The Best Font Combination Choices for a Business

1. General Font Pairing Rules
2. Examples of Ready-To-Use Combinations
3. Helpful Services

Choosing a proper font pairing for a website, booklet, brochure, or even a presentation can feel like a difficult task, especially for the small business owner who doesn’t have a background in graphic design. So what’s the secret to success?

While there’s no “secret sauce” to guarantee a great font combination, many professionals find it helpful to look at real-world examples for inspiration. It’s also a good idea to get a grasp of the basic principles of design. This guide walks through some strategies to help business owners who need to choose a font pairing and some real-world examples of win-win combinations and services that can help with the process.

General Font Pairing Rules

Generally speaking, there are only two basic principles to pair fonts well: matching and contrast.

When typefaces match, they complement each other in some way. Often, the fonts are similar styles, or perhaps they have complementary proportions or similar uses. It’s arguably easiest to pick two fonts that match. For example, two geometric fonts might match well together, especially if they aren’t too busy and the text isn’t body copy.

The principle of contrasting fonts is a bit more complex, but it’s also more creative. If a designer uses contrasting fonts, their chosen typefaces will look quite distinct from each other. But simultaneously, there’s a sense of visual harmony because the fonts include at least one or two common attributes. For example, a designer might choose two fonts that look quite unique from each other, but since both fonts don’t have serifs (called a “sans serif” font, or the little lines or strokes attached to the end of a letterform). Another designer might choose two fonts that have similarly sized lowercase letters or fonts that have similar letter spacing.

Practical Tips to Pair Fonts

Here are some basic tips for choosing fonts:

• The easiest way to avoid making a mistake with a design project is to use one font “superfamily” that includes many typeface versions (the same base font with and without serifs, handwritten, and decorative). Among the most famous superfamilies are Lucida, Museo, Frutiger, and Avenir.
• The reverse rule works as well: Typefaces of the same type but from different families may not combine and create disharmony, so it is better to avoid this method.
• Try any of the classic ways to create a contradiction: use different weights of the same typeface (such as the “light,” “italic,” and “bold” versions of the same font) or combine fonts with and without serifs.
• Stick to one “mood:” the impression that each inscription creates. Some typography feels playful, some strict, while other fonts might be cozy or informal. Even if a designer uses contrasting texts, their mood should be similar. For example, using a font with a delicate nature directly beside a harsh one could lack visual balance.
• Avoid low contrast in the design; don’t use fonts that are too similar to each other. This approach has low visual interest, and it can give the impression that the designer accidentally changed fonts partway through the document rather than making an intentional choice.
• Keep it balanced. If one font is very prominent and dominant, the other should probably be pretty neutral. Using two fonts that are both very “busy” can destroy readability in the design.
• In larger documents, it’s wise to set a hierarchy for how each font is used. For example, a designer might use the bolder, more dominant font from their pairing for headings and the title. Then they’d use the simpler font for the body text. This approach helps guide the reader through the words of the text.
• It’s wise to double-check that the selected font includes all the necessary characters for the language of the text. This is critical for businesses that operate on an international scale and need to publish their materials in multiple languages.

Examples of Ready-To-Use Combinations

Generally, designers don’t recommend using more than three typefaces within the same materials. Two is often the ideal. Here are some real-world examples of successful font pairings.

Montserrat & Courier New

Montserrat and Courier New are a win-win contrast blend of the classic and modern. Montserrat is a sans-serif font that’s part of the Google Fonts collection. Meanwhile, Courier New has been around since the days of typewriters. This combination can be a great choice for brands that want to emphasize the connection between past and present.

Alegreya Sans SC & Source Sans Pro

Alegreya Sans and Source Sans Pro are complementary fonts that look harmonious together in almost any context, whether they’re shown on digital screens or printed materials. Alegreya Sans SC is a calligraphic font, and it’s well complemented by the laconic Source Sans Pro that was originally crafted for Adobe’s software suites and user interfaces.

Helvetica Neue & Garamond

Here’s a classic mix of popular typefaces in contrasting styles: Helvetica Neue and Garamond. This pairing can be a great combination for a brand that prefers to be perceived as timeless, clear, and stylish.

Lora & Merriweather

Lora and Merriweather are two serif fonts, both known for being classy and elegant. Lora is a font that strikes a perfect balance between resembling hand-written calligraphy while still being simple enough to use for body text. Merriweather also works as body text, or it can be used in titles and headings.

Proza Libre & Open Sans

Want a modern, contemporary look? Proza Libre and Open Sans could be a winning combination. Proza Libre has soft forms that look excellent on screens. Meanwhile, Open Sans is a neutral but friendly design with great legibility. While the combination is especially common in digital formats, it still functions well in print.

Libre Baskerville & Source Sans Pro

Here’s another combination that includes the classic Source Sans Pro, this time complementing the serifless font with the serifs of Libre Baskerville. Libre Baskerville is a family of web fonts that’s been optimized for body text, so it’s very legible even in small sizes on any screen.

Rubik & Karla

This is a perfect combination for brands that want to show their closeness to users. Karla dominates the combination; it stands out for its intentional “sloppiness” from its irregular letter spacing. Then Rubik acts as the perfect complement because it’s a versatile, proportional font.

BioRhyme & Space Mono

Need a cool, bold design combination? BioRhyme and Space Mono might fit the bill. BioRhyme has flat but visible serifs that evoke retro vibes. Meanwhile, Space Mono is a modern and monospaced type (all characters have the same width). This pairing unites geometric fonts.

Archivo Black & Roboto

The combination blends similar fonts for a cohesive look. Archivo Black was designed to be used in titles, and Roboto was designed for Android devices. Both fonts look open and friendly, making a great font pairing for a brand that wants to seem democratic.

Montserrat & Source Sans Pro

This combination is another neutral mix of easy-to-read prints. Both Montserrat and Source Sans Pro are laconic and versatile, and both were created for internet platforms. This combination will work well for a website or a blog that needs a condensed font pairing that doesn’t distract from the content.

Oswald & Merriweather

Oswald and Merriweather are a contrasting pairing united by their proportions. Oswald is a modern revision of the classics, characterized by its upward-stretched letters and tight spacing. Merriweather, even as a serif font, has characters that are slightly compressed. This combination is great for a brand that wants to show rigor, concentration, and elegance.

Helpful Services

A win-win way to successfully choose a combination without the guesswork is to use special services that offer ready-to-use options. 

Google Fonts

The Google collection offers several similar and contrasting options for each font. The tool also conveniently allows users to preview the fonts together.

Typography

Like Google, Typography offers several suitable combinations for users. The downside is that this tool doesn’t provide a lot of examples, and users can’t change the weight of symbols.  

ZenBusiness

Only need fonts to create a logo? ZenBusiness provides an easy-to-use logo tool. Users just enter their company name and slogan, and the service provides dozens of ready-to-use options, fonts included. Each design is editable, too.

Conclusion

Combining fonts is part art, part science. Yes, there are some guidelines that designers should follow, but there aren’t strict rules, either. Business owners who are picking fonts should keep in mind what task they need the text needs to perform. Then they can pick fonts that “fit” that mood. The principles in this guide can help guide those choices, too. If in doubt (and if the budget allows), it’s a good idea to hire a professional designer for the best results possible.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. For specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.