13 best cool fonts for websites

The font you use for a website helps to tell a story about you or your business. It can also serve as an eye-catching web design element that grabs the attention of site visitors from the moment they land on your page. If you want to leave a lasting impression, it’s important to select a font that fits your brand and conveys your message effectively. One of the best ways to enhance your site is by using a cool, modern typeface. Learn more about the most popular fonts for websites and how you can make them for free online.

Most popular fonts for websites

Which fonts are the most widely used for websites? The following five typefaces have long been go-to options for web designers who want a nice-looking font to accent their site. Each one ranks among the most popular fonts used in websites due to their timeless nature and versatility in web design. 

Bold font: Bold fonts feature a stronger weight which helps the typeface stand out on the page. This type of font is often used for emphasis. A bold font might be applied to call out specific words in a sentence or to highlight section headings. Many fonts have a “bold” version in which the lines of the typeface are thicker.

Cursive font: A cursive font features loops which make the letters within a word appear to be joined together. This mimics the appearance of handwriting, which can give your website a personalized look and feel. Cursive fonts are also used to make text appear more elegant or formal.

Italic font: Italic fonts feature characters that are slanted to one side. An italic font can help to add emphasis to a word or phrase. Italics can also differentiate text from other parts of the copy, like when inserting a quote, book title, or foreign words. Similar to bold fonts, many italic fonts are available as variations on a standard font.

Serif font: This type of font features serifs, which are decorative lines attached to the ends of each letter. Sometimes referred to as “feet,” these serifs contribute to a more formal, professional, and traditional look for the text. Many of the most common fonts used are serif fonts, including Times New Roman and Garamond. 

San serif font: San serif fonts don’t have the “feet” found on serif fonts. Instead, they feature a more straightforward and minimalist appearance. Popular examples of sans serif fonts include Helvetica and Arial. These types of fonts are seen as more modern and are often applied for their easy readability.

Although designers have turned to these text fonts again and again when creating websites, they are far from boring. There are many variations on each of the most popular website fonts which can be used to help your site stand out. Make sure the typeface you choose is very easy for site visitors to understand, as legibility needs to be a top priority for your website font. 

13 best font designs for modern websites

When it comes to your website design, getting the font right is essential. The best fonts for websites will make your words stand out on the page, draw site visitors in, and help to reinforce your brand image. But with thousands of fonts to choose from, it can be tough to find the right fit. We’ve narrowed it down to these 13 top website fonts to help you find the ideal match.

1. Vaporwave font

Vaporwave text has a fascinating history. The name originates from a genre of music which evokes a nostalgic, dream-like feeling. Vaporwave tracks often feature stretched loops with elements from elevator music or ‘80s and ‘90s pop songs. 

The Vaporwave font was developed as part of a visual aesthetic designed to complement Vaporwave music. The font is monospaced as a reference to the way text was displayed on early computers. Vaporwave is one of the best cool fonts for websites due to its old-school appearance. It has a modern feel with a retro sensibility, which can be a great fit for certain technology or fashion brands.

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2. Backwards font

One way to create a show-stopping look for your website is to use a backwards font. This type of font reverses the letters, sometimes with the help of special characters. Seeing words in reverse can add an eye-catching element to your text. It’s important to make sure site users can still understand the words, however, since seeing them in reverse can be confusing at first.

There are a number of different variations on backwards fonts, which gives you multiple options for adding this text to your website. Classic backwards fonts reverse the letter order, so the word “cat” becomes “tac” for example. Another type of backwards font uses mirrored text, which would transform the word “cat” into “ɟɒɔ”. When you apply backwards fonts to multiple words, you can also choose whether to apply these effects to the phrase as a whole or to each individual word.

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3. Bold font

There’s a reason that bold fonts have consistently remained among the most popular fonts for websites. Making the lines of each letter thicker adds emphasis to the text, so it holds more weight and appears strong, stable, and assertive.

Bold fonts are often used to create hierarchy within the copy. For example, the headings and subheadings might feature a bold font, while the body text is not bolded. You can also use bold text to pull attention to a specific word in your website copy. If all the text on your site is in a bold font, you may need to use text color or size to make these distinctions.

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4. Cursive font

Cursive fonts appear almost like they’ve been written by hand. That makes them especially engaging for visitors to your site, especially if you want to create a site that feels personal or creative. This text style also has staying power. Some of the best cursive fonts feature classic and timeless designs that won’t go out of style.

Another way you can use cursive text is to add a sophisticated touch to your website. Consider how an invitation to a fancy wedding might feature the same type of font. The swirls and loops of the letters create an upscale effect and can encourage your target audience to associate your brand with elegance and luxury.

