Serif · Production Type
Spectral
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CSSfont-family: 'Spectral', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.1;
Spectral is a free serif by Production Type, on Google Fonts since 2017. Among the 354 serifs on FontKind, Spectral has an x-height shorter than 74%, is of average width and, at its regular weight, is lighter than 69%. Its thickest strokes are 2.1 times its thinnest: high stroke contrast.
01 / Light table
Laid on top of UNAL Ancizar Serif
Spectral on one light table with its two closest fonts, UNAL Ancizar Serif (84 out of 100) and Newsreader (81). UNAL Ancizar Serif is 6% narrower and 10% heavier, with less stroke contrast; Newsreader is 8% narrower, with an x-height 5% shorter.
Spectral and UNAL Ancizar Serif laid on top of each other.
Ink shared with SpectralUNAL Ancizar 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 Spectral 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
Spectral in 7 weights
7 weights, 200–800, with italics
- 200 Extra light, with its italic
- 300 Light, with its italic
- 400 Regular, with its italic
- 500 Medium, with its italic
- 600 Semibold, with its italic
- 700 Bold, with its italic
- 800 Extra bold, with its italic
04 / Facts
Who made Spectral, and can you use it?
- Designer
- Production Type
- Kind
- Serif
- Styles
- 7 weights, 200–800, with italics
- On Google Fonts since
- 2017
- 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.
- Sharing the files
- Yes, but not for sale. With the licence.
Spectral 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 Spectral, or upload it with Canva Pro. Canva’s help
- Cricut
- Once installed. Design Space lists Spectral under System. Fonts for Cricut →
From each app’s own font list or help pages, read on 28 September 2026.
05 / Measurements
Spectral, measured
Taken from the font file's own outlines, regular style
- x-height
- 45.0% of the emlowercase x
- Cap height
- 66.0% of the emcapitals
- x / cap
- 0.68lowercase against capitals
- Width
- 50.2% of the emaverage lowercase
- Ink
- 39%letter box filled
- Contrast
- 2.12 : 1high stroke contrast
Where it stands among serifs
Ranked against all 354 serifs on FontKind
x-heightSmaller than 74% of serifs
WidthNear the middle of serifs
InkLighter than 69% of serifs
ContrastNear the middle of serifs
06 / Similar fonts
Fonts similar to Spectral
Matched letter by letter · its own family apart
Spectral's own familySpectral SC
- UNAL Ancizar Serif846% narrower · less stroke contrast · 10% heavier
- Newsreader818% narrower · x-height 5% shorter
- Gulzar8019% heavier · 5% narrower · more stroke contrast
- Amethysta79x-height 11% taller · 6% wider · 7% heavier
- Wittgenstein77x-height 11% taller · more stroke contrast · 3% wider
- Fenix75less stroke contrast · 7% narrower · 13% heavier
All 100 fonts similar to Spectral →Compare side by side →Get Spectral on Google Fonts
07 / Swap
Swap Spectral without a jump
Running text within 3% of the width, x-height within 5%
- Petrona65text 2.3% narrower · x-height 1.6% shorter
- Vesper Libre64text 2.5% narrower · x-height 3.1% taller
- Caudex63text 2.3% wider · x-height 1.7% taller
- Gambetta61text 0.7% narrower · same x-height
- Radley60text 1.5% narrower · x-height 2.4% shorter
- Redaction57text 0.8% narrower · x-height 4.4% taller
Fallback while it loads
Until Spectral loads, this sets Times New Roman in its place at 110.4% of its size, so running text keeps Spectral’s width and lines keep their height: nothing moves when it arrives.
@font-face {
font-family: 'Spectral Fallback';
src: local('Times New Roman');
size-adjust: 110.45%;
ascent-override: 95.88%;
descent-override: 41.92%;
line-gap-override: 0.00%;
}
font-family: 'Spectral', 'Spectral Fallback', serif;08 / Pairs
Used together with Spectral
Of the 20,271 home pages that load Spectral, 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
- Lora11%2,273 sites · 8.1× chance
- Roboto3.3%678 sites · 0.2× chance
- Montserrat2.8%565 sites · 0.2× chance
- Roboto Slab2.4%483 sites · 1.7× chance
- Open Sans2.4%477 sites · 0.1× chance
- Inter2.2%438 sites · 0.2× chance
More than chanceSpectral SC 98×Gloock 20×Alegreya 3.2×
Fonts that go with Spectral: pairs and trios →The pairs sites choose most →
Pair checkerSpectral + 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 Spectral
Answered from its licence, Google Fonts and each app’s own font list
Is Spectral free for commercial use?
Yes. Spectral is under the SIL Open Font License 1.1 , which allows commercial use at any scale, logos, websites, apps and PDFs included.
How do I download and install Spectral?
FontKind doesn’t host Spectral’s files: it comes free from Google Fonts . On its page there, choose Get font, then Download all, and unzip the file. It holds 14 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 Spectral in Microsoft Word?
Not until you install it: Spectral isn’t one of Microsoft 365’s cloud fonts. Installed, it is in Word’s font menu and PowerPoint’s. On Windows, its weights beyond Regular and Bold show as fonts of their own, such as Spectral ExtraLight and Spectral ExtraBold. For someone who hasn’t installed it, turn on Embed fonts in the file in Word’s save options: its licence allows that.
Is Spectral in Google Docs?
Most likely. Search for Spectral under More fonts in the font menu of Docs; added there, it is in Sheets and Slides too.
Is Spectral in Figma?
Yes: Spectral is in Figma’s font menu with all seven weights and their italics, in the browser and the desktop app, with nothing to install.
How many weights does Spectral have?
Spectral comes in seven weights, from ExtraLight (200) to ExtraBold (800), each with an italic.
Who designed Spectral?
Spectral was designed by Production Type. It has been on Google Fonts since June 2017. Production Type also made Newsreader and Georama.
What fonts are similar to Spectral?
The closest in our letter-by-letter match are UNAL Ancizar Serif (84), Newsreader (81) and Gulzar (80), out of 100. Next to Spectral, UNAL Ancizar Serif is 6% narrower and 10% heavier, with less stroke contrast. Its own family, listed apart, adds Spectral SC. See all 100 fonts like Spectral.