Trade Gothic, designed by Jackson Burke in 1948, is a classic American sans-serif known for its narrow proportions, utilitarian style, and slightly irregular letterforms. Its no-nonsense, workhorse appeal has made it a staple in editorial design, advertising, and corporate branding for decades.
However, Trade Gothic is a licensed font, and you may want an alternative for budget reasons, web optimization, or a slightly different visual tone.
Here’s our curated list of 7 typefaces similar to Trade Gothic, including both premium and free choices.
Visual Comparison
Sample Text: The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog
| Font | Preview |
|---|---|
| Trade Gothic | Image preview here |
| Franklin Gothic | Image preview here |
| Univers Condensed | Image preview here |
| News Gothic | Image preview here |
| Akzidenz-Grotesk Condensed | Image preview here |
| League Gothic | Image preview here |
| Oswald | Image preview here |
| PT Sans Narrow | Image preview here |
Premium Alternatives
1. Franklin Gothic (Morris Fuller Benton, 1902)
- Style: Grotesque Sans-Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Shares Trade Gothic’s condensed, bold, American-style sans serif character.
- Key Difference: Slightly more uniform shapes, more weights available.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Monotype.
2. Univers Condensed (Adrian Frutiger, 1957)
- Style: Neo-Grotesque Sans-Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Clean, precise condensed forms comparable to Trade Gothic.
- Key Difference: More systematic width/weight organization.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Linotype.
3. News Gothic (Morris Fuller Benton, 1908)
- Style: Grotesque Sans-Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Narrow, straightforward proportions; historically paired with Trade Gothic in print.
- Key Difference: Less aggressive in bold weights.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Monotype.
4. Akzidenz-Grotesk Condensed (H. Berthold Foundry, 1896)
- Style: Grotesque Sans-Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Early grotesque design with similar condensed weight range.
- Key Difference: More vintage European feel.
- Price & Availability: Paid — Berthold Types.
Free Alternatives
5. League Gothic (The League of Moveable Type, 2009 revival)
- Style: Grotesque Sans-Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Open-source revival of Alternate Gothic, which shares Trade Gothic’s condensed look.
- Key Difference: Slightly more condensed, fewer weights.
- Price & Availability: Free — The League of Moveable Type.
6. Oswald (Vernon Adams, 2011)
- Style: Sans-Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Digitally optimized condensed sans with Trade Gothic-like proportions.
- Key Difference: Screen-friendly spacing and kerning.
- Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
7. PT Sans Narrow (Alexandra Korolkova, Olga Umpeleva & Vladimir Yefimov, 2009)
- Style: Humanist Sans-Serif
- Why It’s Similar: Shares condensed, vertical letterforms for compact headlines.
- Key Difference: More humanist details, softer curves.
- Price & Availability: Free — Google Fonts.
Recommendation Summary Table
| Font Name | Similarity Score (1–5) | Free/Paid | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Gothic | ★★★★★ | Paid | Classic American branding |
| Univers Condensed | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Clean editorial work |
| News Gothic | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Magazine layouts & headlines |
| Akzidenz-Grotesk Condensed | ★★★★☆ | Paid | Vintage-inspired design |
| League Gothic | ★★★★☆ | Free | Open-source condensed headlines |
| Oswald | ★★★★☆ | Free | Web-safe condensed titles |
| PT Sans Narrow | ★★★☆☆ | Free | Humanist condensed typography |
Conclusion:
For a near match, Franklin Gothic and Univers Condensed offer the closest premium feel to Trade Gothic.
If you’re working on a budget, League Gothic and Oswald deliver excellent open-source and web-friendly alternatives.
Typeface Similar to Font 