Top 20 fonts which will be popular with designers in 2021

written by Tom May

This resource is brought to you by Created Academy.

As we wholeheartedly welcome a new year, let’s consider the big design picture. 2020 was unprecedented, but how will its memory combined with current world events influence our font choices in the year ahead.

So, we’ve brought together 20 typefaces we believe designers will be reaching for across the coming year. Some of these are new, while others are old favourites currently enjoying a resurgence. But all are worth checking out if you’re looking to mix things up typographically in 2021.

1. Signifier

It’s kind of the Holy Grail of typography: a font that embodies a fresh and new spirit, while summoning the authority and readability of classic forms. The most successful new release to pull off this trick in 2020 was Signifier, a new serif that fuses 17th-century type with a raw, Brutalist ethos. We expect to see it everywhere in 2021.

2. Sentinel

Another font that masterfully infuses classic type with modern styles, Sentinel is ideally suited for both display use and body copy. Designed to address the technical shortcomings of traditional slab serifs, it reads beautifully on a variety of devices, at any size or resolution.

3. Druk Condensed XX Super

Ultra-condensed fonts are great for making a bold statement in titles and headlines. And we’re expecting a lot of that over the coming year, as brands fight for visibility in an increasingly digitised and ecommerce-focused world. Our tip is Druk Condensed XX Super, which takes compression to the extreme (so needs to be handled with care!).

4. Ivymode

Another font we expect to be in big demand within the branding world is IvyMode, a sans serif with high contrast and flared stroke. All the better for grabbing attention with a flash of authority and a touch of elegance.

5. Vesterbro

Design in 2021 will not just be about being impactful, but authentic: the world’s in no mood for insincerity right now. One font that embodies both qualities is Vesterbro, which draws on the history and culture of the Copenhagen district. This Didot-inspired display serif is pleasantly readable in body text and makes an instant impression at large sizes.

6. GT Sectra

Calligraphic type is another way to stand out from the crowd, and the contemporary serif GT Sectra can help designers do just that. Evoking both the sweep of a broad nib pen and the sharpness of a scalpel knife, it was designed for longform journalism, so is eminently readable.

7. Avenir Next

Geometric sans have been everywhere over the last 10 years. But as brands attempt to widen their reach to an ever-dizzying range of platforms and devices, the flexibility and technical superiority of Avenir Next has made it particularly popular, and we expect that to continue in 2021.

8. Adelle

For designers wishing to make an impact with titles and headlines, we’ve seen the slab serif Adelle becoming widely favoured over the last few years. Though it was specifically designed for print, it’s popular on the web too. And for good reason, as it’s versatile, authoritative and packed with personality.

9. Supria Sans

Quirky grotesques are all the rage at the moment, and so we expect use of Supria Sans to be widespread in 2021. While it’s inspired by classic Swiss forms, its subtle detailing and fine details give it a unique sense of personality that’s hard to beat.

10. FF Tisa Web Pro

With continuing lockdowns leaving us with time on our hands, people are currently less likely to skim-read and more likely to consume the whole thing. This is putting a renewed emphasis on legibility, and we’ve been seeing a lot of enthusiasm for FF Tisa Web Pro. With its large counters and constrained stroke contrast, this font offers supreme readability for both longform articles and short, snappy paragraphs.

11. Verlag

It’s been around for a while, but there’s been somewhat of a revival for Verlag of late. Which isn’t surprising, as it’s both unusually comprehensive for a geometric sans, and full of upbeat and relaxed personality (something we could all do with a bit of right now).

12. Source Code Pro

With their purposely fixed widths, monospaced fonts echo the look of traditional typewritten characters. And in what promises to be another uncertain year, we predict that nostalgic feel will make them super-popular. In particular Source Code Pro which, unusually for a monospaced font, is not just free but available in seven weights.

13. Space Mono

Another free monospaced font we predict big things for in 2021 is Space Mono. It combines geometric and grotesque elements and is perfect for editorial use in headline and display typography.

14. Balto

One of the most popular and versatile gothic sans-serifs available today, Balto has a heft and rhythm that makes it supremely distinctive and authoritative, and can be used for small text and well as large titles.

15. Grand Slang

A display typeface inspired by the calligraphy of Oscar Ogg and William Addison Dwiggins, Grand Slang is sleek and unique. Bringing together the best of the grotesque and serif traditions in one font, we expect to see this standout font grow further in popularity in 2021.

16. Good Glyphs

2020 saw creatives pull together like never before, and here’s a great example. Good Glyphs is a dingbat font created by 32 designers to raise money for Doctors Without Borders. It’s not just a good cause, but a great icon font too.

17. Futura Now

Last October, Monotype refreshed the classic modernist typeface Futura for the digital era. Futura Now retains the best features of the 1927 original, but is now available as a variable font, something we’re expecting a lot of designers to take advantage of in 2021.

18. NewsSerif

If 2020 had any silver lining at all, it was a return to serious journalism. As that trend continues in 2021, many will likely turn to the recently-released font NewsSerif to give a fresh and vibrant look to editorial projects.

19. Pata

With vaccines being rolled out across the world in 2021, the optimists amongst us are hoping that this will be a brighter year all round. Cue Pata Slab, a funky, sexy and slightly crazed creation that’s perfect for bringing positive projects to life.

20. FS Renaissance

FS Renaissance is a recent collaboration between Monotype and type designer Craig Black. In this display stencil font, each letter was crafted as a standalone piece of art, while working harmoniously together as a functioning typeface. Let’s hope this imaginative and forward looking font will prove a suitable metaphor for a more upbeat 2021.

Recommended Blogs:

• Cook up success with this recipe for teamwork
• Top 7 motion and animation design trends of 2021
• Knowing the difference between UI and UX
• The best software for Visual Designers