The ultimate guide to the best retro fonts on Canva

You’ll find plenty of retro fonts on Canva for your design needs. Indeed, Canva is an excellent tool for creatives in multiple fields. 

If you’re starting a YouTube channel but need more money to hire a graphic designer, you can use the platform to make thumbnails and channel art quickly. Similarly, bloggers can use the tool to create covers for their posts and social media header images. 

Even if you’re not using Canva specifically for your business, you’ll still find plenty of reasons to try it out. You can use Canva to make newsletters, resumes, presentations, and much more. Sometimes, you might want to bring out your fun side and try something that includes a retro style. 

When that happens, you’ll want to ensure you know the best retro fonts on Canva. And in this article, that’s exactly what you’ll find out. Keep reading to discover a list of our favorites.

Introduction: Finding the best fonts on Canva

Before we look at our list of fonts on Canva, let’s talk a little more about them. Canva has plenty of styles to choose from; it’s handy if you’re going for more of a modern look, and you’ll also find tools that help you create something that looks like it’s from a synth-wave music video. 

In terms of retro fonts, you’ll find a wide variety of different shapes and sizes. Some fonts have been designed to look more like something that would come out of an old typewriter, whereas others will resemble fonts that you might remember from some of your favorite video games. 

When looking at retro fonts on Canva, you’ll also find some that look like they belong on the front of a US diner. Because we understand that you might have a different desire than someone else reading this article, we’ve carefully curated our list to include a wide range of retro texts. 

Some fonts we’ve listed are available for everyone, even if you don’t have a paid subscription. In other cases, however, you’ll need to upgrade to Canva Pro. If you’re on the fence about doing that, check out our guide about whether Canva Pro is worth it.

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What are the best retro fonts on Canva?

Okay, so you’ve now got a better understanding of the types of retro fonts on Canva. You also know more about whether you can use all of these with a free account or whether you’ll need to upgrade to a paid version. With all that out, let’s look at some of the best retro Canva fonts.

Retropix

Retropix is arguably the best Canva retro font, and it’s hard to look at it without feeling like you’re suddenly playing Tetris or Pacman again. The font features the 8-bit design that you’ll likely remember from many classic retro games, and it’s also something that many modern businesses have used. 

Perhaps the most obvious place you can use Retropix is if you’re designing something related to old video games. For example, you might want to create a poster or banner for your website. However, you can use it if you enjoy talking about gaming – whether as a blogger, podcaster, YouTuber, or something else. 

Retropix is also a handy font if you’d like to apply for a job at a games company. 

Bright Retro 

Another of the main retro fonts on Canva that’s worth checking out is Bright Retro. Whereas Retropix is more of the stereotypical font that you’re probably used to seeing, Bright Retro provides a nice balance between old and new. 

So, if you’re trying to show that you’re into both, you’ll likely find this font pretty useful to add to your text. 

Bright Retro features curved writing with pointed edges on your text. It works best as a heading, and it’s something that you might see featured on an old-style pub menu. Beyond that, you can use it for restaurants, social media cover photos, and many other things. 

Della Respira

Bright Retro’s writing is quite bold, but we understand that not everybody will find that appealing. 

If you’re looking for text that’s a little slimmer, you should consider using Della Respira instead. It’s like Bright Retro in the sense that your writing is pointed at the edges, but – at the same time – the text looks a little more like something that would come out of a typewriter. 

Della Respira is usable in many situations. You might notice that besides looking quite retro, the text is also something you could probably imagine being used in the Medieval era. If you’re trying to create something with a theme from the 1960s or earlier, you should add this font to your shortlist. 

Trochut 

If you’re looking for retro fonts in Canva that are a little quirkier, consider trying Trochut. If you type the “T,” it looks similar to the Tesla logo’s letter “T.” The letters are quite slick, and using this font is arguably better than all lowercase letters. 

The spacing in Trochut is quite close together, so you should keep that in mind if you’re trying to use it for the main body of your text. We’d argue that it works better as a title; ideally, you should use it in words that don’t have too many letters. 

Trochut is an excellent font for those trying to make marketing copy for vehicles. You can also use it to headline your resume. 

Rugrats Display

Rugrats is one of Nickelodeon’s most popular TV series, but did you know that you’ll also find a retro font in Canva with the same name? The font bears some resemblances to the TV classic, but at the same time, it’s in a world of its own. 

The Rugrats font is relatively free-flowing, and you can use it if you’re going for more of a fun-loving look. At the same time, it’s a little less “artsy” than what you’ll find for the Rugrats text in the TV show. The Canva version is also a little more close-knit, meaning that it’s also quite versatile. 

