Top 70 Fonts That Designers Love

Arek Dvornechuck
Ebaqdesign™
Published in
5 min readJun 4, 2021

Finding the right font can be a hassle, that’s why I’ve compiled a massive list of the best that designers love to use in their projects.

As a graphic designer, your projects may require all kinds of different fonts.

Fonts play a key part in any type of graphic design work — they determine the aesthetics of a project.

What are the most popular fonts that professional graphic designers use?

To help you select your favorites, I’ve put together a massive list of 70 best fonts for your inspiration.

Remember — preparation is key to success, so even if you won’t be able to use them right away — be prepared with top quality fonts in your collection when the next project comes.

Here’s my ultimate list of 70 essential fonts for designers, featuring top 10 in each category: sans-serif, serif, slab serif, display, script, signature and variable fonts.

*This collection was inspired by @kalypsodesigns Instagram Post (follow him on Instagram!).

The list includes the newest and latest fonts as well as classic and iconic typography.

Ps. Some of these fonts are free others are paid — be sure to check out the license before using them commercially.

1. Best Sans Serif Fonts

In typography, a sans-serif fonts is one that does not have extending features called “serifs” at the end of strokes.

Sans Serif fonts are often used to convey simplicity and modernity or minimalism.

These fonts have are commonly used in logo design & branding due to the minimalistic forms and geometric shapes.

These fonts become the most used type of fonts for display of text on computer screens.

In fact, sans-serif fonts were invented for digital use because tiny serifs may often disappear or appear too large.

In print, they’re mostly used for display (headlines and subheads) and less for body text.

10 Best Sans Serif Fonts:

  1. Helvetica Now
  2. Acumin
  3. Poppins
  4. Montserrat
  5. Plus Jakarta
  6. Anybody
  7. Lato
  8. Gotham
  9. Gilroy
  10. Nexa

Many companies have adopted sans serif fonts as the basis of their new logos, including Google, Mircosoft, and Airbnb.

Branding and logo design in 2021 continues to be dominated by sans serif fonts.

2. Best Serif Fonts

In typography, serif is a small element attached to the end of a stroke in a letter within a particular font.

Serif fonts have a more ornamented design that gives off a natural, organic look.

They are generally easier to read because the serif extensions on letter strokes help guide the eyes to recognize words more clearly.

Serif fonts are often used in publications with larger blocks of written material, to make it easier for readers to absorb the content.

Most of them were invented originally for print, but more and more brands prefer to use unique serif fonts in their branding for clear differentiation.

Serif fonts are usually used for body text because they are easier to read in print than the above mentioned sans-serif fonts.

10 Best Serif Fonts:

  1. Recoleta
  2. Butler
  3. Crimson
  4. Mermaid
  5. Playfair
  6. PT Serif
  7. Alegreya
  8. Cormorant
  9. Lora
  10. Times

The popularity of serif fonts throughout history has helped them maintain a classic, traditional look ideal for books, formal invitations, poster design, or cover art.

Sans serifs tend to be the most beautiful fonts of all.

3. Best Slab Serif Fonts

If serif is an extension of a stroke, then slab-serif is a thick, block-like extension — it’s basically a more prominent serif that deserves its own category.

Slab-serif fonts are intended to grab the reader’s attention and make an emphasis.

The thick, block-like serifs of these fonts help to attract attention and convey a strong, confident look.

Slab serif fonts were also often used in typewriters and this tradition has translated for computer use as well.

Slab serifs can often be seen in headlines and titles — you can’t pass by without turning your head when seeing a slab serif.

Whether in a magazine article or an advertisement, on a signage or book cover, slab serif designs project solid style and confidence.

10 Best Slab Serif Fonts:

  1. Roboto Slab
  2. Josefin Slab
  3. Alfa Slab
  4. Zilla Slab
  5. Antic Slab
  6. Slabo 27px
  7. Knile
  8. Paul Slab
  9. Choplin
  10. Clutsy

Designers use these fonts particularly for their ability to capture people’s interest, and for their legibility even from a distance.

They are best suited for content with spacious layouts, as they aren’t as effective in cramped designs.

4. Best Display Fonts

Display typefaces are specifically designed for large-format applications, such as billboards or posters; logotypes; headlines in magazines or websites; and book covers.

Display fonts transcend styles — they can be a serif, sans serif, slab serif and so on.

These have more eccentric designs to highlight content and help make brand material look unique.

Display fonts aren’t intended for bodies of text like in paragraphs or descriptions.

Instead, they’re more suitable for use for stand-alone applications, like headlines or a logo due to their expressive forms.

The advantages of using display fonts are that they’re less common and much easier to differentiate from other fonts.

10 Best Display Fonts:

  1. Nexa Rust
  2. Abril Fatface
  3. Alfa Slab One
  4. Monoton
  5. Bungee
  6. Changa
  7. Masego
  8. Clara Antiqua
  9. Bebas Neue
  10. Git-Sans

Display fonts allow for easier brand recognition, and it can help people associate your business with a signature look.

They’re also often referred to as “weird fonts“, because these fonts are usually given a range of decorative features to make them look unique.

Continue reading this article on my blog at: https://www.ebaqdesign.com/blog/best-fonts-designers#5

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