Cooper Black, designed by Oswald Bruce Cooper in 1922, is a bold, friendly serif with soft curves and thick strokes. Known as the “soft heavyweight,” it became iconic in advertising, music album covers, and pop culture thanks to its approachable yet attention-grabbing style.
While Cooper Black has a timeless, retro appeal, you might need a similar font that offers more weights, modern refinement, or free licensing.
Here’s our curated list of 7 typefaces similar to Cooper Black, including both premium and free alternatives.
Visual Comparison
Sample Text: The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog
| Font | Preview |
|---|---|
| Cooper Black | Image preview here |
| ITC Souvenir | Image preview here |
| Bookman Old Style Bold | Image preview here |
| Balloon | Image preview here |
| Goudy Heavyface | Image preview here |
| ChunkFive | Image preview here |
| Cheee | Image preview here |
| Baloo 2 | Image preview here |
Premium Alternatives
1. ITC Souvenir (Ed Benguiat, 1970)
- Style: Serif, Soft Slab
- Why It’s Similar: Shares rounded serifs and friendly curves reminiscent of Cooper Black.
- Key Difference: More variation in stroke width and a slightly more formal tone.
- Price & Availability: Paid — ITC Fonts.
2. Bookman Old Style Bold (Alexander Phemister)
- Style: Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Heavy, rounded shapes with warm personality.
- Key Difference: Less exaggerated curves, more classic book type heritage.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Monotype.
3. Balloon (Max R. Kaufmann, 1939)
- Style: Display Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Rounded, friendly lettering with playful proportions.
- Key Difference: Slightly condensed and more vertical stance.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Bitstream.
4. Goudy Heavyface (Frederic W. Goudy)
- Style: Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Heavy serif weight with warm, rounded terminals.
- Key Difference: More traditional old-style serif influence.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Monotype.
Free Alternatives
5. ChunkFive (The League of Moveable Type)
- Style: Slab Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Bold, rounded slab style with a friendly, chunky presence.
- Key Difference: More geometric and modern in feel.
- Price & Availability: Free — The League of Moveable Type.
6. Cheee (OH no Type Co.)
- Style: Display Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Soft, heavy letterforms with playful energy.
- Key Difference: Exaggerated width and quirky character shapes.
- Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
7. Baloo 2 (Ek Type)
- Style: Display Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Thick, rounded curves with a friendly, informal vibe.
- Key Difference: Includes multiple script-specific versions for different languages.
- Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
Recommendation Summary Table
| Font Name | Similarity Score (1–5) | Free/Paid | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITC Souvenir | ★★★★★ | Paid | Branding with a retro twist |
| Bookman Old Style Bold | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Editorial and packaging design |
| Balloon | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Playful headlines |
| Goudy Heavyface | ★★★☆☆ | Paid | Vintage-inspired projects |
| ChunkFive | ★★★★☆ | Free | Bold web headers |
| Cheee | ★★★☆☆ | Free | Fun and quirky branding |
| Baloo 2 | ★★★☆☆ | Free | Casual, friendly layouts |
Conclusion
If you want the closest premium match to Cooper Black, ITC Souvenir and Bookman Old Style Bold are excellent choices.
For free alternatives, ChunkFive and Baloo 2 provide bold, rounded charm with open licensing.
Typeface Similar to Font 