Free Alternatives to Fortescue
About Fortescue
- Foundry
- Colophon
- Classification
- serif
- Style
- humanist
Fortescue is a refined serif typeface from Colophon, designed by Colophon Foundry in 2019. Drawing from classical typography traditions while incorporating contemporary refinements, Fortescue 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 humanist influence brings warmth and approachability, making text more inviting and easier to read at length.
Design Philosophy
Fortescue was created with a clear vision: to provide designers with a typeface that balances functionality with aesthetic appeal. Every curve, angle, and proportion has been carefully considered to ensure optimal performance across different applications and sizes. The design team focused on creating letterforms that would remain distinctive while being highly readable, achieving the difficult balance between personality and practicality.
Ideal Applications
Fortescue finds its strength in several key applications:
Editorial Design: The well-crafted letterforms and comfortable reading experience make it suitable for magazines, newspapers, and digital publications.
Technical Specifications
From a technical standpoint, Fortescue offers robust features that professional designers expect. The font includes carefully hinted outlines for crisp screen rendering, comprehensive OpenType features for advanced typography, and multiple weights to handle any design hierarchy. The character set covers extensive Latin language support, ensuring global usability for international projects.
Why People Replace Fortescue
- Licensing cost: Fortescue requires a paid license from Colophon
- 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
No direct free alternative available.
FAQ
Is Fortescue free?
No, Fortescue is a premium font from Colophon.
Does Fortescue support Cyrillic?
No, Fortescue does not include Cyrillic support.
Free Alternatives (2)
How to Use Crimson Pro
Copy these code snippets to quickly add Crimson Pro to your project.
CSS Import
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Crimson+Pro: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=Crimson+Pro:wght@100..900&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">Tailwind CSS
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
theme: {
extend: {
fontFamily: {
'crimson-pro': ['"Crimson Pro"', 'sans-serif'],
},
},
},
}
// Usage in HTML:
// <p class="font-crimson-pro">Your text here</p>React / Next.js
// Using next/font (Next.js 13+)
import { Crimson_Pro } from 'next/font/google';
const crimson_pro = Crimson_Pro({
subsets: ['latin'],
weight: ['100', '200', '300', '400', '500', '600', '700', '800', '900'],
});
export default function Component() {
return (
<p className={crimson_pro.className}>
Your text here
</p>
);
}
// Or using inline styles with Google Fonts link:
// <p style={{ fontFamily: '"Crimson Pro"' }}>Your text</p>Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Fortescue?
Crimson Pro is the best free alternative to Fortescue with 82% 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 Fortescue?
There is no official free version of Fortescue. However, Crimson Pro is available under the OFL-1.1 open-source license and offers 82% visual similarity. It includes variable weights and supports latin, latin-extended.
What Google Font looks like Fortescue?
The Google Fonts most similar to Fortescue are Crimson Pro, Source Serif Pro. Among these alternatives, Crimson Pro offers the closest match at 82% similarity with variable weights for flexible typography options.
Can I use Crimson Pro commercially?
Yes, Crimson Pro 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 Crimson Pro similar enough to Fortescue?
Crimson Pro achieves 82% similarity to Fortescue. 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 Fortescue and its free alternatives?
Free alternatives to Fortescue 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 Fortescue?
Download Crimson Pro 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.