portfolio & design blog of logo & identity designer, Graham Smith
No doubt Gotham is one beautiful font, but with that accolade comes the expected flood of Gotham influenced designs. It’s not really a font you can get bored with, but it can be over used. Did you know that GQ magazine were responsible for the initial commission of the Gotham typeface? Fact via Wikipedia.
It’s not just Gotham or Gotham, there are a number of equally stunning fonts that share a similar initial look and feel, not talking identical here.
This is not a comprehensive list, it is just limited to the few Gotham alternatives that I have in my own personal font library. There are a number of others out there, but these are the ones I use when I might have used Gotham. Also, these are not meant to be ‘exact or very close’ replicas, each font listed has it’s own unique fingerprint, but share some common aesthetics.
Hopefully these examples may entice you to try these out for yourselves. There is also a nice free one at the end of the list.
Grahams Gotham Alternatives
I have used all the following font examples in various logo designs in my logo portfolio, and tend to buy just the few weights I need, rather than the whole family. This is a great way to increase your own font library without really breaking the bank. The images link direct to the Foundry where possible, where you can look and test the fonts out. A particular favourite is Effra from DaltonMaag, but I found myself using that more than I did Gotham, hence my search to find some other similar fonts.
If you have any suggestions of your own, please do share in the comments below, preferably with a link to where we can check it out.
MuseoSans 500 & 500 Italic free to download.
Nevis is free to download, one weight only.
Categories: Typography
Tagged: agenda, avenir, effra, fonts, foundry sterling, gotham, museo, nevis, todaysb, Typography < Previous: How not to approach me for logo design work – part 3
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Nice list! How about one for Archer?
Good list Graham – there’s a couple that I haven’t come across before.
I am not Gotham, but I like this!
I have been using Proxima Nova (FontFont) on my website for the headings, via typekit web fonts, and it is a pretty beautiful versatile typeface. It would be pretty similar to Gotham too.
Have you ever used it Graham?
http://www.fontshop.com/fonts/downloads/mark_si…
David Airey's book used Gotham and it was lovely for reading!
This is a great font find, very tempted to buy a weight for a new logo project I am working on. Great heads up, cheers.
I don't actually have Archer in my collection yet, so the list would not be based on what fonts I use. But still could be a nice example to use.
Great list there, although I still love Gotham! Funny how it's now all about finding alternatives to Gotham rather than Helvetica.
I tend to agree with you as well, Effra is a great choice. Awesome site, I'll definitely be back.
Proxima Nova is my top alternative. Came before Gotham and is the only one to offer as many weights and widths.
Mark beat me to the Proxima Nova recommendation. Well done. Small correction: Proxima is sold at FontShop, but it's not a FontFont. It's published by the designer, Mark Simonson.
When I clicked on the Nevis image to download the free font, it was blocked because malware was detected and I was redirected somewhere else (suspicious looking URL). However, when I Googled download Nevis font and I arrived at the same page it wasn't blocked and I wasn't redirected. So there's some funny business going on somewhere. Maybe you've been hacked?
Very odd. I got the same Malware page, so redid the link on the post and all seems well. So not sure what happened there. Thanks for letting me know.
I’m surprised not to see Neutraface included here: http://www.houseind.com/fonts/neutrano2
(And Sharlene, that gives you an alternative to Archer: Neutra Slab)
Nevertheless, great list, you’ve got some pretty good alternatives here. I just love the irony that Avenir, a personal favorite of mine, makes a comeback because of the trendiness of Gotham. It has been around for so long, yet is still such a versatile and awesome typeface.
True true. Realise there are a number of other styles, but the list was composed of fonts that I have in my own personal collection. It’s more of a ‘what I use instead of Gotham’ not ‘a list of all similar Gotham fonts. :)
Hi, Graham. Gotham is just so idiot-proof. It reminds me a bit of buying furniture at a store in America called “Crate & Barrel.” Instant good taste, even if you have no clue what you are doing.
I have been using a gr-r-r-eat font called Adrianna DemiBold Extended by Chank Diesel for a book project over the last few years. But in the new edition I think I am going with Gotham Black (cover), Gotham Bold (titles), Gotham Book and Gotham Light Italics.
For the website it will probably be all about images of Gotham Black, Gotham Bold and the bulk of the text in Helvetica (hate system fonts but I am informed this is the best way forward… love the look of ilovetypography.com but my web guru has forbidden such indulgences as FF Scala).
Bottom Line: Gotham enables font civilians like me not to destroy things utterly.
Cheers, Gunnar Fox