Free Alternatives to Times New Roman
About Times New Roman
- Foundry
- Monotype
- Classification
- serif
- Style
- transitional
Times New Roman is a refined serif typeface from Monotype. Drawing from classical typography traditions while incorporating contemporary refinements, Times New Roman 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 Replace Times New Roman
- Licensing cost: Times New Roman requires a paid license from Monotype
- Per-seat pricing: Most premium fonts charge per user or device
- No variable font: Requires purchasing multiple weights separately
- Web font licensing: Additional fees for web embedding
Best Free Alternative
EB Garamond is the closest free match at 85% similarity.
Similar classic serif with elegant proportions
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Times New Roman | EB Garamond |
|---|---|---|
| License | Paid | OFL-1.1 |
| Weights | Multiple | Variable (100-900) |
| Variable | No | Yes |
| Cyrillic | Yes | Yes |
| Source | Monotype | Google Fonts |
FAQ
Is Times New Roman free?
No, Times New Roman is a premium font from Monotype. The best free alternative is EB Garamond.
What is the best free alternative to Times New Roman?
EB Garamond is the closest free alternative at 85% similarity. Similar classic serif with elegant proportions
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 Times New Roman support Cyrillic?
Yes, Times New Roman includes Cyrillic character support.
Free Alternatives (2)
Similar classic serif with elegant proportions
Comparable transitional serif for body text
How to Use EB Garamond
Copy these code snippets to quickly add EB Garamond to your project.
CSS Import
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=EB+Garamond: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=EB+Garamond:wght@100..900&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">Tailwind CSS
// 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>React / Next.js
// 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>Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Times New Roman?
EB Garamond is the best free alternative to Times New Roman with 85% 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 Times New Roman?
There is no official free version of Times New Roman. However, EB Garamond is available under the OFL-1.1 open-source license and offers 85% visual similarity. It includes variable weights and supports latin, latin-extended.
What Google Font looks like Times New Roman?
The Google Fonts most similar to Times New Roman are EB Garamond, Libre Baskerville. Among these alternatives, EB Garamond offers the closest match at 85% similarity with 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 Times New Roman?
EB Garamond achieves 85% similarity to Times New Roman. 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 Times New Roman and its free alternatives?
Free alternatives to Times New Roman 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 Times New Roman?
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.