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Free Alternatives to Interstate
About Interstate
- Foundry
- Font Bureau
- Classification
- sans-serif
- Style
- highway-signage
Interstate is a sans-serif designed by Tobias Frere-Jones at Font Bureau, inspired by the lettering on U.S. highway signs (FHWA Series). Released in 1993, it translates the clarity and confidence of American road signage into a versatile typeface for print and screen.
Design Characteristics
Interstate inherits the wide proportions, open counters, and clear construction of highway lettering while refining it for professional typography. Its utilitarian DNA gives it an unmistakable American character — confident without being aggressive, authoritative without being formal.
Where Interstate Excels
- Signage and wayfinding: Airport terminals, transit systems, building directories
- Corporate identity: Banking, insurance, government communications
- Editorial: Magazine headlines, sports graphics, news crawls
- Television: On-screen graphics, network branding
FAQ
What's the difference between Interstate and the actual highway font?
Interstate is a commercial interpretation of the FHWA Series lettering, not the government standard itself. It adds proper kerning, italics, and multiple weights that the original signage spec doesn't include.
Is Interstate on Google Fonts?
No, Interstate is a premium font from Font Bureau and is not available on Google Fonts.
The closest Google Fonts alternative is Barlow with 78% similarity. Get it free on Google Fonts ↗
Free Alternatives (3)
Grotesk with infrastructure-inspired proportions and similar utilitarian character
US government sans-serif with comparable authoritative presence
Versatile humanist sans with clear, legible construction
See where Interstate is used in the wild and swap to free alternatives live.
Install FontSwap →Performance Guide
Production performance metrics for each alternative.
How to Use Barlow
Copy these code snippets to quickly add Barlow to your project.
CSS code for Barlow
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Barlow:wght@100;200;300;400;500;600;700;800;900&display=swap');HTML code for Barlow
<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=Barlow:wght@100;200;300;400;500;600;700;800;900&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">Tailwind code for Barlow
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
theme: {
extend: {
fontFamily: {
'barlow': ['Barlow', 'sans-serif'],
},
},
},
}
// Usage in HTML:
// <p class="font-barlow">Your text here</p>Next.js code for Barlow
// Using next/font (Next.js 13+)
import { Barlow } from 'next/font/google';
const barlow = Barlow({
subsets: ['latin'],
weight: ['100', '200', '300', '400', '500', '600', '700', '800', '900'],
});
export default function Component() {
return (
<p className={barlow.className}>
Your text here
</p>
);
}
// Or using inline styles with Google Fonts link:
// <p style={{ fontFamily: "'Barlow'" }}>Your text</p>Expo and React Native code for Barlow
// Install: npx expo install @expo-google-fonts/barlow expo-font
import { useFonts, Barlow_400Regular } from '@expo-google-fonts/barlow';
export default function App() {
const [fontsLoaded] = useFonts({
Barlow_400Regular,
});
if (!fontsLoaded) return null;
return (
<Text style={{ fontFamily: 'Barlow_400Regular' }}>
Your text here
</Text>
);
}Browse Alternatives by Context
Find Interstate alternatives filtered by specific use case, style, or language support.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Interstate?
Barlow is the best free alternative to Interstate 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 Interstate?
There is no official free version of Interstate. However, Barlow is available under the OFL-1.1 open-source license and achieves a FontAlternatives similarity score of 78%. It includes 9 weights and supports latin, latin-extended.
What Google Font looks like Interstate?
The Google Fonts most similar to Interstate are Barlow, Public Sans, Source Sans 3. Among these alternatives, Barlow offers the closest match with a FontAlternatives similarity score of 78% and includes 9 weights for design flexibility.
Can I use Barlow commercially?
Yes, Barlow 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 Barlow similar enough to Interstate?
Barlow achieves a FontAlternatives similarity score of 78% compared to Interstate. 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 Interstate and its free alternatives?
Free alternatives to Interstate 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 Interstate?
Download Barlow 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.