Candara font
Candara is a humanist sans serif by Gary Munch, first issued by Microsoft in 2004. 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.
Candara itself comes from your device, if it is installed
01 / Free alternatives to Candara — compared by measurements
The original · Candara, from your device
97match · #1
Alegreya Sans SC
Find the font. Find its kind.22% lighter · x-height 7% taller
Differs most from Candara in O, Q, and K
94match · #2
91match · #3
Amarna
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 9% taller · less stroke contrast · 3% wider
Differs most from Candara in g, w, and v
86match · #4
Galdeano
Find the font. Find its kind.8% narrower · 9% heavier · x-height 4% shorter
Differs most from Candara in O, X, and w
81match · #5
GFS Neohellenic
Find the font. Find its kind.18% narrower · x-height 17% shorter · less stroke contrast
Differs most from Candara in g, e, and 2
80match · #6
Valley Sans
Find the font. Find its kind.14% wider · x-height 12% taller
Differs most from Candara in 3, 2, and 5
73match · #7
Libertinus Sans
Find the font. Find its kind.more stroke contrast · x-height 7% shorter · 3% narrower
Differs most from Candara in e, c, and G
62match · #8
Andika
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 7% taller · 7% wider · 9% heavier
Differs most from Candara in g, 5, and I
60match · #9
Harmattan
Find the font. Find its kind.20% narrower · x-height 19% shorter · 10% heavier
Differs most from Candara in m, n, and h
60match · #10
Cantora One
Find the font. Find its kind.44% heavier · x-height 8% taller · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Candara in c, O, and G
59match · #11
Fresca
Find the font. Find its kind.11% heavier · less stroke contrast · x-height 4% taller
Differs most from Candara in h, q, and X
59match · #12
Farro
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 29% taller · 16% wider · less stroke contrast
Differs most from Candara in O, g, and G
58match · #13
56match · #14
Acme
Find the font. Find its kind.41% heavier · x-height 10% taller · less stroke contrast
Differs most from Candara in V, s, and 5
56match · #15
Ojuju
Find the font. Find its kind.43% lighter · less stroke contrast · x-height 4% taller
Differs most from Candara in j, z, and A
53match · #16
AR One Sans
Find the font. Find its kind.11% wider · x-height 10% taller · less stroke contrast
Differs most from Candara in j, g, and 2
52match · #17
Truculenta
Find the font. Find its kind.17% narrower · x-height 12% taller · less stroke contrast
Differs most from Candara in C, O, and G
52match · #18
Tenali Ramakrishna
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 23% shorter · 20% narrower · more stroke contrast
Differs most from Candara in g, U, and p
51match · #19
Gurajada
Find the font. Find its kind.33% narrower · x-height 29% shorter · 44% heavier
Differs most from Candara in O, x, and z
50match · #20
Faculty Glyphic
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 19% taller · 13% wider · 6% heavier
Differs most from Candara in t, 5, and 3
47match · #21
Kuenstler Grotesk
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 34% taller · less stroke contrast · 9% wider
Differs most from Candara in W, U, and Q
42match · #22
42match · #23
Bespoke Sans
Find the font. Find its kind.x-height 12% taller · 9% wider
Differs most from Candara in b, h, and n
42match · #24
UNAL Ancizar Sans
Find the font. Find its kind.8% narrower · 8% heavier
Differs most from Candara in h, b, and n
About Candara
- Designed by
- Gary MunchSource: Wikipedia: Candara , Microsoft: font list
- First issued
- Microsoft, 2004Source: Wikipedia: Candara , Microsoft: font list
- Class
- Humanist sans serifSource: Wikipedia: Candara , Microsoft: font list
- Comes with
- Windows 11: CandaraMicrosoft 365, as a cloud font: CandaraSource: Microsoft: Windows 11 font list , Microsoft: cloud fonts in Office
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.
Hold rights in Candara? Write to rights@fontkind.com: we answer within two working days, and take down what is disputed while we look into it.
Questions about Candara
Is Candara free?
Free to use where it is installed, not to pass on: Candara 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 Candara?
Alegreya Sans SC, at 97 out of 100 in our letter-by-letter match, then Alegreya Sans (94) and Amarna (91). Next to Candara, Alegreya Sans SC is 22% lighter, with an x-height 7% taller.
Can I use a free Candara alternative in Word or Google Docs?
In Google Docs, most likely: Alegreya Sans SC, Alegreya Sans, Amarna and 18 more of them can be added from the font menu, under More fonts.
Who designed Candara?
Candara was designed by Gary Munch, and first issued by Microsoft in 2004.