We all know the pain when we see a title that promises free fonts, only to find out they are for personal use only. Well, not today. After some deep-diving, we managed to hunt down, select, check and double-check 40 modern free commercial fonts that you can download and use in your projects in 2021. The same way we collected the best fonts last year.
All fonts are either Open Font License (OFL), or listed by the designer as free for personal and commercial use. With no further ado, let’s jump straight to the freebies.
40 Trendy Free Commercial Fonts in 2021: Overview
Free Serif Fonts
Here are 9 modern and universal serif fonts for free personal and commercial use.
1. Trento
We’ll start with a universal luxury, free font that highlights elegance and quality without disrupting the readability. The font is minimalistic and ideal for branding, especially for packaging design, greeting cards, wedding invitations, and magazines. It will also suit your social media posts in 2021 if you’re in the fashion industry.
- Type: Serif
- Designed by: Unblast
- Included Fonts: Trento Typeface
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
2. Forum
With antique classic Roman proportions, web-safe free Google font Forum Regular works well with smaller body texts. The font is multilingual and offers glyphs for Cyrillic and Asian Cyrillic communities as well.
- Type: Serif
- Designed by: Denis Masharov
- Included Fonts: Forum Regular
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
3. Shamery
Another free luxurious serif font you would like in your collection in 2021. It’s perfect for corporate design, magazines, publishing, book titles, and product packaging. Shamery works better for headlines.
- Type: Serif
- Designed by: Shadya Emery
- Included Fonts: Shamery
- Files: TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
4. Alegreya
This one is a classic. Alegreya is a very popular choice and one of 53 “Fonts of the Decade” at the ATypI Letter2 competition in 2011. The free font family was originally intended for literature as its design is dynamic and perfect for reading long texts.
- Type: Serif
- Designed by: Juan Pablo del Peral, Huerta Tipográfica
- Included Fonts: Alegreya Regular, Alegreya Alegreya Italic, Alegreya Medium, Alegreya Medium Italic, Alegreya Semi bold, Alegreya Semi Bold Italic, Alegreya Bold, Alegreya Bold Italic, Alegreya Black, Alegreya Black Italic
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
5. Leiko
The next free font is a versatile serif Leko Regular. It has soft smooth curves and good contrast, which makes it perfect for monograms, logotype, headlines, and editorial designs in 2021.
- Type: Serif
- Designed by: Veres Anikó
- Included Fonts: Leiko Regular
- Files: OTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
6. Chromate
Chromate is a free modern trendy serif for advertising, packaging, branding, logotype, and editorial design in 2021. It gives an amazing contrast when paired with simpler sans serif thin and light fonts.
- Type: Display, Serif
- Designed by: Unblast
- Included Fonts: Chromate Regular
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
7. Mazius
Mazius is a free high-contrasting serif typeface with three fonts: regular, italic, and extra italic. With its strong calligraphic feel, it makes sleek and expressive headlines in 2021.
- Type: Serif
- Designed by: Sara Lavazza
- Included Fonts: Mazius Regular, Mazius Italic, Mazium Extra Italic
- Files: OTF
- License: Open Font License
8. Butler
The inspiration for Butler comes from a mix between Dala Floda and Bodoni family. Free font great for posters, big titles, and books, it’s a typeface with high contrast that brings modernism to serif fonts.
- Type: Serif
- Designed by: Fabian De Smet
- Included Fonts: Butler Regular, Butler Ultra Light, Butler Light, Butler Medium, Butler Bold, Butler Extra Bold, Butler Black
- Files: OTF, WOFF, WOFF2
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
9. Aleo
This is a free contemporary typeface and also a natural companion to Lato. With a sleek structure and semi-rounded details, Aleo has a strong personality and very high readability.
- Type: Serif
- Designed by: Alessio Laiso, Kevin Conroy
- Included Fonts: Aleo Regular, Aleo Italic, Aleo Light, Aleo Light Italic, Aleo Bold, Aleo Bold Italic
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
Free Sans Serif Fonts
In this section, we’ve gathered 15 sans serif fonts for universal use in modern graphic and web design.
