Serif · SIL International
Charis SIL
Find the font. Find its kind.
CSSfont-family: 'Charis SIL', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.1;
Charis SIL is a free serif by SIL International, on Google Fonts since 2022. Among the 354 serifs on FontKind, Charis SIL has an average x-height, is of average width and, at its regular weight, is darker than 71%. Its thickest strokes are 2.3 times its thinnest: high stroke contrast.
01 / Light table
Laid on top of IBM Plex Serif
Charis SIL on one light table with its two closest fonts, IBM Plex Serif (85 out of 100) and Faustina (84). IBM Plex Serif is 8% wider and 14% lighter, with an x-height 7% taller; Faustina is 6% narrower, with less stroke contrast.
Charis SIL and IBM Plex Serif laid on top of each other.
Ink shared with Charis SILIBM Plex Serif…
Most different letters first; the figure is the share of ink the fonts have in common. Where the fonts agree the letters cancel to black: every white sliver is a real difference.
02 / Letters
The Charis SIL alphabet
Capitals, lowercase, figures and signs · weight 400
Tap the letters you like, here and in other fonts, to find the fonts whose letters look most like them.
- &
- ?
- !
- @
- %
- (
- )
03 / Weights
Charis SIL in 2 weights
2 weights, 400–700, with italics
- 400 Regular, with its italic
- 700 Bold, with its italic
04 / Facts
Who made Charis SIL, and can you use it?
- Designer
- SIL International
- Kind
- Serif
- Styles
- 2 weights, 400–700, with italics
- On Google Fonts since
- 2022
- Character sets
- cyrillic, cyrillic-ext, latin, latin-ext, vietnamese
- Licence
- SIL Open Font License 1.1
Can I use it?
- Commercial use
- Yes.
- Logos
- Yes.
- Websites and apps
- Yes. Self-hosted or loaded from Google Fonts.
- PDFs and documents
- Yes.
- Changes
- Yes, under another name. Not as “Charis” or “SIL”: the licence reserves the name.
- Sharing the files
- Yes, but not for sale. With the licence.
Charis SIL is under the SIL Open Font License 1.1. This is a plain summary, not legal advice: the licence itself decides.
Already in your apps?
- Google Docs
- Most likely. Under More fonts, in Sheets and Slides too. Google’s guide
- Word, PowerPoint
- No. Install it from Google Fonts first. Microsoft’s list
- Figma
- Yes. Built in, nothing to install. Figma’s help
- Canva
- Not verified. Search its font menu for Charis SIL, or upload it with Canva Pro. Canva’s help
- Cricut
- Once installed. Design Space lists Charis SIL under System. Fonts for Cricut →
From each app’s own font list or help pages, read on 28 September 2026.
05 / Measurements
Charis SIL, measured
Taken from the font file's own outlines, regular style
- x-height
- 48.2% of the emlowercase x
- Cap height
- 67.1% of the emcapitals
- x / cap
- 0.72lowercase against capitals
- Width
- 50.1% of the emaverage lowercase
- Ink
- 44%letter box filled
- Contrast
- 2.31 : 1high stroke contrast
Where it stands among serifs
Ranked against all 354 serifs on FontKind
x-heightNear the middle of serifs
WidthNear the middle of serifs
InkDarker than 71% of serifs
ContrastMore contrast than 62% of serifs
06 / Similar fonts
Fonts similar to Charis SIL
Matched letter by letter · its own family apart
- IBM Plex Serif858% wider · x-height 7% taller · 14% lighter
- Faustina84less stroke contrast · 6% narrower
- Gulzar82x-height 9% shorter · 5% narrower
- Brawler82x-height 8% taller · 7% wider · less stroke contrast
- Roboto Serif8111% wider · less stroke contrast · x-height 5% taller
- PT Serif Caption7613% wider · x-height 9% taller
All 100 fonts similar to Charis SIL →Compare side by side →Get Charis SIL on Google Fonts
07 / Swap
Swap Charis SIL without a jump
Running text within 3% of the width, x-height within 5%
- Manuale76text 1.1% narrower · x-height 1.9% taller
- Sumana76text 1.8% narrower · x-height 4.3% shorter
- Cactus Classical Serif75same text width · x-height 1.6% shorter
- Alike74text 0.7% wider · x-height 4.8% taller
- Poly73same text width · x-height 1.8% shorter
- Gelasio72text 1.4% narrower · x-height 0.7% taller
Fallback while it loads
Until Charis SIL loads, this sets Times New Roman in its place at 111.6% of its size, so running text keeps Charis SIL’s width and lines keep their height: nothing moves when it arrives.
@font-face {
font-family: 'Charis SIL Fallback';
src: local('Times New Roman');
size-adjust: 111.61%;
ascent-override: 107.19%;
descent-override: 39.38%;
line-gap-override: 0.00%;
}
font-family: 'Charis SIL', 'Charis SIL Fallback', serif;08 / Questions
Questions about Charis SIL
Answered from its licence, Google Fonts and each app’s own font list
Is Charis SIL free for commercial use?
Yes. Charis SIL is under the SIL Open Font License 1.1 , which allows commercial use at any scale, logos, websites, apps and PDFs included; a changed version may not be called “Charis” or “SIL”.
How do I download and install Charis SIL?
FontKind doesn’t host Charis SIL’s files: it comes free from Google Fonts . On its page there, choose Get font, then Download all, and unzip the file. It holds four font files, one per style. On Windows or a Mac, double-click each font file and choose Install, then restart any app that was open, Word included.
Is Charis SIL in Microsoft Word?
Not until you install it: Charis SIL isn’t one of Microsoft 365’s cloud fonts. Installed, it is in Word’s font menu and PowerPoint’s. For someone who hasn’t installed it, turn on Embed fonts in the file in Word’s save options: its licence allows that.
Is Charis SIL in Google Docs?
Most likely. Search for Charis SIL under More fonts in the font menu of Docs; added there, it is in Sheets and Slides too.
Is Charis SIL in Figma?
Yes: Charis SIL is in Figma’s font menu with all two weights and their italics, in the browser and the desktop app, with nothing to install.
How many weights does Charis SIL have?
Charis SIL comes in two weights: Regular (400) and Bold (700), each with an italic.
Who designed Charis SIL?
Charis SIL was designed by SIL International. It has been on Google Fonts since May 2022. SIL International also made Alkalami, Gentium Book Plus, Gentium Plus and 14 more on FontKind.
What fonts are similar to Charis SIL?
The closest in our letter-by-letter match are IBM Plex Serif (85), Faustina (84) and Gulzar (82), out of 100. Next to Charis SIL, IBM Plex Serif is 8% wider and 14% lighter, with an x-height 7% taller. See all 100 fonts like Charis SIL.