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5. Typewriter font

Typewriter fonts are inspired by the monospace fonts used on typewriters long before computers were created. To make sure the words lined up correctly on paper, every letter in classic typewriter fonts needed to be the same width — which is where the term “monospace” comes from.

Thanks to their neat and tidy appearance, typewriter fonts have a simple, straightforward style. They have a bit of a vintage feel to them as well. Typewriter text is very easy to read, so you can use it liberally on your website without worrying about legibility.

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7. San serif font

Unlike serif fonts, san serif fonts don’t have any extra decorative elements. These clean fonts are straightforward, sleek, and minimalist. Compared to traditional-looking text, this font style is often seen as more youthful and modern.

Because they’re so easy to read, sans serif fonts are the most popular web fonts to use. There are a number of different types of sans serif fonts, some of which have an almost futuristic style.

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8. Italic font

To add emphasis in your website copy, consider using an italic font. This text style can help draw the reader’s attention to a specific word or phrase. Italic fonts also lean forward, which creates a sense of movement and progression. 

Many traditional fonts can be displayed in italics. For example, serif, sans serif, script, and bold fonts can all be modified to an italic style. Italian fonts may be difficult to read in large blocks of text, however, so use them sparingly for a more effective result. 

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9. Small caps font

Small caps fonts consist of lowercase letters that resemble uppercase letters. It’s a minor difference in theory, but it does alter the impact of the words. When writing in ALL CAPS, text can come across as too aggressive or loud. Small caps are able to add emphasis in a subtle, quiet way.

You can apply text in small caps to differentiate certain words, phrases, or headings in your text. This font is also used for specific situations, like acronyms, initialisms and adding ᴀᴍ or ᴘᴍ when listing times.

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10. SpongeBob font

Whether or not you’re a fan of the famous animated TV series, SpongeBob fonts can give your website copy a fun, quirky look. SpongeBob text features alternating uppercase and lowercase letters, which is inspired by the way words are sometimes displayed in memes and social media posts. 

SpongeBob fonts definitely add a distinctive look to your website design, but they should be used sparingly. It can be difficult for site visitors to read large blocks of text written in SpongeBob fonts. However, it can be useful for indicating a humorous tone and for connecting with a younger audience who is familiar with the font’s distinctive style.

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11. Strikethrough font

Strikethrough fonts feature a style that is instantly recognizable to readers as an indication of text being crossed out, edited, or redacted. For example, you could add a to-do list to your website and use a strikethrough font to show which activities have been completed.

There are a number of variations available for strikethrough fonts, including lines which go through different text styles, letters with individual slashes through them, and fully blocked out letters. These fonts can be used creatively on websites to add variation to the text.

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12. Superscript font

Tiny letters can make a big impact on your website when used in strategic ways. Superscript fonts are made up of very small characters which are set slightly above the line of text. Because of the characters’ size, superscript is not a recommended font for large blocks of text.

Superscript fonts are most commonly applied when adding citations or ordinal indicators like 1ˢᵗ, 2ⁿᵈ, 3ʳᵈ, etc. These fonts can also be used to incorporate copyright marks, trademarks, and registered marks into your text.

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13. Underline font

Want to really drive home your point? Consider implementing underline fonts on your website. These fonts add emphasis without changing the letters to a different style. On the internet, underlined fonts have long been used for denoting linked text. 

Adding an underline to your website copy is fairly simple, but it shouldn’t be overused. Some people find underline fonts to be less legible than regular text, and having multiple lines of text underlined can make the copy look overly busy.

Whether you’re creating a website, designing a business logo, printing business cards, or making other marketing materials, your font choice is essential to building the right image for your brand. Use Namecheap’s Font Maker to create the best-looking fonts for free.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the best fonts for websites?

Sans serif and serif fonts are the best fonts for websites because they’re familiar and easy to read. Times New Roman, Courier, Garamond, Helvetica, and Arial are all examples of common website fonts.

What font to use for a website?

A good website font is easy for site visitors to read. The best choice, however, depends on how your website text is arranged and what branding you want to implement. For example, unique fonts that stand out are great for headings and logos, while body copy should be presented in a simpler font that’s highly legible. 

What is the most popular font? 

San serif is the most popular font for websites. This modern web font style is straightforward and unadorned, so it’s easy to read even in large blocks of text.

What is the most common font?  

Helvetica is considered to be the most popular font in the world. Thanks to its crisp lines and clean, legible appearance, it’s one of the best-looking fonts for websites.

What is the most eye-catching font?  The most eye-catching font is Zalgo, which has a very striking appearance that instantly grabs the attention of site visitors. This font is great for highlighting important words or headings on a website. Keep in mind that Zalgo is not as easy to read as some other fonts, so it’s best used only for featured words and headings. Font pairing websites can help you match a distinctive and eye-catching font for headings with an easy-to-read body font for the rest of the text.