10. Bebas Kai
Stylish and modern free sans serif by Dharma Type that you can use for commercial purposes. It’s a trendy font with high readability and it’s perfect for branding in 2021.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Ryoichi Tsunekawa, Dharma Type
- Included fonts: BebasKai
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Open Font License
11. Millimetre
Millimetre is a free font family constructed on a grid based on the metric system which explains the name. It supports 17 languages.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Jérémy Landes
- Included Fonts: Milimetre Regular, Milimetre Bold
- Files: OTF, WOFF, WOFF2
- License: Open Font License
12. Manrope
This open-source sans serif font family consists of 7 modern highly readable fonts for your web design projects in 2021.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Mikhail Sharanda
- Included Fonts: Manrope Regular, Manrope Extra Light, Manrope Light, Manrope Medium, Manrope Semi Bold, Manrope Bold, Manrope Extra Bold
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
13. Work Sans
Work Sans is a very trendy beautiful modern sans serif font family of 17 fonts, the mediums of which are optimized for on-screen text usage at medium sizes, but also suitable for print. After 2020, Work Sans is a variable font family.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Wei Huang
- Included Fonts: Work Sans Regular, Work Sans Italic, Work Sans Thin, Work Sans Thin Italic, Work Sans Extra Light, Work Sans Extra Light Italic, Work Sans Light, Work Sans Light Italic, Work Sans Medium, Work Sans Medium Italic, Work Sans Semi Bold, Work Sans Semi Bold Italic, Work Sans Bold, Work Sans Bold Italic, Work Sans Extra Bold, Work Sans Extra Bold Italic, Work Sans Black, Work Sans Black Italic
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
14. Coda
Coda is a free sans serif and is meant to be used in large sizes for big bold titles and complemented with a regular. It offers a heavy 800 extra-bold style for a bigger impact.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Vernon Adams
- Included Fonts: Coda Regular, Coda Extra Bold
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
15. Coconat
Coconat comes in two styles: regular with fair proportions, and a very expressive fat and proud display-only bold version. The non-conventional type family already gives you the perfect combo in 2021.
- Type: Sans Serif, Display
- Designed by: Collletttivo
- Included Fonts: Coconat Regular, Coconat Bold
- Files: OTF, WOFF, WOFF2
- License: Open Font License
16. Orkney
A free modern geometric typeface with a unique structure and the purpose to suit a huge variety of projects on screen and on print.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Hanken Design Co.
- Included Fonts: Orkney Regular, Orkney Light, Orkney Medium, Orkney Bold
- Files: OTF
- License: Open Font License
17. Modernist
We can’t claim to gather the best modern and trendy fonts if we don’t include something minimalistic. So here’s Modernist. This a very clean minimalistic typeface that aims to be the free modern simpler Helvetica, perfect for the digital age.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Sean Kane
- Included Fonts: Sk Modernist Regular, Sk Modernist Mono, Sk Modernist Bold
- Files: OTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
18. Floane
Speaking of trends, Floane has a fair share of usage and recommendation by graphic design blogs on Instagram in 2021. It’s a very elegant free sans serif typeface in 4 styles that easily capture attention.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: dalerms
- Included Fonts: Floane Regular, Floane Regular Italic, Floane Bold, Floane Bold Italic
- Files: OTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
19. Peace Sans
Elegance aside, sometimes what a design truly needs is to make a big bold statement. And this is where Peace Sans jumps into action to make an impact in 2021.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Sergey Ryadovoy, Jovanny Lemonad
- Included Fonts: Peace Sans
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Open Font License
20. Mosk
Elegance or boldness? This free font has both. From noble and clean minimalistic thin 100 to extra-strong ultra-bold 900. The brilliance is in the simplicity.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Iulian Maftei
