Serif Fonts: 20 Best Free Serif Fonts (With Examples)
Serif fonts are the classic choice for books, newspapers, wedding invitations and luxury brands. They feel trustworthy, elegant and timeless. Here are 20 of the best free serif fonts, grouped by style, all free to download on Originalfonts.
New to the term? A serif is the small stroke at the end of a letter’s main lines. Read our full explainer: What is a serif font?
Old style serif fonts
Old style serifs are based on fonts from the 1400s and 1500s. They have soft curves and only a gentle difference between thick and thin strokes, which makes them comfortable for long reading.
- EB Garamond – a faithful revival of the classic Garamond, perfect for books and essays.
- Cormorant Garamond – a more delicate, stylish Garamond, lovely for headings and invitations.
- Crimson Pro – a book-style serif designed for comfortable reading.
Browse more: Old style fonts.
Transitional serif fonts
Transitional serifs have sharper details and more contrast than old style fonts. They look crisp and professional.
- Libre Baskerville – a Baskerville-style font made for reading on screens.
- Lora – a balanced serif with gentle curves, great for blogs.
- Source Serif 4 – a clear, modern serif that works for both text and headings.
- Merriweather – sturdy letters designed to be easy to read on screens.
Browse more: Transitional fonts.
Modern and Didone serif fonts
Didone fonts have very strong contrast: thick vertical strokes and hairline-thin details. They’re the look of fashion magazines and perfume bottles.
- Playfair Display – elegant high-contrast headlines, from Regular to Black.
- Bodoni Moda – a refined take on the classic Bodoni style.
- Abril Fatface – a heavy, dramatic headline font.
- DM Serif Display – stylish, compact headlines with a magazine feel.
Browse more: Modern and Didone fonts.
Slab serif fonts
Slab serifs have thick, block-like serifs. They feel sturdy and friendly, and they’re popular for posters, packaging and tech brands.
- Roboto Slab – a clean slab serif that pairs well with Roboto.
- Zilla Slab – a contemporary slab with a lot of personality.
- Arvo – geometric slab serif, good for headings.
- Rokkitt – slightly condensed, with a retro feel.
- Alfa Slab One – very heavy, perfect for posters.
- Ultra – extra-bold and eye-catching for short headlines.
Browse more: Slab serif fonts.
Serif fonts for Hindi
- Tiro Devanagari Hindi – a traditional, book-style Hindi serif.
- Martel – a Devanagari and Latin serif in many weights.
- Noto Serif Devanagari – part of Google’s huge Noto family.
See more in Hindi fonts.
How to choose a serif font
- For long text (books, articles): pick a calm old style or transitional font like EB Garamond, Lora or Source Serif 4.
- For headlines and logos: pick a high-contrast font like Playfair Display or DM Serif Display.
- For posters and packaging: try a slab serif like Alfa Slab One or Arvo.
- For invitations: Cormorant Garamond looks beautiful with a script font like Great Vibes.
How to pair serif fonts
A serif headline with a simple sans serif body is a classic combination. Try Playfair Display with DM Sans, or Libre Baskerville with Space Grotesk. You’ll find more on our Font Pairing page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular serif font?
Times New Roman is probably the best-known serif font, and Georgia, Garamond and Baskerville styles are also very common. Free alternatives include Libre Baskerville and EB Garamond.
Are serif fonts good for websites?
Yes. Modern screens are sharp enough for serif fonts to be very readable. Merriweather, Lora and Source Serif 4 are good choices for body text.
Are these serif fonts free for commercial use?
Yes. All 20 use open licenses that allow commercial use, including logos and printed products.
Explore every style in our Serif fonts collection.