Serif · ParaType
PT Serif
Find the font. Find its kind.
CSSfont-family: 'PT Serif', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.1;
PT Serif is a free serif by ParaType, on Google Fonts since 2011. Among the 354 serifs on FontKind, PT Serif has an x-height taller than 62%, is of average width and, at its regular weight, is of average darkness. Its thickest strokes are 2.2 times its thinnest: high stroke contrast.
01 / Light table
Laid on top of Alike
PT Serif on one light table with its two closest fonts, Alike (85 out of 100) and Wittgenstein (85). Alike is 7% heavier, with more stroke contrast; Wittgenstein is 3% wider, with more stroke contrast.
PT Serif and Alike laid on top of each other.
Ink shared with PT SerifAlike…
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 PT Serif 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
PT Serif in 2 weights
2 weights, 400–700, with italics
- 400 Regular, with its italic
- 700 Bold, with its italic
04 / Facts
Who made PT Serif, and can you use it?
- Designer
- ParaType
- Kind
- Serif
- Styles
- 2 weights, 400–700, with italics
- On Google Fonts since
- 2011
- Character sets
- cyrillic, cyrillic-ext, latin, latin-ext
- 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 “PT Sans”, “PT Serif” or “ParaType”: the licence reserves the name.
- Sharing the files
- Yes, but not for sale. With the licence.
PT Serif 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 PT Serif, or upload it with Canva Pro. Canva’s help
- Cricut
- Once installed. Design Space lists PT Serif under System. Fonts for Cricut →
From each app’s own font list or help pages, read on 28 September 2026.
05 / Measurements
PT Serif, measured
Taken from the font file's own outlines, regular style
- x-height
- 50.0% of the emlowercase x
- Cap height
- 70.0% of the emcapitals
- x / cap
- 0.71lowercase against capitals
- Width
- 50.3% of the emaverage lowercase
- Ink
- 42%letter box filled
- Contrast
- 2.18 : 1high stroke contrast
Where it stands among serifs
Ranked against all 354 serifs on FontKind
x-heightLarger than 62% of serifs
WidthNear the middle of serifs
InkNear the middle of serifs
ContrastNear the middle of serifs
06 / Similar fonts
Fonts similar to PT Serif
Matched letter by letter · its own family apart
PT Serif's own familyPT Serif Caption
- Alike85more stroke contrast · 7% heavier
- Wittgenstein85more stroke contrast · 3% wider
- Volkhov8412% wider · 20% heavier
- Amethysta836% wider
- Bespoke Serif798% wider
- Brawler777% wider · less stroke contrast · x-height 4% taller
All 100 fonts similar to PT Serif →Compare side by side →Get PT Serif on Google Fonts
07 / Swap
Swap PT Serif without a jump
Running text within 3% of the width, x-height within 5%
- Alike85text 1.0% wider · x-height 1.0% taller
- Wittgenstein85text 1.4% wider · same x-height
- Manuale76text 0.8% narrower · x-height 1.8% shorter
- Rowan74text 0.9% narrower · x-height 1.8% shorter
- Neco73text 0.6% wider · x-height 4.0% shorter
- Charis SIL71same text width · x-height 3.6% shorter
Fallback while it loads
Until PT Serif loads, this sets Times New Roman in its place at 111.3% of its size, so running text keeps PT Serif’s width and lines keep their height: nothing moves when it arrives.
@font-face {
font-family: 'PT Serif Fallback';
src: local('Times New Roman');
size-adjust: 111.26%;
ascent-override: 93.38%;
descent-override: 25.71%;
line-gap-override: 0.00%;
}
font-family: 'PT Serif', 'PT Serif Fallback', serif;08 / Pairs
Used together with PT Serif
Of the 30,638 home pages that load PT Serif, the share that load each font too, and how that compares with chance.
Same page, not which sets the headings · HTTP Archive , 1 September 2026
- Open Sans24%7,386 sites · 1.3× chance
- Roboto17%5,080 sites · 0.8× chance
- Montserrat12%3,621 sites · 0.9× chance
- PT Sans11%3,221 sites · 9.7× chanceSame designer
- Lato6.6%2,028 sites · 0.8× chance
- Poppins6.2%1,895 sites · 0.6× chance
More than chancePT Serif Caption 42×Forum 17×Varela 15×
Fonts that go with PT Serif: pairs and trios →The pairs sites choose most →
Pair checkerPT Serif + any fontHow many of the 6,276,350 home pages counted load the two together, and how that compares with chance.Check this font with any other09 / Questions
Questions about PT Serif
Answered from its licence, Google Fonts and each app’s own font list
Is PT Serif free for commercial use?
Yes. PT Serif 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 “PT Sans”, “PT Serif” or “ParaType”.
How do I download and install PT Serif?
FontKind doesn’t host PT Serif’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 PT Serif in Microsoft Word?
Not until you install it: PT Serif 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 PT Serif in Google Docs?
Most likely. Search for PT Serif under More fonts in the font menu of Docs; added there, it is in Sheets and Slides too.
Is PT Serif in Figma?
Yes: PT Serif 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 PT Serif have?
PT Serif comes in two weights: Regular (400) and Bold (700), each with an italic.
Who designed PT Serif?
PT Serif was designed by ParaType. It has been on Google Fonts since February 2011. ParaType also made Roboto, PT Sans, PT Sans Narrow and two more on FontKind.
What fonts are similar to PT Serif?
The closest in our letter-by-letter match are Alike (85), Wittgenstein (85) and Volkhov (84), out of 100. Next to PT Serif, Alike is 7% heavier, with more stroke contrast. Its own family, listed apart, adds PT Serif Caption. See all 100 fonts like PT Serif.