- Included Fonts: Mosk Normal, Mosk Thin, Mosk Extra Light, Mosk Light, Mosk Medium, Mosk Semi Bold, Mosk Bold, Mosk Extra Bold, Mosk Ultra Bold
- Files: TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
21. Resotho Extralight
Can’t fail to include some futurism. Resotho is a very high-end geometric sans serif that comes in 18 styles. Fortunately, there’s a free version for personal and commercial that includes one of them: Resotho Extralight.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: gluk
- Included Fonts: Resotho Extralight
- Files: OTF
- License: Open Font License
22. Coco
Elegant and luxurious, Coco is a brilliantly designed free font family of 8 styles we truly recommend for fashion lovers and aesthetic blogs. A real treat for designers, photographers, and models in 2021.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Hendrick Rolandez
- Included Fonts: Coco Regular, Coco Italic, Coco Condensed, Coco Condensed Italic, Coco Bold, Coco Bold Italic, Coco Bold Condensed, Coco Bold Condensed Italic
- Files: OTF
- License: Freeware
23. Bebas Neue
More Bebas by Dharma, this time in 6 different weights. Bebas Neue sans serif family sees some significant growth in popularity in 2021 as the Helvetica of the free fonts, offering clean style and elegant shapes for web, print, art, and commerce.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: Dharma Type
- Included Fonts: Bebas Neue, Bebas Neue Regular, Bebas Neue Thin, Bebas Neue Light, Bebas Neue Book, Bebas Neue Bold
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Open Font License
24. Monument Valley
So far Monument Valley lacks numbers and punctuation, except for comma, and expects future updates. The free font is thin, tall, clean, and modern and is designed with headlines in mind.
- Type: Sans Serif
- Designed by: turbocass
- Included Fonts: Monument Valley
- Files: OTF
- License: Freeware
Free Script Fonts
Many projects need stylish handwriting taste, so this is where signature scripts come in. They are amazing for personal branding, letters, photography watermarks, social media, and luxurious product packaging. Fortunately, there are stunning and tasteful signature script fonts that are also free for personal and commercial use. So let’s see the most popular ones amongst designers in 2021.
25. Nalika Signature
If you love signature scripts as much as we do, you will fall for this stylish gorgeous font. Nalika is amazing for offering the same high-end expensive feel of the premium fonts, but doing that for free.
- Type: Script
- Designed by: Haris Prawoto
- Included Fonts: Nalika Signature
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
26. England
Modern classy free signature script with a one-of-a-kind feel. A great addition to any designer’s collection in 2021.
- Type: Script
- Designed by: Aqeela studio
- Included Fonts: England Script
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
27. Bandara Signature
Bandara is another great choice for a free natural handwritten script font for a personal touch in your projects.
- Type: Script
- Designed by: Haris Prawoto
- Included Fonts: Bandara Signature
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
28. High Summit
More free signature script with good readability is High Summit, charged with an elegant flow.
- Type: Script
- Designed by: ALPHA BETA Design Studio
- Included Fonts: High Summit
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
29. Barista
The last one for the script section is a free modern handwriting calligraphy font with distinctive features and a beautiful feminine style. It has cut-off shapes that make the typography look like a rope.
- Type: Script
- Designed by: Hendra Pratama
- Included Fonts: Barista Script
- Files: OTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
Free Display Fonts
And last, the bold, impactful display fonts that can turn a good design into a great one.
30. Corben
We’ll start with a universal web-friendly free display font with higher readability. Its ample curves and ligatures are easy on the eye.
- Type: Display
- Designed by: Vernon Adams
- Included fonts: Corben Regular, Corben Bold
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
31. Cinzel Decorative
Inspired by the first-century Roman inscription, Cinzel gives a twist to the classical proportions of the Latin alphabet and makes it more contemporary.
