Century Gothic, designed by Monotype in 1991, is a geometric sans-serif inspired by Futura’s clean forms but with a taller x-height and softer curves. Its wide, modern letterforms make it a favorite for headlines, display text, and minimalist branding. With its distinctive circular shapes and generous spacing, it’s easy to read in larger sizes but less common for long body copy.
However, Century Gothic is bundled with certain software packages and isn’t always freely available for web embedding. Designers may also seek alternatives for different licensing terms, broader weights, or better digital optimization.
Here’s our curated list of 7 typefaces similar to Century Gothic, including both premium and free alternatives.
Visual Comparison
Sample Text: The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog
| Font | Preview |
|---|---|
| Century Gothic | Image preview here |
| Futura | Image preview here |
| Avenir | Image preview here |
| ITC Avant Garde Gothic | Image preview here |
| Montserrat | Image preview here |
| Josefin Sans | Image preview here |
| Questrial | Image preview here |
| Spartan | Image preview here |
Premium Alternatives
1. Futura (Paul Renner, 1927)
Style: Geometric Sans-Serif
Why It’s Similar: Shares the same geometric DNA and circular forms.
Key Difference: More historically faithful Bauhaus influence, tighter spacing.
Price & Availability: Paid — Linotype.
2. Avenir (Adrian Frutiger, 1988)
Style: Humanist Geometric Sans-Serif
Why It’s Similar: Geometric precision softened with humanist proportions.
Key Difference: More subtle stroke modulation, improved readability at text sizes.
Price & Availability: Paid — Linotype/Monotype.
3. ITC Avant Garde Gothic (Herb Lubalin & Tom Carnase, 1970)
Style: Geometric Sans-Serif
Why It’s Similar: Shares the same wide letterforms and round shapes.
Key Difference: More decorative alternates and ligatures, giving it a stronger display character.
Price & Availability: Paid — ITC/Monotype.
Free Alternatives
4. Montserrat (Julieta Ulanovsky, 2011)
Style: Geometric Sans-Serif
Why It’s Similar: Clean geometric shapes, similar openness in letterforms.
Key Difference: Inspired by Buenos Aires signage; slightly taller x-height.
Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
5. Josefin Sans (Santiago Orozco, 2011)
Style: Geometric Sans-Serif
Why It’s Similar: Minimalist, geometric design with similar lightness.
Key Difference: More art-deco flair in the letterforms.
Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
6. Questrial (Joe Prince, 2011)
Style: Geometric Sans-Serif
Why It’s Similar: Wide, modern feel with even stroke weight like Century Gothic.
Key Difference: Slightly more condensed, designed for screen clarity.
Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
7. Spartan (Matt Bailey, 2019)
Style: Geometric Sans-Serif
Why It’s Similar: Digitally refined interpretation of League Spartan, closely mirroring Century Gothic proportions.
Key Difference: Optimized for variable font use.
Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
Recommendation Summary Table
| Font Name | Similarity Score (1–5) | Free/Paid | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Futura | ★★★★★ | Paid | Authentic geometric classic |
| Avenir | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Refined readability in body text |
| ITC Avant Garde Gothic | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Decorative display work |
| Montserrat | ★★★★☆ | Free | Web and branding |
| Josefin Sans | ★★★☆☆ | Free | Stylish display headings |
| Questrial | ★★★☆☆ | Free | Digital interfaces |
| Spartan | ★★★★☆ | Free | Versatile variable font use |
Conclusion
If you’re after the closest premium equivalent, Futura and Avenir give you refined geometric styles with professional polish. For free and versatile options, Montserrat and Spartan excel in web projects while keeping Century Gothic’s modern, round charm.
Typeface Similar to Font 