15 Beautiful And Free Urban & Retro Fonts

A factor which cannot be overlooked when designing websites, brochures or e-magazines is the all important font type.

Designers need to carefully select the font that best fits the style of the publication, is legible and perhaps a little different from the norm.

There are plenty of retro and urban fonts available for download, however many are very expensive. For those on a limited budget, here are some amazing free urban and retro fonts.

Victor Moscoso

This funky retro font is based on the 1960’s psychedelic poster lettering of Victor Moscoso. It is hard not to think of Cadillac’s and American diners when looking at this font. Compatible with both Windows and Mac computers, it is free for personal use and contains a full set of characters and numbers.

Watson

Watson is a retro font that still has the wow factor but is also simple and elegant. The lettering is skinny and some of the characters appear three dimensional. Best of all it’s completely free to use, compatible with Windows and Mac computers and contains a full set of characters and numbers.

Thuphap

Categorised as a brush font, Thuphap looks like freehand writing. The ink weight varies on the curves of the letters, as it would naturally do if you were writing on a piece of paper. It is completely free to use, compatible with Windows and Mac Computers and contains a full set of characters and numbers, including several special letters.

Cinema

This retro font is a flashback to the 1950’s movie theatres as it uses the same style as the old billboards and posters. The cinema font set contains all the standard letters and numbers, as well as 17 additional characters. It would look great on a film review website.

JF Ringmaster

JF Ringmaster is simply stunning. This retro font is exquisitely designed, with suggestions of a carnival or circus. It is bold and sassy, and it would look equally at home on an Old Western Saloon sign. Completely free and available for download for both Windows and Mac computers, it contains the full standard character set and a few special characters but no extended letters.

Acorn Initials

All these letters are set in uppercase and behind each one is an acorn leaf. Beautifully sketched, these letters are quite busy but intricate and detailing. It is free to use, but Acorn Initials is only available for download on Windows computers.

Deco Caps

Simple in design but distinctly retro, the Deco Caps set is amazing. A serif font face with a twist, this set is extremely well crafted. The lettering isn’t overpowered by the design but it is still very arty. Free to use and compatible with both Windows and Mac computers, Deco Caps only contains standard lettering and no numbers.

Francis Mirtha

Another amazing retro font, the Francis Mirtha set gives the appearance of hand drawn lettering that has been filled in with ink. The ink weight varies within each letter, giving the overall ‘filled in’ look. Free to use, a full set of characters is available for download on both Windows and Mac computers.

Action Is

Bring back the swinging sixties with this funky font. This hippy style shouts flower power and is ideal for a fun website or blog. It is completely free to use and is compatible with Windows and Mac computers. It contains all the standard letters and numbers, however all the letters are in uppercase.

Aajax Surreal Freak

Categorised as decorative, this font set is fun and quirky. Belonging to the handwriting collection, it is bold, squiggling and will certainly catch attention. The font set is completely free to use and is compatible with Windows and Mac computers. It contains all the standard letters and numbers, as well as several other special characters.

Urban Sketch

The army styled lettering resembles characters created using a pencil stencil and it even looks like the letters have been filled in by pencil. It is completely free to use and compatible with both Windows and Mac computers. It contains the full set of standard letters and numbers, as well as several special characters like & and @.

AcidDreamer

AcidDreamer is certainly different. Its letters look like they were written by an unsteady hand, although they are all very legible. The shading also makes the lettering look embossed. Compatible with both Windows and Mac computers, the set is free to download. It contains a full set of standard letters and numbers, as well as a few special characters like % and $.

Urban&Slick

This font has only recently been made available for download. Most of the skinny characters either start or end in arrows, making the overall style interesting and different. The set is completely free to use and compatible with both Windows and Mac computers. Most of the letters are in uppercase, with the exception of the i, j and y.

Argor Got Scaqh

This stunning font wouldn’t look amiss as a newspaper header. Reminiscent of a bygone era when men wrote by candlelight using ink quills, this gothic font is simply beautiful. Compatible with both Windows and Mac computers, it contains a full set of characters and numbers, as well as a few additional letters.

Aenima

Messy calligraphy is the best way to describe the Aenima font set – some of the characters even have ink blotches. The set is completely free to download, however it is only compatible with Windows computers. It comes with a full set of standard letters and numbers, as well as several special characters like @ and %.