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Lato vs Gill Sans
If you're evaluating Gill Sans as a baseline, this comparison shows how Lato stacks up in real projects. With 85% similarity, Lato shares Gill Sans's humanist proportions with similar warmth and professional character. If you want the same structure with a friendlier vibe, Lato usually gets you there.
Design DNA
Design overlap:0%
Lato
Gill Sans
Visual Comparison
Lato
FreeAa Bb Cc 123
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789 !@#$%^&*()
Gill Sans
Premium
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Lato | Gill Sans |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Free | Premium |
| Classification | sans-serif | sans-serif |
| Variable Font | No | No |
| Weights | 100, 300, 400, 700, 900 | Multiple |
| Italics | Yes | Yes |
| License | OFL-1.1 | Commercial License Required |
| Language Support | latin, latin-extended | latin, latin-extended |
| Source | Google Fonts | Monotype |
Best Use Cases
Fonts that establish strong brand identity with distinctive character and versat...
Typography suited for magazines, newspapers, and long-form content. Editorial fo...
Typography for wayfinding, environmental graphics, and public signage. Signage f...
Typography for established businesses, enterprise software, and professional ser...
Typography for medical, wellness, and healthcare applications. Healthcare fonts ...
Fonts optimized for mobile interfaces with excellent small-size legibility, clea...
Typography optimized for online retail, marketplaces, and shopping experiences. ...
Typography for startups, tech companies, and venture-backed businesses. Startup ...
Typography for business documents, reports, and professional communications. Doc...
Performance Comparison
| Metric | Lato | Gill Sans |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 60/100 | N/A |
| File Size | 85.9 KB | N/A |
| Weights | 5 | N/A |
| Italics | Yes | N/A |
| Variable Font | No | N/A |
| Language Groups | 2 | N/A |
| CDN Delivery | Yes | N/A |
| x-Height Ratio | 0.506 | N/A |
| Cap Height Ratio | 0.717 | N/A |
Where You'll See These Fonts
Gill Sans
- British railways
- BBC branding
- Government documents
- Museum signage
- Publishing industry
Which Should You Choose?
Recommended: Lato
- Particularly suited for corporate communications and branding
- Delivers a friendly, professional, clean aesthetic
- Popular in education-academia and healthcare-medical design
- Versatile enough to replace 13+ premium fonts
- Free under OFL-1.1 license
Consider: Gill Sans
- Original design with refined typographic details
- Designed specifically for branding and editorial
- Used by British railways, BBC branding
- Commercial license with professional support
Browse by Context
Free Alternatives to Consider
Other free alternatives to Gill Sans