Some letters with this font, such as the capital “R” and lowercase “G,” aren’t fully connected. It’s the kind of text you could expect to see on an Indie band’s music album, and it would also look quite good at a swimming pool. 

Odibee Sans 

If you’re looking for something a little more understated than the Rugrats font, you can always check out Odibee Sans instead. The letters are in bold but slightly smaller than what you’ll find with the previously-mentioned version. 

Moreover, the spacing is a little wider than what you’ll find with the Rugrats font. 

Odibee Sans works well if you’ve got letters that are of a similar shape, such as P, R, and T. It looks like a bit more of a modern version for what you’d find with some typewritten texts; you might want to use it for blog titles, landing page headers, and various other situations. 

Metropolis 

If you’re interested in retro fonts on Canva and want something resembling New York City or Chicago, consider using the Metropolis font. When you see it, you’ll notice that it looks quite similar to something you’d see for a theater on Broadway. 

Metropolis is all in caps, and each letter takes up quite a lot of space on the page. It’s perhaps not the best option if you’ve got a design that’s quite colorful, but it’ll work well for those that only have a couple of colors.  

Nine by Five 

Another of the best retro fonts on Canva is Nine by Five. It’s quite similar to Retropix but doesn’t specifically relate to gaming. Nine by Five features a monotype text style; the letters are all relatively slim. You’ll also notice that the text is more rounded than what you’ll find with Retropix. 

You can use Nine by Five in multiple scenarios. 

For example, you might find it pretty cool if you’re writing a tech blog. Similarly, you can use it on your resume if you’re going for a job in that industry. Other places to use Nine by Five include your landing page headers and if you’re doing something related to gaming. 

Kooperativ

Nine by Five is a pretty versatile font, but you might also not want something so thin. In those circumstances, consider looking at Kooperativ. This font features a retro style that’s much thicker, and all of the words are capitalized when you use them. 

Kooperativ works best when using a neutral color, such as black. The words feature quite structured shaping, and you’ll notice that rounded letters – such as O – look more like squares. 

Kooperativ works well as a logo for land-based venues in the entertainment industry, such as nightclubs. You can also use it for events, such as music festivals. It’ll look perfect on any related leaflets and banners you create. 

Cristik 

If you want something a little more like Retropix, you can always try Cristik. This font has a lot of similarities, such as the arcade-style format. However, you’ll also notice a couple of differences – one being that it features all capital letters, whereas Retropix is a mixture of uppercase and lowercase. 

The Cristik font features some of the letters being broken up in pixels, such as K and C. However, that isn’t the case for all of them. In other instances, you’ll notice that everything is in one piece; the letter “I” is one example. 

You can use Cristik in numerous ways; it works incredibly well on designs that don’t require much text. For example, you’ll find it particularly useful if you’re putting together a menu or need a product brochure header. 

Cristik is only accessible if you subscribe to Canva Pro.

29LT Arapix 

29LT Arapix is another of the best retro fonts in Canva. The font features the much-loved 8-bit style that many of those we’ve already talked about include – and unlike Cristik, the 29LT Arapix is a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters. 

The text works well if you’re using it as a title, but it would probably be quite difficult for others to read if you chose the main body of the text instead. Nonetheless, you can use it in several scenarios, such as creating a social media header. 

Compared to Retropix, 29LT Arapix has more of a pixelated look. 

CS Rocky Serif 

If you’re looking for a retro font in Canva that’s not as pixelated as some of the most recent ones we’ve discussed, this next one is worth adding to your list. CS Rocky Serif is part of many fonts in Canva, with CS as their beginning, but it’s one of the better options if you’re aiming specifically for an older look. 

CS Rocky Serif is one of the sleeker options on our list, but it doesn’t compromise on its timeless look. You can use the font as a header, but it’ll also probably work quite well as part of a main body of text. 

You can use CS Rocky Serif for food menus and other printed designs. However, you might also find that it’s a good choice for online designs – such as if you want to add text to your web app. 

Note that you need to have a Canva Pro membership to use CS Rocky Serif. 

Sacco 

If you’ve decided that you don’t want to purchase Canva Pro, don’t worry; you’ll still find plenty of fonts you can use for your retro designs. One of those is Sacco. The font features all capital letters, and you’ll also find that the text is quite close together. 

Unlike some of the others we’ve mentioned so far, this font features more streamlined letters. 

Sacco’s font looks higher up than some of the others on our list, and it’s worth keeping that in mind when designing your work with the font. It works well as a title, and you might also get away with using Sacco as a sub header if you space the letters out a little more.  

