Inter Font: History, Pairings and How to Use It

Inter is a free sans serif designed by Rasmus Andersson for computer screens and first released in 2017. It runs from Thin 100 to Black 900 with true italics, and its tall x-height keeps it clear at small sizes. It is one of the most widely used fonts on the web and the closest free match to Helvetica for websites.

Where Inter Came From

Rasmus Andersson began Inter in 2016 as a typeface for user interfaces, and early versions were called Interface and Inter UI. It was released in August 2017 under the SIL Open Font License, so anyone can use it on websites, in apps and in print without paying. It has since become a default choice for software, used by companies such as Figma, Notion, GitLab and Mozilla.

The design takes its cues from neo-grotesque fonts like Helvetica, but every decision was made for pixels rather than paper. Letters are slightly wider, spacing is a little looser, and the shapes stay distinct at the small sizes found in menus, buttons and labels.

What Inter Looks Like

Inter’s lowercase is tall compared with its capitals, which makes text look larger and easier to read at 14 to 16px. The openings in letters like a, c and e are wide, so they do not close up on low-resolution screens. Curves are smooth and even, and the overall mood is neutral: Inter rarely draws attention to itself, which is why it suits so many kinds of sites.

It also includes features that matter in interfaces: tabular figures that line up in tables and price lists, a slashed zero you can switch on to tell 0 from O, and case-sensitive punctuation that sits properly next to capitals.

Weights and Styles

Inter covers nine weights, from Thin 100 to Black 900, each with a true italic, and it is available as a variable font, so you can use any weight in between. It also has an optical size axis that runs from text to display: at large sizes the letters tighten and gain finer details, so a headline looks sharper than small text simply scaled up.

For most sites, 400 for body text, 600 for labels and 700 for headings is enough. This site uses Inter at 690 for headings and 400 for text.

Where Inter Works Best

Inter is at its best in websites, apps and dashboards, anywhere text is read on a screen at small and medium sizes. It suits business sites, online shops, portfolios and resumes that want a clean, current look. It has less personality on its own, so for wedding stationery or a playful brand it works better as the body font under a more expressive heading.

Fonts That Pair Well with Inter

Because it is so neutral, Inter pairs with almost any heading font. A serif heading adds contrast and character, while a geometric or display sans keeps the page modern. Each of these pairings has its own page:

• Inter and Inter, one font for everything
• Poppins and Inter, friendly and modern
• Space Grotesk and Inter, technical and crisp
• Fraunces and Inter, warm serif headings
• EB Garamond and Inter, classic and literary
• Inter and Source Serif 4, Inter headings over a serif body

Inter as a Helvetica Alternative

Inter is the most popular free replacement for Helvetica on the web. It shares Helvetica’s rational, neutral character, but its taller x-height and looser spacing make it easier to read on screens, and headings set tightly in heavy weights look very close to the original. For the other free options, see Fonts like Helvetica.

How to Use Inter on Your Site

Load Inter from Google Fonts with the CSS in the Use This Font panel, then set it as the font for the whole page. List system-ui and sans-serif after it, so text still looks clean while the font loads. If you only need a few weights, request just those to keep the download small.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about Inter.

Is Inter Free for Commercial Use?

Yes. Inter is released under the SIL Open Font License, so you can use it on commercial websites, in apps, in logos and in print without paying or asking permission.

Is Inter the Same as Helvetica?

No. Inter was influenced by neo-grotesques like Helvetica, but it was drawn from scratch for screens, with a taller x-height, wider letters and looser spacing.

What Is the Best Font to Pair with Inter?

For contrast, a serif such as Source Serif 4 or EB Garamond makes a good partner. For a fully modern look, use Inter for both headings and text at different weights.