- Type: Display Font
- Designed by: Natanael Gama
- Included Fonts: Cinzel Decorative Regular, Cinzel Decorative Bold, Cinzel Decorative Black
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
32. Bioweapon
According to the author’s note, the font was “inspired by ancient events that will never be forgotten, and these events were marked by bioweapons”. It’s free for personal and commercial use font, courtesy of Lucas Felipe who shared it on Behance. Bioweapon’s dystopian dark future style would be very impactful in any design that requires post-apocalyptic aesthetics in 2021.
- Type: Display Font
- Designed by: Lucas Felipe
- Included Fonts: Bioweapon
- Files: TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
33. Misto
Misto means “city” in Ukrainian and it was designed with Slavutych city in mind and heart. The designer shares more about their inspiration for the font, mentioning Slavutych is the youngest city in Ukraine, only 32 years old, receiving its life after the Chernobyl explosion. It was built like a utopia, the city of dreams with unique-post modernist architecture and tall pine trees. Misto conveys that vintage, yet modern Slavic aesthetics and brings it in 2021.
- Type: Display Font
- Designed by: Katerina Korolevtseva
- Included Fonts: Misto
- Files: OTF, TTF, WOFF, WOFF2
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
34. Maragsâ
A very special free semi-serif display font, Maragsa owes its design to one of the accent marks of Filipino words (the pakupyâ accent). It’s a personal project that the author shares alongside the story of the font.
- Type: Display
- Designed by: John David Maza
- Included Fonts: Maragsa Display
- Files: OTF, WOFF, WOFF2
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use for (1) User
35. Streetwear
The next free display font is Streetwear that owns the gimmick of a 1960s and 1970s fashion and sport typeface. It’s bold and retro, ideal for logos, posters, packaging, t-shirts, and branding in 2021.
- Type: Display
- Designed by: Artimasa
- Included Fonts: Streetwear
- Files: OTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
36. Nimitz
This free all-caps retro font is inspired by vintage liquor labels and posters and comes in 3 styles.
- Type: Display, Sans Serif
- Designed by: Bart Wesolek
- Included Fonts: Nimitz Clean, Nimitz Rough, Nimitz Textured
- Files: OTF, TTF
- License: Free for Personal and Commercial Use
37. Kilogram
Since retro is the new modern, why not another 1970s aesthetic font? According to the designer, the free bold Kilogram was based on Anagram, that by the way, also happens to be free for commercial use.
- Type: Display
- Designed by: KalleGraphics
- Included Fonts: Kilogram
- Files: OTF
- License: Open Font License
38. Orbitron
Orbitron is a SciFi futuristic free geometric typeface that would suit spaceship exterior, monopolistic corporate branding, space uniforms, and pretty awesome designs in general in 2021.
- Type: Display, Sans Serif
- Designed by: Matt McInerney
- Included Fonts: Orbitron Light, Orbitron Medium, Orbitron Bold, Orbitron Black
- Files: OTF, TTF, WOFF
- License: Freeware
39. Facon
With sports brands in mind, Facon is a very impressive free display font with diagonal cuts across the included all caps letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Type: Display
- Designed by: Alejo Bergmann
- Included Fonts: Facon
- Files: TTF
- License: Open Font License
40. Hacked
Hacked is a free recreation of the Watch Dogs logo by Ubisoft with a very awesome glitch effect across the letters and numbers. Creative Commons Attribution license means you can use the font for commercial projects, however, you have to credit the font and its author.
- Type: Display
- Designed by: DavidLibeau
- Included Fonts: Hacked
- Files: TTF
- License: Creative Commons (by) Attribution
Final Words
These were the 40 handpicked trendy free commercial fonts you can use for your designs and social media posts in 2021. As usual, although the fonts are available for personal and commercial use free of charge, always make sure to read the license documents for possible limitations.
It seems that you are on the hunt for trends, inspiration, and some freebies to the mix. In that case, why not check out some of these articles:
- Top Color Trends and Combinations to Try in 2021
- Infographic Design Trends 2021: Opposites Attract
- 600+ Great Free Summer Icons