Free alternatives to Helvetica Neue
Helvetica Neue is not an open font. These open fonts come closest by measured letter widths, the property that decides whether text keeps its line breaks when the font is swapped.
Closest open fonts to Helvetica Neue
Measured on every printable character both fonts contain. A smaller difference means the same words take the same space, so lines break in the same places.
- Arimo Regularsimilar widths (24.4 units)
- Arimo Mediumsimilar widths (24.7 units)
- Archivo Regularsimilar widths (26.4 units)
- Archivo Lightsimilar widths (27.9 units)
- Archivo Mediumsimilar widths (28.3 units)
- Arimo SemiBoldsimilar widths (28.3 units)
- Questrial Regularsimilar widths (29 units)
- Mandali Regularsimilar widths (29.6 units)
- Archivo ExtraLightloosely similar widths (32.1 units)
- Archivo SemiBoldloosely similar widths (33.3 units)
Helvetica Neue measured
| Average lowercase letter width | 501.4 units per 1000 em |
|---|---|
| Average capital letter width | 662.4 units per 1000 em |
| Word space | 278 units per 1000 em |
| Digits | tabular (every digit is 556 units wide, so columns of numbers line up) |
| Spacing | proportional |
| Width of i compared with m | 26% |
| Printable ASCII characters covered | 94 of 94 |
Editing a PDF that uses Helvetica Neue
Most PDFs embed only the letters they already use. Type a new letter and many editors either refuse or swap in a different font. Helvetica Neue is not freely available, so MythosPDF first uses every letter already embedded in your PDF. If a new letter is missing, it asks before using the closest open font listed here, and tells you which one it used.
Questions people ask
+What is the best free alternative to Helvetica Neue?
By measured letter widths, Arimo Regular: similar widths (24.4 units per 1000 em).
+Can I edit a PDF that uses Helvetica Neue without having it installed?
Yes. MythosPDF first uses the letters already embedded in the PDF. For a missing letter it asks before using the closest open font.
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