With how everything has gone digital now, it is common for companies and businesses to have their own website. Sans serif is often chosen for web design due to its strengths. This article will tell you more about the typeface and list the seven most used sans serif fonts for web design that can perhaps inspire you.
A Brief Introduction to Sans Serif
Sans serif is a type of font that does not have the strokes that distinguish a serif typeface. This is the reason for its name. The French word “sans” means “without”, and “sans serif” means “without serif”. The typeface is considered more modern than its serif counterpart because of its simple and sleek design.
Sans serif first appeared in 1816 when William Caslon IV designed the first sans serif typeface named Caslon. The typeface was unpopular at first, but as the world grew and modernism started to emerge, people became interested in the sleek and clean design.
Why Use Sans Serif for Web Design?
Websites are often filled with information that helps consumers know more about a company’s services and products. Because of this, readability is especially important in web design. The message you want to convey should be able to get through to your consumers.
Sans serif fonts are fit for the task due to their legibility. They are easy to read and do not tire the reader’s eyes. Their flexibility also makes them suitable for web design. They are still readable regardless of how big or small a device’s screen is, always clarifying readers. They make the perfect font for body text on websites.
7 Most Used Sans Serif Fonts for Websites
Curious about what fonts are commonly used for websites? Take a look at the list below.
Open Sans
Designed by Steve Matteson, Open Sans is used in over twenty-one million websites. It is designed with upright and open forms. This gives a neutral yet friendly appearance to the font. Optimized for print, web, and mobile interfaces, Open Sans has excellent legibility in its letterforms.
Roboto
Roboto is a font designed by Christian Robertson. Used in over twenty million websites, it has a mechanical structure, and its forms are essentially geometric. While this is true, the font includes friendly and open curves that make it look approachable and inviting.
Lato
Lato is a font designed by Łukasz Dziedzic and famous in the USA. It is used on over eleven million websites. The semi-rounded details and its firm structure make the font give off a serious but approachable look. The font can pair well with Oswald, Raleway, and Roboto.
Oswald
Designed by Vernon Adams, Oswald adjusts the classic style of Alternate Gothic. The font’s characters were redrawn to fit the pixel grid of digital screens. It can now be used on websites and be read from desktop computers, laptops, and mobile devices. The font has been used on over seven million websites.
Raleway
Raleway is a great sans serif font for headings and any other large-size usage. Initially created by Matt McInerney, it has a single thin weight. Furthermore, Pablo Impallari and Rodrigo Fuenzalida expanded this typeface into a nine-weight family. The font has been used on seven million websites to date.
Montserrat
Used in over five million websites, Montserrat is a sans serif typeface designed by Julieta Ulanovsky. The old posters and signs inspired the typeface in the traditional Montserrat neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Urban development has changed the place a lot since then, and this font was created to capture the beauty that was lost.
Source Sans Pro
Source Sans Pro is Adobe’s earliest open-source typeface created by Paul D. Hunt. It is a font designed to look suitable for user interfaces. To date, the font has been used on over four million websites. It can be paired with Open Sans, Lato, Roboto, Raleway, and Oswald.
Those are the seven most used sans serif fonts for web design. Did any of them inspire you? The simplicity of sans serif typefaces makes them easier to read, hence why they are often used for websites. Use them on your own websites to create a page that is easy on the eyes of your consumers.
