Free Alternatives to Canela
About Canela
- Foundry
- Commercial Type
- Classification
- serif
- Style
- contemporary
Canela is a refined serif typeface from Commercial Type, designed by Miguel Reyes in 2016. Drawing from classical typography traditions while incorporating contemporary refinements, Canela excels in editorial design, book publishing, and premium branding. Its well-balanced proportions and elegant stroke contrast ensure excellent readability in long-form text. The contemporary aesthetic makes it particularly well-suited for modern digital products and forward-thinking brands.
Why People Replace Canela
- Licensing cost: Canela requires a paid license from Commercial Type
- Per-seat pricing: Most premium fonts charge per user or device
- No variable font: Requires purchasing multiple weights separately
- Limited language support: May not cover all required scripts
- Web font licensing: Additional fees for web embedding
Best Free Alternative
Playfair Display is the closest free match at 78% similarity.
Similar high-contrast editorial character
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Canela | Playfair Display |
|---|---|---|
| License | Paid | OFL-1.1 |
| Weights | Multiple | Variable (100-900) |
| Variable | No | Yes |
| Cyrillic | No | Yes |
| Source | Commercial Type | Google Fonts |
FAQ
Is Canela free?
No, Canela is a premium font from Commercial Type. The best free alternative is Playfair Display.
What is the best free alternative to Canela?
Playfair Display is the closest free alternative at 78% similarity. Similar high-contrast editorial character
Can I use Playfair Display commercially?
Yes, Playfair Display is licensed under OFL-1.1, which permits commercial use without fees.
Is Playfair Display on Google Fonts?
Yes, Playfair Display is available for free on Google Fonts.
Does Canela support Cyrillic?
No, Canela does not include Cyrillic support. However, Playfair Display does support Cyrillic.
Free Alternatives (2)
Similar high-contrast editorial character
How to Use Playfair Display
Copy these code snippets to quickly add Playfair Display to your project.
CSS Import
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Playfair+Display:wght@100..900&display=swap');HTML Link Tags
<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=Playfair+Display:wght@100..900&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">Tailwind CSS
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
theme: {
extend: {
fontFamily: {
'playfair-display': ['"Playfair Display"', 'sans-serif'],
},
},
},
}
// Usage in HTML:
// <p class="font-playfair-display">Your text here</p>React / Next.js
// Using next/font (Next.js 13+)
import { Playfair_Display } from 'next/font/google';
const playfair_display = Playfair_Display({
subsets: ['latin'],
weight: ['100', '200', '300', '400', '500', '600', '700', '800', '900'],
});
export default function Component() {
return (
<p className={playfair_display.className}>
Your text here
</p>
);
}
// Or using inline styles with Google Fonts link:
// <p style={{ fontFamily: '"Playfair Display"' }}>Your text</p>Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Canela?
Playfair Display is the best free alternative to Canela with 78% similarity. 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 Canela?
There is no official free version of Canela. However, Playfair Display is available under the OFL-1.1 open-source license and offers 78% visual similarity. It includes variable weights and supports latin, latin-extended.
What Google Font looks like Canela?
The Google Fonts most similar to Canela are Playfair Display, Cormorant Garamond. Among these alternatives, Playfair Display offers the closest match at 78% similarity with variable weights for flexible typography options.
Can I use Playfair Display commercially?
Yes, Playfair Display 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 Playfair Display similar enough to Canela?
Playfair Display achieves 78% similarity to Canela. 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 Canela and its free alternatives?
Free alternatives to Canela 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 Canela?
Download Playfair Display 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.