Font Pairing Tool
Find the perfect font pairings for your designs. Preview typography combinations and get instant CSS code.
Preview
Beautiful Typography
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
CSS Code
/* Font Pairing CSS */
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Playfair+Display:wght@400;600;700&family=Source+Sans+Pro:wght@400;600;700&display=swap');
h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {
font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
font-weight: 700;
}
body, p, span, div {
font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', sans-serif;
font-size: 16px;
line-height: 1.6;
} Table of Contents
What is Font Pairing?
Font pairing is the art of combining two or more typefaces that work harmoniously together in a design. A well-paired font combination creates visual hierarchy, improves readability, and establishes the tone and personality of your design. The goal is to find fonts that complement each other while maintaining enough contrast to create visual interest.
Good font pairings typically use one font for headings (display text) and another for body text (paragraphs). The heading font is often more distinctive and attention-grabbing, while the body font prioritizes readability and legibility at smaller sizes.
Typography Principles
Contrast
Effective font pairings use contrast to create visual hierarchy. This can be achieved through different font families (serif vs. sans-serif), weights (bold vs. regular), or sizes. Contrast helps guide the reader's eye and makes your content more scannable.
Harmony
While contrast is important, fonts should still feel harmonious together. They should share similar characteristics like x-height, proportions, or design era. Fonts that are too different can clash and create visual discord.
Readability
The body font should be highly readable at small sizes and in long paragraphs. Avoid decorative or display fonts for body text. Sans-serif fonts are often preferred for body text due to their clean, legible appearance on screens.
Hierarchy
Use different font sizes, weights, and families to create a clear visual hierarchy. Headings should stand out from body text, and different heading levels should be distinguishable from each other.
Font Pairing Types
Serif + Sans-Serif
The classic combination of a serif font for headings and a sans-serif font for body text. This pairing creates excellent contrast while maintaining harmony. Serif fonts add elegance and tradition, while sans-serif fonts provide modern readability.
Example: Playfair Display (heading) + Source Sans Pro (body)
Sans-Serif + Sans-Serif
Using two different sans-serif fonts can work well when they have distinct personalities. Choose one font with strong character for headings and a more neutral, readable font for body text.
Example: Montserrat (heading) + Open Sans (body)
Single Font Family
Using different weights and styles from the same font family creates a cohesive, minimalist look. This approach works well for modern, clean designs where consistency is key.
Example: Inter (all text, different weights)
Display + Body
Pairing a bold, distinctive display font with a simple, readable body font creates strong visual impact. Display fonts are designed for large sizes and short text, making them perfect for headings.
Example: Bebas Neue (heading) + Roboto (body)
Use Cases
Font pairings are essential in many design contexts:
- Web Design: Create typographic hierarchy and improve readability on websites
- Brand Identity: Establish brand personality and visual consistency across materials
- Editorial Design: Enhance readability and create visual interest in magazines, books, and articles
- UI/UX Design: Improve user experience through clear typographic hierarchy
- Marketing Materials: Create engaging and readable promotional content
- Presentations: Make slides more readable and visually appealing
- Mobile Apps: Optimize typography for small screens and different devices
Best Practices
Limit Your Fonts
Stick to 2-3 fonts maximum in a single design. Too many fonts create visual chaos and confuse readers. Use font weights and sizes to create variety instead of adding more font families.
Consider Readability
Always prioritize readability, especially for body text. Test your font pairings at different sizes and on various devices. What looks good on desktop might not work on mobile.
Match the Mood
Choose fonts that match the tone and purpose of your content. A formal document might need classic serif fonts, while a modern tech startup might prefer clean sans-serif fonts.
Test in Context
Always test your font pairings with actual content, not just placeholder text. Real content will reveal how the fonts work together in practice.
Consider Loading Times
When using web fonts, be mindful of loading times. Each additional font family adds to page load time. Consider using system fonts or limiting the number of font weights you load.
Maintain Consistency
Use your font pairings consistently across all pages and materials. Consistency builds brand recognition and creates a professional appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally, stick to 2-3 fonts maximum. One for headings, one for body text, and optionally one for special elements. Using too many fonts creates visual chaos and makes your design look unprofessional.
Yes! Using different weights and sizes from the same font family can create a cohesive, minimalist look. This is especially effective with versatile font families like Inter, Roboto, or Work Sans.
Serif fonts have small decorative strokes (serifs) at the ends of letters, giving them a classic, traditional feel. Sans-serif fonts lack these strokes, creating a modern, clean appearance. Serif fonts are often used for headings and print, while sans-serif fonts are popular for body text on screens.
Good font pairings have contrast (different enough to create hierarchy) but also harmony (similar enough to feel cohesive). Test your pairings with actual content, check readability at different sizes, and trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.
Web fonts (like Google Fonts) give you more design flexibility and brand consistency, but they add to page load time. System fonts load instantly but are limited to what's available on the user's device. For most projects, a balance works best: use web fonts for headings and system fonts for body text, or use web fonts but limit the number of weights you load.
Generally, no. Decorative and script fonts are designed for large sizes and short text (headings, logos, special elements). They're difficult to read at small sizes and in long paragraphs. Always prioritize readability for body text.
The CSS code generated by this tool includes the Google Fonts import and the CSS rules you need. Simply copy the CSS code and add it to your stylesheet. For Google Fonts, you can also add the link tag to your HTML head, or use the @import statement in your CSS.