Karla, designed by Jonny Pinhorn for Google Fonts, is a grotesque sans serif with a warm, human touch. It blends geometric skeletons with subtle curves, making it versatile for both body text and display. Known for its friendliness and simplicity, Karla is popular in branding, editorial design, and web interfaces.
You might look for alternatives if you want a wider range of weights, slightly different personality traits, or other licensing options for commercial projects.
Here’s our curated list of 7 typefaces similar to Karla, including both premium and free options.
Visual Comparison
Sample Text: The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog
| Font | Preview |
|---|---|
| Karla | Image preview here |
| Aktiv Grotesk | Image preview here |
| National 2 | Image preview here |
| GT Walsheim | Image preview here |
| Proxima Soft | Image preview here |
| Nunito | Image preview here |
| Work Sans | Image preview here |
| Muli (Mulish) | Image preview here |
Premium Alternatives
1. Aktiv Grotesk (Dalton Maag)
- Style: Sans-serif, Grotesque
- Why It’s Similar: Shares Karla’s clean geometry with a touch of warmth.
- Key Difference: Broader family range, refined kerning, and slightly sharper edges.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Dalton Maag.
2. National 2 (Kris Sowersby, Klim Type Foundry)
- Style: Sans-serif, Grotesque
- Why It’s Similar: Similar balance of geometric structure and humanist details.
- Key Difference: Greater versatility in weights and italics.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Klim Type Foundry.
3. GT Walsheim (Grilli Type)
- Style: Geometric Sans-serif
- Why It’s Similar: Shares approachable curves and modern proportions.
- Key Difference: More geometric overall, with distinct circular forms.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Grilli Type.
4. Proxima Soft (Mark Simonson)
- Style: Rounded Grotesque
- Why It’s Similar: Comparable proportions to Karla with softer, rounded edges.
- Key Difference: Fully rounded terminals for a friendlier look.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Mark Simonson Studio.
Free Alternatives
5. Nunito (Vernon Adams)
- Style: Rounded Sans-serif
- Why It’s Similar: Friendly geometric shapes, similar letter spacing to Karla.
- Key Difference: Fully rounded terminals and slightly softer tone.
- Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
6. Work Sans (Wei Huang)
- Style: Sans-serif, Grotesque
- Why It’s Similar: Similar grotesque inspiration with a web-optimized design.
- Key Difference: Slightly taller x-height for improved screen legibility.
- Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
7. Muli / Mulish (Vernon Adams, later updated by Jacques Le Bailly)
- Style: Geometric Sans-serif
- Why It’s Similar: Clean, modern shapes with a similar balance to Karla.
- Key Difference: More minimalist, optimized for digital environments.
- Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
Recommendation Summary Table
| Font Name | Similarity Score (1–5) | Free/Paid | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aktiv Grotesk | ★★★★★ | Paid | Corporate and brand identity |
| National 2 | ★★★★★ | Paid | Editorial and print layouts |
| GT Walsheim | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Geometric modern branding |
| Proxima Soft | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Friendly digital products |
| Nunito | ★★★★☆ | Free | Rounded, friendly interfaces |
| Work Sans | ★★★★☆ | Free | Web and UI text |
| Muli/Mulish | ★★★☆☆ | Free | Minimalist web typography |
Conclusion
If you want a paid, professional-grade match, Aktiv Grotesk and National 2 are the closest.
For a free option with similar warmth, Nunito and Work Sans are excellent choices for web and UI work.
Typeface Similar to Font 