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Free Alternatives to Cardo
Cardo is itself free. It is open source under the SIL Open Font License, free for personal and commercial use. Cardo font details · Get it on Google Fonts ↗. The fonts below are similar free alternatives with a different character.
About Cardo
- Foundry
- David Perry
- Classification
- serif
- Style
- classical
Cardo is a refined serif typeface by David Perry, free on Google Fonts under the SIL Open Font License (OFL-1.1). Drawing from classical typography traditions while incorporating contemporary refinements, Cardo excels in editorial design, book publishing, and premium branding. Its well-balanced proportions and elegant stroke contrast ensure excellent readability in long-form text.
Why People Search for Alternatives
Cardo is free, and its scholarly character set (Greek, Hebrew, Gothic, Old Italic and Runic alongside extended Latin) is unusually broad. People still look at similar serifs when they need:
- More weights: Cardo has Regular and Bold, plus an Italic, and nothing in between
- A variable font: Cardo is static only
- Cyrillic: Cardo's coverage leans towards historical scripts rather than Cyrillic
- A Garamond flavour: a more familiar old-style text face for books and editorial work
Best Free Alternative
EB Garamond is the closest match at 85% similarity, and is also free under OFL-1.1.
Similar classical book serif
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Cardo | EB Garamond |
|---|---|---|
| License | OFL-1.1 | OFL-1.1 |
| Weights | 400, 700 | 400–800 |
| Variable | No | Yes (weight) |
| Cyrillic | No | Yes |
| Source | Google Fonts | Google Fonts |
FAQ
Is Cardo free?
Yes. Cardo is on Google Fonts under the SIL Open Font License (OFL-1.1), so it is free for books, academic work, websites and commercial projects.
Why look for alternatives to Cardo?
Mostly for range. Cardo's two weights are enough for a classical text page, but not for a layered editorial hierarchy. EB Garamond adds intermediate weights and a variable file.
What is the closest alternative to Cardo?
EB Garamond is the closest at 85% similarity. Similar classical book serif
Can I use EB Garamond commercially?
Yes, EB Garamond is licensed under OFL-1.1, which permits commercial use without fees.
Is EB Garamond on Google Fonts?
Yes, EB Garamond is available for free on Google Fonts.
Does Cardo support Cyrillic?
No, Cardo does not include Cyrillic support. However, EB Garamond does support Cyrillic.
Is Cardo on Google Fonts?
Yes, Cardo is available on Google Fonts under the SIL Open Font License 1.1. You can use it freely in any personal or commercial project.
Free Alternatives (2)
Compare the alternatives
See how Cardo compares to its top alternatives — and how those alternatives compare to each other — side by side.
See where Cardo 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>
);
}Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Cardo?
EB Garamond is the best free alternative to Cardo with a FontAlternatives similarity score of 85%. 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 Cardo?
Yes. Cardo itself is free: it is open source under the SIL Open Font License on Google Fonts, so you can use it in personal and commercial projects at no cost. If you want a similar font with a different character, the closest is EB Garamond (85% similarity).
What Google Font looks like Cardo?
The Google Fonts most similar to Cardo are EB Garamond, Cormorant Garamond. Among these alternatives, EB Garamond offers the closest match with a FontAlternatives similarity score of 85% 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 Cardo?
EB Garamond achieves a FontAlternatives similarity score of 85% compared to Cardo. 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 Cardo and its free alternatives?
Cardo and the alternatives listed here are all free, so the choice is about design rather than licensing: letter widths, x-height, weight range, italics and language coverage differ between them. Compare the top matches side by side above before switching.
Where can I download free alternatives to Cardo?
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.