Optima vs URW Gothic
Optima is a common reference point; URW Gothic is one of the closest free families to reach for. With 80% similarity, URW Gothic shares Optima's distinctive stroke modulation—the subtle thick-thin variation that sets both apart from typical sans-serifs. High contrast is sensitive to rendering; check how the thin strokes behave at your intended sizes.
80% Similarity
Visual Comparison
Optima
PremiumPremium font preview not available
Visit the foundry website to see samples
URW Gothic
FreeAa Bb Cc 123
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789 !@#$%^&*()
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Optima | URW Gothic |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Premium | Free |
| Classification | sans-serif | sans-serif |
| Variable Font | No | No |
| Weights | Multiple | 400, 500, 600, 700 |
| Italics | Yes | Yes |
| License | Commercial License Required | OFL-1.1 |
| Language Support | latin, latin-extended, greek | latin, latin-extended |
| Source | Linotype | Google Fonts |
Which Should You Choose?
Recommended: URW Gothic
- Free to use with open-source license
- No licensing costs for commercial projects
- Can be self-hosted or loaded from Google Fonts