Bahnschrift font
Bahnschrift is a DIN-style sans serif by Aaron Bell, first issued by Microsoft in 2017. It comes with Windows: use it on that computer, in documents and pictures, but its licence doesn’t let you put the font file on a website or pass it on. These 24 free sans serifs come closest to it, measured letter by letter, closest first.
Bahnschrift itself comes from your device, if it is installed


01 / Free alternatives to Bahnschrift — compared by measurements
The original · Bahnschrift, from your device
100match · #1
Alte DIN 1451 Mittelschrift
Find the font. Find its kind.6% narrower · 9% heavier
Differs most from Bahnschrift in 9, 6, and t
93match · #2
82match · #3
Supreme
Find the font. Find its kind.16% lighter · x-height 4% shorter
Differs most from Bahnschrift in s, i, and 4
77match · #4
Monda
Find the font. Find its kind.16% lighter · 6% wider · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Bahnschrift in b, d, and I
76match · #5
Akshar
Find the font. Find its kind.12% narrower · 8% heavier
Differs most from Bahnschrift in S, l, and j
75match · #6
Gidole
Find the font. Find its kind.22% lighter · 5% narrower · x-height 4% taller
Differs most from Bahnschrift in C, s, and i
75match · #7
Roboto Condensed
Find the font. Find its kind.12% narrower · x-height 4% taller
Differs most from Bahnschrift in l, s, and 9
74match · #8
Rag Narrow
Find the font. Find its kind.6% narrower · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Bahnschrift in 7, M, and l
74match · #9
Do Hyeon
Find the font. Find its kind.24% heavier · 9% narrower
Differs most from Bahnschrift in 6, S, and d
71match · #10
70match · #11
Aeronef
Find the font. Find its kind.33% narrower · x-height 13% shorter
Differs most from Bahnschrift in s, d, and e
70match · #12
Shanti
Find the font. Find its kind.more stroke contrast · x-height 5% shorter · 8% lighter
Differs most from Bahnschrift in C, Q, and g
70match · #13
Roboto
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 4% taller · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Bahnschrift in l, o, and d
69match · #14
Alatsi
Find the font. Find its kind.21% heavier · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Bahnschrift in C, l, and N
69match · #15
Kanit
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 6% shorter · 4% wider · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Bahnschrift in 9, C, and 5
68match · #16
Reddit Sans Condensed
Find the font. Find its kind.10% narrower · x-height 4% taller · 7% lighter
Differs most from Bahnschrift in C, s, and d
68match · #17
IBM Plex Sans Condensed
Find the font. Find its kind.9% narrower · 16% lighter · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Bahnschrift in I, J, and s
68match · #18
Public Sans
Find the font. Find its kind.13% lighter · 5% wider · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Bahnschrift in Q, 7, and 9
68match · #19
Plainsound Semi Condensed
Find the font. Find its kind.6% narrower
Differs most from Bahnschrift in Q, G, and l
68match · #20
Golos Text
Find the font. Find its kind.9% wider · 14% lighter · x-height 5% taller
Differs most from Bahnschrift in O, 9, and 6
68match · #21
IBM Plex Sans
Find the font. Find its kind.18% lighter · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Bahnschrift in I, G, and J
68match · #22
Archivo Narrow
Find the font. Find its kind.20% narrower · x-height 4% taller
Differs most from Bahnschrift in 7, s, and Q
68match · #23
Chivo
Find the font. Find its kind.more stroke contrast · 7% wider · 7% lighter
Differs most from Bahnschrift in 9, 6, and 7
67match · #24
Perun
Find the font. Find its kind.more stroke contrast · 24% heavier · 7% wider
Differs most from Bahnschrift in Q, l, and b
About Bahnschrift
- Designed by
- Aaron BellSource: Microsoft: font list
- First issued
- Microsoft, 2017Source: Microsoft: font list
- Class
- DIN-style sans serifSource: Microsoft: font list
- Comes with
- Windows 11: BahnschriftSource: Microsoft: Windows 11 font list
- Also
- A new digitisation of DIN 1451, the German standard lettering of 1931, and Microsoft’s first variable font.Source: Microsoft: font list
Read by hand on 1 October 2026 from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), Microsoft’s and Apple’s lists of their fonts, Monotype’s list of its trademarks and the foundries’ and shops’ own pages. The references are linked beside each fact; a page that sells or hands out the font is not, so a fact read only there shows no link.
Typeface names may be trademarks of their owners. FontKind is not affiliated with Microsoft, and this page is an independent reference.
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Questions about Bahnschrift
Is Bahnschrift free?
Free to use where it is installed, not to pass on: Bahnschrift comes with Windows, and its licence doesn’t let you put it on a website or pass the file on. The 24 fonts on this page are free to use, commercially and on websites too: 23 under the SIL Open Font License and 1 under the ITF Free Font License.
Which free font is closest to Bahnschrift?
Alte DIN 1451 Mittelschrift, at 100 out of 100 in our letter-by-letter match, then DIN 1451-4H (93) and Supreme (82). Next to Bahnschrift, Alte DIN 1451 Mittelschrift is 6% narrower and 9% heavier.
Can I use a free Bahnschrift alternative in Word or Google Docs?
In Google Docs, most likely: Monda, Akshar, Gidole and 14 more of them can be added from the font menu, under More fonts.
Who designed Bahnschrift?
Bahnschrift was designed by Aaron Bell, and first issued by Microsoft in 2017.