I love beautiful sans-serif fonts – certainly, this is a classic post on my blog, written in 2014. But it still has some of my favorite Sans-serif fonts! A good sans-serif font will stand the test of time.
Check out the current list of modern fonts for 2019-2020 here as well if you’d like to see more!
Bebas and a similar font League Gothic (which you can also download free,) have that tall sans-serif look that’s appropriate for some projects. Keep in mind how many more letters you can fit in a specific space, and consider using this font in all-caps for titles.
Download Bebas (Free)
Helvetica Neue takes Helvetica to a fresh new place. Without the stuffy connotations but with a highly palatable and useful sans-serif
Download Helvetica Neue (One font: 29$)
Geogrotesque has a nicely thought out vertical stretch, with a thoughtful rounded edge, and a squareness rather than a roundness to encapsulate it’s open spaces.
Download Geogrotesque (Font Family: 299$)
Futura takes usefulness to new levels. Before I met many of the thicker, bolder sans-serif fonts Futura was my friend. Not imposing any kind of quirkiness or super distinct individuality except a confident self-assured look that has sharp edges and a strength to it.
Download Futura STD (Font Family: 377$)
Open Sans is another non-imposing but highly useful font. This font makes alot of sense as a body copy font, and has a light friendliness to it, as well as being highly readable and legible. If you need a free body copy font that also translates to the web quickly and easily through google fonts, use Open Sans. I also like using the “Better Helvetica” font stack introduced to me by Chris Coyier on the web, but this way you are loading a font for the website visitor, rather than relying on their system font.
Download Open Sans (Free)
Brandon Grotesque is an undeniable winner of a font, albeit on that is quickly becoming saturated in many promotional materials. McDonalds and Comedy Central both have been using this standout winner lately, and so perhaps thats why I recently overheard a friend bad-mouthing it. “Brandon Grotesque is dead” he tweeted. Hipsters.
Download Brandon Grotesque (12 Fonts: 249$)
Biko is a little strange, but I recently saw it used really well on Jim Basio’s portfolio site and thus got the idea that this could be used in all caps as a distinctive title font. Perhaps keep it to a minimum and be prepared to be very bold with it like Jim is and the usage is more likely to be successful.
Download Biko (Free)
Oh yeah, so you think you can font? Avenir is a delicious classic that stands up with the best sans-serifs that have proven their worth. Helvetica and Futura both are so respected and well-loved by designers because they are so useful and Avenir is another gun in the arsenal that says classic, classy, and if used well, sexy.
Download Avenir (12 Fonts: 283.10$)
Want More Fonts?
Excellent Modern Script Fonts
Excellent Modern Serif Fonts
Great info here Tim! I always believed Helvetica was king… but Avenir looks real interesting to try…
Avenir is queen 😉 thanks for your comment Vince!