Elevate your design without spending a cent.
Typography is the backbone of good layout design—and with Adobe InDesign, you have total control over font selection, styling, and hierarchy. But that doesn’t mean you need to break the bank to find great typefaces.
There are dozens of high-quality, free fonts available that look stunning in editorial, branding, and digital layouts. In this guide, we’ll share some of the best free fonts for InDesign, plus where to download them safely.
🧾 A Note on Font Licensing
Always check whether a font is:
- Free for personal use
- Free for commercial use
- Open-source (can be modified and redistributed)
This list focuses on free fonts that allow commercial use, ideal for client and professional work.
🏆 Top Free Fonts for InDesign Projects
1. Inter
Best for: UI, clean editorial layouts
A modern sans-serif with excellent readability and multiple weights. Great alternative to Helvetica or Proxima Nova.
🔗 fonts.google.com/specimen/Inter
2. Playfair Display
Best for: Headlines, elegant branding
This high-contrast serif font has a timeless, editorial feel—perfect for magazines or luxury brands.
🔗 fonts.google.com/specimen/Playfair+Display
3. Lora
Best for: Body text in print or digital
A balanced serif font with soft curves and strong readability. Works beautifully in long-form editorial content.
🔗 fonts.google.com/specimen/Lora
4. Poppins
Best for: Clean, geometric layouts
This sans-serif is round, modern, and versatile across display and paragraph use.
🔗 fonts.google.com/specimen/Poppins
5. Libre Baskerville
Best for: Classic editorial design
A serif typeface optimized for body text on screen—but equally at home in print.
🔗 fonts.google.com/specimen/Libre+Baskerville
6. Work Sans
Best for: Business documents, infographics
A functional sans-serif with neutral curves and strong spacing. Ideal for presentations and data-heavy layouts.
🔗 fonts.google.com/specimen/Work+Sans
7. Raleway
Best for: Big titles, portfolios
An elegant sans-serif with a stylish flair. Best used at display sizes.
🔗 fonts.google.com/specimen/Raleway
8. Fira Sans
Best for: Reports, charts, multi-language projects
Wide character support and excellent clarity. Open-source and extremely versatile.
🔗 fonts.google.com/specimen/Fira+Sans
🧰 Where to Find Free Fonts for InDesign
🔸 Google Fonts
The best source of open-source fonts. All fonts are free for commercial use.
🔗 https://fonts.google.com
🔸 Adobe Fonts (included with Creative Cloud)
Fonts sync directly with InDesign. Not all are “free,” but they’re covered by your CC license.
🔗 https://fonts.adobe.com
🔸 Velvetyne, The League of Moveable Type, and Fontesk
Niche foundries and type communities offering high-quality open fonts.
🧠 Bonus Tips
- Pair fonts wisely: Use a serif for body and sans for headings—or vice versa—for contrast.
- Use styles: Create Paragraph and Character Styles in InDesign to apply your fonts consistently.
- Avoid system fonts for commercial print projects—they may not embed properly or may cause licensing issues.
📘 Final Thought
You don’t need expensive type licenses to create high-impact design in InDesign. With the right free fonts, you can produce work that looks premium, reads beautifully, and aligns with your brand or client goals.
