Free alternatives to Optima
Optima 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 Optima
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.
- Lato Regularloosely similar widths (33.1 units)
- Lato Lightloosely similar widths (35.2 units)
- Oxygen Regularloosely similar widths (36.1 units)
- Shanti Regularloosely similar widths (36.2 units)
- Oxygen Lightloosely similar widths (37.1 units)
- Lato Boldloosely similar widths (37.1 units)
- Frank Ruhl Libre Regularloosely similar widths (38.9 units)
- Ubuntu Regularloosely similar widths (38.9 units)
- Ubuntu Sans Regularloosely similar widths (38.9 units)
- Arimo Regularloosely similar widths (39.1 units)
Optima measured
| Average lowercase letter width | 487.3 units per 1000 em |
|---|---|
| Average capital letter width | 645.4 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 | 33% |
| Printable ASCII characters covered | 94 of 94 |
Editing a PDF that uses Optima
Most PDFs embed only the letters they already use. Type a new letter and many editors either refuse or swap in a different font. Optima 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 Optima?
By measured letter widths, Lato Regular: loosely similar widths (33.1 units per 1000 em).
+Can I edit a PDF that uses Optima 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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