Top 10 “Web Safe” Fonts for Your Website

What is a Web Safe Font?

 

Web Safe fonts allow your site to adapt to any browser on all devices, even if the font is not installed on the user’s device. If you do not use a web-safe font, the user's device will select a default font from their operating system. This can cause alignment issues or awkward spacing.

 

Users form an opinion in .05 seconds once your website page loads. First impressions are important. Using web safe font will keep your website looking and loading consistently the same across all platforms.

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Web Safe Font

Top 10 Website Safe Fonts

Serif vs San Serif

 

What is the difference between serif vs. sans serif fonts?

 

Serif fonts have those decorative lines or tapers (also commonly referred to as “tails” or “feet”) while sans serif fonts don’t—hence the “sans” in their title.

 

Serif fonts give the impression that your brand or content is traditional, established, and trustworthy. Sans Serif fonts say your content or brand is modern, approachable, and clean.

Serif vs Sans Serif Font

Arial

Arial is a san serif web safe font that is extremely versatile for uses in website design, presentations, articles, and more. This typeface was designed in 1982, by Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders. The Arial typeface comprises many styles: Regular, Italic, Medium, Medium Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, Black, Black Italic, Extra Bold, Extra Bold Italic, Light, Light Italic, Narrow, Narrow Italic, Narrow Bold, Narrow Bold Italic, Condensed, Light Condensed, Bold Condensed, and Extra Bold Condensed.

Arial Web Safe Font

Verdana

Verdana is a san serif font created to address the issues of on-screen displays. Designed by type designer Matthew Carter and Tom Rickner, Verdana allows for an easy reading experience on screen. The Verdana typeface had several styles: Verdana, Verdana Bold, Verdana Bold Italic, Verdana Italic.

Verdana Web Safe Font

Trebuchet MS

Trebuchet MS is a sans-serif typeface that Vincent Connare designed for the Microsoft Corporation in 1996. It is named after the trebuchet, a medieval siege engine. Trebuchet MS gives your page personality and liveliness. The Trebuchet MS typeface includes Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet MS Bold, Trebuchet MS Bold Italic, and Trebuchet MS Italic.

Trebuchet MS Web Safe Font

Times New Roman

The Times New Roman typeface first appeared in 1932 in The Times of London newspaper. The Times commissioned Stanley Morison and Victor Lardent to create this serif font for their paper. It has since become one of the most successful fonts in the world. Times New Roman comes in the following weight and styles: Times New Roman, Times New Roman Bold, Times New Roman, Bold Italic, and Times New Roman Italic.

Times New Roman Web Safe Font

Didot

Didot is a modern serif design named after the French printing and type company producing Didot family. This bold web safe font style is excellent for use in logo design, headings, books, and magazines. Fashion companies use this style often to make a statement on the web pages.

Didot Web Safe Font

American Typewriter

American Typewriter is a slab serif typeface created in 1974 by Joel Kaden and Tony Stan. It is based on the style of typewriters; however, unlike most true typewriter fonts, it is a proportional design: the characters do not all have the same width. American Typewriter is often used to suggest an old-fashioned look.

American Typewriter Web Safe Font

Helvetica

Helvetica is a widely used sans serif font created in 1957 by Swiss designer Max Miedinger. Helvetica has been a popular choice for corporate logos such as 3M, American Airlines, American Apparel, BMW, Jeep, JCPenney, Lufthansa, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Electric, Target, Toyota, Panasonic, Motorola, Kawasaki, and Verizon Wireless. Helvetica is widely used by the U.S. government, most notably on federal income tax forms, and NASA selected the type for the space shuttle orbiters.

Helvetica Web Safe Font

Courier

Courier is a slab serif typeface. The typeface was designed by Howard "Bud" Kettler in 1956. Originally created for IBM's typewriters, it has been adapted to use as a computer font and versions of it are installed on most desktop computers. The Courier typeface in great for technical industries and reports.

Courier Web Safe Font

Bradley Hand

Bradley Hand is a calligraphy font designed by Richard Bradley in 1995. Bradley Hand created a warm and inviting touch to website copy. While not appropriate for all industries, Bradley Hand is legible in point sizes as small as 8 and is good for headlines and short to middle length texts.

Bradley Hand Web safe font

Copperplate

Originally designed in 1901, Copperplate Gothic was first released as a font family containing several weights and condensed variations. Copperplate is indented for use in headlines, headers, logos, and business cards because it does not have a true lowercase option. An example of Copperplate is the “Who wants to be a millionaire” logo.

Copperplate Web Safe Font

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