To say Netflix's Stranger Things has been a hit is an understatement, and the fonts used in the 80s-inspired show are garnering a fanbase of their own. With the show's brilliant gaudy-cum-gothic aesthetic and iconic type, we wouldn't blame you for wanting to create the look in your own projects.
Fortunately, you don't need to travel to the Upside Down or outrun any Demagorgons to find out which exact fonts are used in the show because we've gathered them all up for you here (you're welcome). Whether you're looking to use that famous font from the main title, or the ship-shape style from Scoops Ahoy, then don't worry, we've got the type to suit your project. And the best part is, most of these fonts are free to download, meaning you can recreate that famous Stranger Things look without breaking the bank (though do make sure you check the terms before you start using them). If you're searching for a little Stranger Things-related inspiration before you crack on with your designs, then check out the amazing ST4 posters designed by Butcher Billy.
If you can't find what you're looking for here though, don't worry, we have plenty of other fonts to choose from in our roundup of the best free fonts. Or if you're looking for something a little more specific (and still in the Hollywood realm), then check out our list of the best Star Wars Fonts.
01. ITC Benguiat
The now iconic ITC Benguiat features in the main title of the show, so it's a great place to start. And if you're wondering why it looks so familiar (aside from Stranger Things), it's because the Duffer Brothers, who created the show, were heavily influenced by Stephen King's Horror stories. When choosing a font for the title, they selected 12 of King's book covers as a reference. So when you download ITC Benguiat (for free by the way), you can recreate your very own spooky Stephen King-style vibes.
"There’s something about when we were kids when you would open up one of these big fat Stephen King novels that we loved," said the brothers, according to Fonts In Use. "We wanted the show to have that sort of feeling every time you got to a new chapter."
02. Bookman Swash
As much as we'd like Scoops Ahoy to be a real ice cream parlour (sailing-themed ice cream, what's not to love?), unfortunately, the store only exists in the Stranger-verse. Luckily for you though, if you want to recreate the Scoops Ahoy branding, you can do just that with the Bookman Swash typeface, that you can download for free.
ITC Bookman Swash is an OpenType version of ITC Bookman (created by Ed Benguiat in 1975) and Old Bookman style (created by Alexander Phemister in 1858). We love the playful yet old-timely feel of this typeface. If you invest in the entire Bookman font family, you'll have an incredibly versatile font to work with.
03. Krazy Knacks/Laser
If you've watched Stranger Things Season 4, then we can almost guarantee that one of your new favourite characters is probably Argyle, with his larger-than-life pizza truck. The Surfer Boy Pizza company, again, only exists in the Upside Down, but the two fonts used in the logo are very much available.
The designs sport both the Krazy Knacks (free) and Laser ($39/£39) fonts. Laser was "drawn by Martin Wait and issued by Letraset in 1987, making it an almost period correct choice", according to Fontsinuse.
Krazy Knacks was created in 2003 by Nick Curtis, who describes the font as, "suggestive of Cooper Black on some serious drugs" – which certainly suits Argyle's character pretty well.
04. Kimberly
Kimberly features on the Hawkins Light and Power logo. It has a particularly sci-fi feel to it with its strict lines and futuristic look. Its elongated glyphs and neatness of the font makes it look quite sinister – it's the perfect free typeface to add tension to your sci-fi-themed projects.
Kimberley is a "technological sans-serif typeface", which sounds fairly apt for Stranger Things. "Galvanised by 1970s corporate/industrial logotypes, Kimberley conveys a neoteric, machine-made aesthetic," says the FontSquirrel description. The font comes in seven different weights, meaning that it should suit a range of different projects. (If you wanted to look at more Serif fonts, then make sure you check out our list of the best sans serif fonts)
05. Serpentine Sans Oblique
If your favourite duo is Steve 'the hair' Harrington and Robin Buckley, then you'll probably recognise Serpentine Sans Oblique as the font used on the Family Video Store logo. While the logo has a few more embellishments (like the stretched-out lettering), it's based on this free typeface.
According to Fonts.com, Serpentine was designed by Dirk Jensen in 1972 and was likely inspired by Aldo Novarese’s Eurostile. "Jensen used the similar letterforms, square with rounded corners, but added contrast to the strokes weights and a hint of a serif on most terminals,".
06. Daydream
Eddie Munson has quickly become a fan favourite in the show since joining the crew in Season four. Munson spends all of the season sporting his 'Hellfire Club' T-shirt, which uses a textured-up version of the Daydream font ($19/£12) – we think to give the shirt that homemade feel. This font feels playful and definitely retro with a '70s-esque look to it. Daydream was created by the independent font boundary, Volcano Type.
07. Rogue Sans Nova Bold
On the topic of T-shirts worn in the show, when Dustin returns from 'Camp Know Where' in season three, he's wearing a particularly retro-looking T-Shirt. The design makes use of the Rogue Sans Nova Bold font, which somehow manages to achieve a futuristic yet retro look at the very same time.
The Rogue Sans typeface family might cost a little more than the other fonts, but its rich back history and stylish look makes it worth the money. The font was created by Rian Hughes and is made up of 30 different styles in the collection. With its authoritative look, Rogue Sans has ended up being one of the most popular fonts to ever be released by Device.
We know that all of these fonts very specifically suit the Stranger Things aesthetic, which you might not be looking for. In which case, make sure you have a look at our roundup of the best free script fonts, for projects looking for a more personal touch, or perhaps you'd rather scroll through our favourite font pairings.
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