literature with visible pen influence through stroke modulation
Contemporary serif with calligraphic roots and comparable body text warmth
See where Apolline is used in the wild and swap to free alternatives live.
Install FontSwap →Performance Guide
Production performance metrics for each alternative.
How to Use EB Garamond
Copy these code snippets to quickly add EB Garamond to your project.
CSS code for EB Garamond
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=EB+Garamond:wght@100..900&display=swap');HTML code for EB Garamond
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=EB+Garamond:wght@100..900&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">Tailwind code for EB Garamond
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
theme: {
extend: {
fontFamily: {
'eb-garamond': ['"EB Garamond"', 'sans-serif'],
},
},
},
}
// Usage in HTML:
// <p class="font-eb-garamond">Your text here</p>Next.js code for EB Garamond
// Using next/font (Next.js 13+)
import { EB_Garamond } from 'next/font/google';
const eb_garamond = EB_Garamond({
subsets: ['latin'],
weight: ['100', '200', '300', '400', '500', '600', '700', '800', '900'],
});
export default function Component() {
return (
<p className={eb_garamond.className}>
Your text here
</p>
);
}
// Or using inline styles with Google Fonts link:
// <p style={{ fontFamily: '"EB Garamond"' }}>Your text</p>Expo and React Native code for EB Garamond
// Install: npx expo install @expo-google-fonts/eb-garamond expo-font
import { useFonts, EB_Garamond_400Regular } from '@expo-google-fonts/eb-garamond';
export default function App() {
const [fontsLoaded] = useFonts({
EB_Garamond_400Regular,
});
if (!fontsLoaded) return null;
return (
<Text style={{ fontFamily: 'EB_Garamond_400Regular' }}>
Your text here
</Text>
);
}Recommended Font Pairings
These free fonts pair well with EB Garamond Apolline for headlines, body text, or accent use.
Browse Alternatives by Context
Find Apolline alternatives filtered by specific use case, style, or language support.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Apolline?
EB Garamond is the best free alternative to Apolline with a FontAlternatives similarity score of 78%. It shares similar proportions and characteristics while being available under the OFL-1.1 license for both personal and commercial use at no cost.
Is there a free version of Apolline?
There is no official free version of Apolline. However, EB Garamond is available under the OFL-1.1 open-source license and achieves a FontAlternatives similarity score of 78%. It includes variable weights and supports latin, latin-extended.
What Google Font looks like Apolline?
The Google Fonts most similar to Apolline are EB Garamond, Crimson Pro, Alegreya. Among these alternatives, EB Garamond offers the closest match with a FontAlternatives similarity score of 78% and includes variable weights for flexible typography options.
Can I use EB Garamond commercially?
Yes, EB Garamond can be used commercially. It is licensed under OFL-1.1, which allows free use in websites, applications, print materials, and commercial projects without purchasing a license or paying royalties.
Is EB Garamond similar enough to Apolline?
EB Garamond achieves a FontAlternatives similarity score of 78% compared to Apolline. While not identical, it offers comparable letterforms, proportions, and visual style. Most designers find it works excellently as a substitute in web and print projects.
What are the main differences between Apolline and its free alternatives?
Free alternatives to Apolline may differ in subtle details like letter spacing, curve refinements, and available weights. Premium fonts typically include more OpenType features, extended language support, and optimized screen rendering. However, for most projects, these differences are negligible.
Where can I download free alternatives to Apolline?
Download EB Garamond directly from Google Fonts. Click the "Get Font" button on any alternative listed above to visit the official download page. Google Fonts also provides convenient embed codes for seamless web integration.