Best Fonts for a Resume: Free Google Fonts That Read Well
The best fonts for resume layouts are clean and easy to scan: Lato, Source Sans 3, Inter and Roboto for a modern look, or EB Garamond and Merriweather for a classic one. All of them are free on Google Fonts. Each one below is set in its own font, so you can judge it at real reading sizes.
What Makes a Good Resume Font
A recruiter often skims a resume in seconds before deciding whether to read it properly, so the font’s job is to make that skim easy. A good resume font has clear, open letters that stay readable at 10 or 11 points, distinct shapes for easily confused characters such as a capital I, a lowercase l and the number 1, and a regular and bold weight that look clearly different. It should feel professional without drawing attention to itself.
Many applications also pass through an applicant tracking system, software that reads the text of your resume before a person sees it. These systems read the text, not the look of the letters, so any standard font works as long as the file is a real text document or a PDF with the text intact. Decorative, handwritten and condensed display fonts are the ones to avoid, because they are hard for people to read at small sizes.
The Best Fonts for Resume Writing
These eight fonts are free on Google Fonts and work well in Word, Google Docs and PDF resumes. Each one is set in its own font, with a link to try it in the generator.
Lato
Set in Lato 700 and 400 Try Lato in the generator ›
Best for almost any field. Lato is warm, rounded and very legible, with a semi-geometric structure that looks polished in headings and calm in body text. It is one of the safest choices for a modern resume.
Source Sans 3
Set in Source Sans 3 700 and 400 Try Source Sans 3 in the generator ›
Best when a resume needs to stay on one page. Source Sans 3, Adobe’s first open source typeface, was designed for clarity in user interfaces, and its slightly condensed letters fit more text on a line without feeling cramped.
Inter
Set in Inter 700 and 400 See the Inter profile ›
Best for technology, design and product roles. Inter was designed for screens, with a tall x-height and clear letter shapes that stay sharp at small sizes, and it looks especially crisp in PDF resumes read on a monitor.
Roboto
Set in Roboto 700 and 400 See the Roboto profile ›
Best for engineering, data and operations roles where a no-nonsense look fits the job. Roboto, Google’s system font for Android, is neutral and compact, and it is familiar without looking like a default.
Open Sans
Set in Open Sans 700 and 400 Try Open Sans in the generator ›
Best for education, healthcare, nonprofits and customer-facing work, where an approachable tone helps. Open Sans is friendly and highly readable, with wide, open letters.
EB Garamond
Set in EB Garamond 600 and 400 Try EB Garamond in the generator ›
Best for law, academia, publishing and the humanities. EB Garamond is a free revival of the classic Garamond types with an elegant, literary feel. Set it a point larger than you would a sans serif, because its small x-height makes it look smaller at the same size.
Merriweather
Set in Merriweather 700 and 400 Try Merriweather in the generator ›
Best when you want a traditional look that still reads well in a PDF on a laptop. Merriweather is a sturdy serif built for screens, with a large x-height and strong serifs that stay clear at small sizes.
Libre Baskerville
Set in Libre Baskerville 700 and 400 Try Libre Baskerville in the generator ›
Best for finance, consulting and senior roles. Libre Baskerville is a classic serif with a tall x-height, tuned for reading on screens, and it looks authoritative and refined. It is wide, so keep the body size at 10 or 10.5 points to save space.
Resume Fonts Compared
The eight fonts above, with their style and the kind of role each one suits.
| Font | Style | Good For |
|---|---|---|
| Lato | Warm sans | Almost any field |
| Source Sans 3 | Compact sans | Long resumes, one-page limits |
| Inter | Screen sans | Tech, design, product |
| Roboto | Neutral sans | Engineering, data, operations |
| Open Sans | Friendly sans | Education, healthcare, nonprofits |
| EB Garamond | Classic serif | Law, academia, publishing |
| Merriweather | Sturdy serif | Traditional fields, PDF resumes |
| Libre Baskerville | Refined serif | Finance, consulting, senior roles |
Pairing Two Fonts on a Resume
Most resumes look best with one font, using bold and size for hierarchy. If you want more character, set your name and section headings in one font and the body in another. A serif for your name over a clean sans for the content gives a classic, confident look; the reverse looks modern. Keep it to two fonts at most.
Montserrat and Source Sans 3 ›
Resume Font Sizes and Spacing
Use 10 to 12 points for body text, depending on the font: serif fonts with small x-heights, such as EB Garamond, need the larger end of the range. Section headings work at 12 to 14 points in bold, and your name can be 18 to 24 points. Keep line spacing between 1.0 and 1.15, and leave margins of half an inch to one inch so the page does not feel crowded.
Consistency matters more than any single choice. Use the same size, weight and spacing for every section heading, every job title and every date, and align dates in one column. A resume with one well-set font always looks more professional than one with several fonts and inconsistent sizes.
Using These Fonts in Word and Google Docs
Google Docs includes every font on this page: open the font menu, choose More fonts, and search by name. In Microsoft Word, download the font from Google Fonts and install it on your computer first. If you send the resume as a PDF, the font is embedded in the file, so the recruiter sees it exactly as you designed it. If you send a Word file, they may not have the font installed, and Word will substitute another one, so a PDF is the safer choice when you use anything beyond the defaults.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about choosing a resume font.
What Is the Best Font for a Resume?
A clean, readable sans serif such as Lato, Source Sans 3 or Inter suits most resumes. For traditional fields such as law or academia, a classic serif such as EB Garamond or Merriweather works well.
Is Times New Roman OK for a Resume?
It is acceptable and very readable, but it looks like a default. A font chosen on purpose makes a better first impression for the same effort.
What Font Size Should a Resume Be?
Body text between 10 and 12 points, section headings at 12 to 14 points, and your name at 18 to 24 points.
Do Fonts Affect Applicant Tracking Systems?
Not directly. These systems read the text in the file, so any standard font works. What matters is that the resume is a text-based document or PDF, not an image, and that it avoids complex tables and text boxes.