Monoton 

When you think of the name of this font, you might instantly think “monotone” – and therefore, it might be quite dull. However, that could not be further from the truth. Monoton has a lot of similarities to the Metropolis font we mentioned previously; the main difference is that the text is slightly thicker. 

In addition to the above, Monoton is larger than Metropolis. 

You can use the font if you need something that takes up a lot of space on your page, but there might be better options if you’re looking to create a logo that’s easy to read from miles away. The reason is that it can look somewhat hypnotic if you stare at it for too long. 

Boxing 

While the actual performance aspect is the most crucial part of sports, let’s face it – many of us still want to look good while we train. And if you fall into that camp, you might own a lot of retro clothing. You’ll notice that these fonts are distinct, especially for sports like boxing. 

If you want to channel your inner Sylvester Stallone, think about using this Boxing font in Canva. It looks very similar to what you notice on a lot of sweaters. It’s also a standard font that you’ll see for boxing gyms; despite managing to stay stylish, it still highlights the grit of the sport. 

You’ll need to be a Canva Pro member to use the Boxing font. 

Basis33

If you feel like Monoton was too intense for you, go back to the 8-bit style we’ve discussed numerous times in this article. It’s easy to think that all of these begin blending in with each other, but that’s not necessarily the case. 

Basis33 is the next one up on our list of retro fonts on Canva, and it’s unique. 

Compared to some of the other 8-bit fonts, Basis33 is a little more streamlined. The text is also spaced apart more, making it pretty easy to read. And while many of the letters are pixelated, it’s not anything that’s over the top. 

You can use Basis33 as both headers and main text. 

FS Gravity 

One Canva retro font that is somewhat similar to Basis33 is FS Gravity. However, the main difference is that it’s a lot thicker than the other option we just discussed. If you’re from the UK and you’re into sports, you might remember Ceefax; this font bears a lot of resemblances to what you saw on that service. 

FS Gravity is well-spaced, making it a great choice if you want to create something that’s in the face of your audience (but simultaneously readable). The font works best as a header; you can use it for multiple retro genres. Examples include sports and gaming.

Lucidity Condensed 

If you’d like to stray away from the 8-bit fonts we’ve discussed so far, you’ll find a selection of other options worth checking out. One of the top alternatives to consider adding to your shortlist is Lucidity Condensed. This font features curved letters, all of which will be in caps when you pick it. 

Lucidity Condensed features a relatively thick font, and it works best if you use black as the primary color. This font is better as a title, and you can use it for projects more designed for a 1980s-style theme. 

Pacifico 

If you want something to bring out the Californian vibes, consider checking out the Pacifico Canva retro font. This font features more squiggle-style writing than what you’ll find with most of the others on our list, and it’s an excellent choice for anything vintage style that you’re working on. 

Pacifico works exceptionally well for food businesses like ice cream parlors and American-style diners. You can also use the font if you’re amidst a design project for a website selling vintage shoes and clothing. 

Satisfy 

Another font that’s quite similar to Pacifico is Satisfy. The main difference between the two is that the writing on this one is much thinner than what you’ll find with Pacifico. It’s more streamlined, making it pretty easy to read. 

The Satisfy font is also slightly more rounded with each letter than with Pacifico. You’ll find this is a useful typing format for many of the same reasons you’d the previously-mentioned version, so it’s worth trying both and seeing which fits your needs and tastes better.  

VT323 

To round up our list of the best retro fonts on Canva, let’s look at VT323. This font is more like the 8-bit ones we mentioned earlier in this article, and you’ll notice that the writing is quite spaced out. More of the letters are pixelated than some of the others on this list, which gives the font quite a fun look. 

When using VT323, you’ll notice that the text is a little thicker than some of the other 8-bit ones we’ve mentioned – but not considerably. You can use it in many scenarios you’d pick the others for, so it’s worth experimenting.

Check out these retro fonts if you’re looking to recreate an older vibe

If you’re looking for retro fonts on Canva, you’ll find a broad selection worth checking out. You can choose from 8-bit ones that look like they were taken straight from a video game and others that are a little more daring. 

On top of that, you can discover fonts that were designed specifically for use as flamboyant logos. You’ve got plenty that you can choose from in this list, and we strongly recommend trying a wide selection of them. 

Many of the fonts included in this list are available for free, but others will require a Canva Pro membership. The good news is that Canva Pro is quite affordable, so upgrading is worth it if you use the platform quite frequently. 

If you want to learn more about using fonts in your design, consider reading this article about font psychology and how to find what best fits your brand.

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