10 Easy to Read Fonts for Your Digital & Print Designs

When reviewing some of the best fonts for readability and choosing one for your marketing, it’s crucial to consider a few things:

• Size
• Typeface style
• Intent
• Legibility

An effective font should be easy to read upon first glance – your audience shouldn’t have to squint to make out your message. It also shouldn’t be so big it takes up most of your design.

Technically speaking, typeface refers to a whole family of designs with consistent characteristics, whereas font refers to specific attributes within that family. The one you choose is tied directly to your intent. Are you trying to evoke a specific emotion with your message? Your typeface and/or font should reflect that.

And of course, it should be legible. Swirling, scripted letters may look nice, but if your audience can’t read them, it’s best to choose something cleaner.

Arial

Arial is one of the most readable font choices you can make. Super versatile, it features letters and numbers with soft, full curves and cuts the top of the “t” at a diagonal for an even more approachable feel.

A common choice for graphic designers, Arial can be used for so many digital and print assets, making it a great choice no matter your campaign. In reports, presentations and magazines, not to mention headlines, logos and other visual elements, its excellent readability ensures your audiences get the message.

Calibri

No list of easy to read fonts would be complete without Calibri. Modern and subtle, it features letters and numbers with soft roundings on stems and corners, making it particularly impactful on lines of text that are set tightly or close together.

Universally readable, it creates a professional and contemporary overall look, so it’s a must for annual reports, training manuals, marketing packets and more. With its slightly sloped form and clean spacing, it makes your messaging visually accessible to audiences.

Garamond

When you’re wondering what is the easiest font to read, you may not consider one that has as many distinct characteristics as Garamond – but you’d miss out. So particular yet still so readable, Garamond features a style that was originally designed to resemble handwriting. You’ll notice the x-height (the height of lowercase letters) in Garamond is very low compared to uppercase ones, giving your eye a built-in guideline that enhances its readability.

And if you look closely, you’ll notice all kinds of quirky qualities, like sloped strokes on the “i” and “r,” a high horizontal stroke on the “e,” a slightly splayed “M,” the extended leg of the “R” and slightly cupped serifs throughout. Often (and best) used for printed media like books and newspapers, it radiates tradition and formality, making it ideal for authoritative messaging.

Georgia

Originally created for content on screens, Georgia is the best font for reading anything on a computer monitor, laptop or mobile device. But here’s the thing: It’s also one of the easiest fonts to read on paper. From business documents and books to online content of all kinds, it’s a seriously versatile option for your marketing campaigns and business needs in general.

With Georgia, every letter features a small line embellishment that gives your content a streamlined look that’s easily scannable. If you’re trying to send a message with confidence without being too assertive or bossy, Georgia does so with elegant approachability.

Helvetica

Easy to read fonts have to be just that – easy to read. And perhaps there’s no better example of that than Helvetica. With clean lines and perfectly balanced proportions, it’s neutral yet elegant and so, so legible. A modern classic, this font is a no-brainer on things like brand logos, direct mail and business printing essentials like branded stationery and internal communications.

With Helvetica, you’ll find its tight letter spacing makes it easily readable up close and from distance (that spacing also makes it great for headlines). Other distinct features include wide uppercase letters like “E” and “F,” a curved stem on the “7,” plus strokes that are always horizontal or vertical and never diagonal. Could it be more readable?

Lato

Another contender for the easiest to read font is Lato. With its proportioned and balanced letter spacing, it gives your messaging a look that’s both classic and contemporary. Look closely, and you’ll find semi-rounded characteristics that soften and warm its appearance without taking away its professionalism.

The great thing about Lato is that, while it looks friendly and appealing, it never crosses into trendy or fad territory, thus your message doesn’t either. We recommend it for a wide range of marketing assets, from email headlines and call-to-action buttons to logos, websites, magazines, even posters.

Open Sans

Open Sans is also among the easiest fonts to read, with a look that’s both neutral and friendly. Its letters and numbers feature an open, wide style that makes it ideal for print marketing, plus digital and mobile assets. With such a well-balanced appearance, it’s no wonder Open Sans is a common choice for marketers and nonprofits.

Clean and simple, this font even looks consistent across different weights, so even if you’re designing with bold or italicized text, your message maintains its clarity. And while Open Sans does have a uniform look, it’s not afraid to distinguish itself with details like a curved tail on the “y” or an off-center stroke on the “t.”

Roboto

You might not consider a font described as mechanical to be among the most readable fonts, and yet, Roboto pulls it off. Geometric at first glance, Roboto still manages to be approachable thanks to some friendly curves on the “a,” “d” and “e.”

Its minimal style makes it super applicable for print marketing (just make sure it’s a big enough size) and especially effective for presenting technical information, complex layouts or details that are highly structured or numerical.

Times New Roman

Of course our list of easy to read fonts wouldn’t be complete without Times New Roman. Originally designed for newspapers, its narrow characters and economic spacing make it perfect for squishing as many words into a newspaper column as possible (and having it still be legible).

Letters and numbers in Times New Roman feature a thin style and crisp appearance that’s classic, traditional and utterly formal. The font is characterized by details like short bracketed serifs and what’s known as ears and on the “g,” while the numbers are particularly tall. If you’re printing magazines, paperback books or marketing assets that have long blocks of text, Times New Roman is the font for you.

Verdana

If Times New Roman is all about print, Verdana is all about digital. With widely-spaced characters, it’s easily readable on screens, at small sizes and even low resolutions. Perhaps the most legible font for digital marketing, its characters don’t squish together even when bolded, allowing the negative space to keep your message clear.

Thoughtfully designed, Verdana features a good balance of diagonal, straight and curved lines, while letters that are similar in shape boast details that distinguish them just enough. (Hint: View it at a higher resolution to really see the differences.) For body text on websites, disclaimers and legal text, Verdana is an ideal choice.