My favourite condensed typefaces (August 2026)

Quick update to my December 2025 favourite typefaces list.

I frequently find myself wanting to use a condensed typeface (or just a slightly narrower typeface) in my infographics, charts, graphs, and tables. So I made a list of my favourite condensed typefaces :)

Condensed typefaces

(For an explanation of the categories I’ve divided these typefaces into, read my ‘How I think about typefaces’ post.)

Now those are the condensed typefaces I use most often in graphics and tables, but here are a three more that I also use in headings:

Finally, here are two honourable mentions that you might find useful if you’re looking for a neutral typeface that is also condensed:

FYI, you’ll always find the my most up-to-date list of favourites on the ‘Typography’ page on this website.

My favourite typeface pairings (2026)

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since I posted my original list of favourite typeface pairings in 2023, so here’s an update.

A few things to note:

  • The list below covers only the typefaces I enjoy writing in the most, along the heading typefaces I usually pair them with.

  • Happily, the list of honourable mentions in each section covers most of the typefaces I enjoy reading in as well. I do occasionally use these typefaces for writing, but only when the need arises.

  • Within each section, typefaces are listed in alphabetical order.

  • Paid typefaces are flagged with “($)” after their name.

  • The first time I mention a typeface I’ve added a link to where you can download or purchase it, or just find out more about it.

In case you’re interested, I have a separate post about my favourite ebook typefaces and an ongoing series on cool type pairings I’ve found on the web.

For completeness’ sake, I should say that I don’t always pair typefaces. Sometimes it’s just best to use the same typefaces for headings and titles as well :)

Serifs

I do most of my writing in serif typefaces using LibreOffice.

Calluna

I almost always pair Calluna ($) with Calluna Sans ($). If I hadn’t purchased Calluna and Calluna Sans together, I’d probably pair Calluna with Whitney ($) for its elegance, Neue Montreal ($) for its neutrality, or Brother 1816 ($) for its geometric elegance.

Crimson Pro

I usually pair Crimson Pro with Work Sans since the two have a similar vibe or with Nebula Sans for a slightly more elegant vibe. Other good pairing options are Avenir Next ($) for its elegant geometric nature and Fact ($) for its squarish geometric nature (which provides a nice contrast to Crimson Pro).

Crimson Pro is a modern interpretation of Garamond. Nebula Sans is a version of Source Sans 3 that’s been adjusted to look like Whitney. Fact is a modern interpretation of Frutiger.

ETbb

I usually pair ETbb with Public Sans or Nimbus Sans, both of which are on the friendlier side of neutral. Other good pairing options are Brother 1816 ($) for is geometric elegance and Neue Montreal ($) for its slightly-friendly neutrality.

That said, when I’m using ETbb as a reading typeface, I almost always pair it with itself.

ETbb is a version of ET Book, Edward Tufte’s modern interpretation of Bembo. Public Sans is my favourite modern interpretation of Franklin Gothic. Nimbus Sans is a version of Helvetica that’s a little more like Univers, which I really like. Neue Montreal is a great, slightly friendlier alternative to Helvetica.

Goodchild

I almost always pair Goodchild ($) with Nicholas ($) since Nicholas is the “tight but not touching” headline version of Goodchild. Another good pairing option is Hint ($) since that adds a touch of neutral elegance.

Goodchild is a modern interpretation of Jenson.

Mercury

I almost always pair Mercury ($) with Whitney ($) or Whitney Narrow ($). Other good pairing options are Metropolis ($) for its neutrality and Calluna Sans ($) for its elegance. The Mercury + Whitney combo is my default in LibreOffice Writer.

Metropolis is an interpretation of Gotham, the latter being from the same type foundry as Mercury and Whitney.

Source Serif 4

I almost always pair Source Serif 4 with Source Sans 3. Other good pairing options are Fira Sans to add a bit more character, Merriweather Sans to add a bit more elegance, and Public Sans to add a more classic, friendly vibe. The Source Serif 4 + Source Sans 3 combo is what I usually use when sending an editable document to someone (with fonts embedded).

Public Sans is my favourite modern interpretation of Franklin Gothic.

Stempel Garamond

I pair Stempel Garamond ($) with Rethink Sans since they have a similar vibe or with Nebula Sans for its solid elegance. Other good pairing options are Jost* for its geometric elegance and Cabin for its geometric friendliness. Stempel Garamond also works well with something neutral like Helvetica.

Stempel Garamond is a modern interpretation of Garamond. I’m not a big user of Garamond, but this version is my favourite. Rethink Sans is a fork of DM Sans, which itself is a fork of Poppins. Jost* is a modern interpretation of Futura. Cabin is a modern interpretation of Gill Sans.

TT Jenevers

If I’m not pairing TT Jenevers ($) with itself (usually its Extra Bold weight), I pair TT Jenevers with Cooper Hewitt for its classic, geometric vibe. Other good pairing options are Merriweather Sans which adds a bit of geometric elegance, Public Sans which adds a bit of friendliness, and Whitney ($) which adds a bit of friendly elegance.

Willy Caslon

I pair Willy Caslon ($) with Public Sans, since they both have the modernised-classic vibe. Other good pairing options are Neue Montreal ($) for its friendly neutrality, Neue Haas Unica ($) for its warm neutrality, and Trade Gothic Next ($) for its classic, friendly vibe.

Willy Caslon is a modern interpretation of Caslon. Public Sans is a modern interpretation of Franklin Gothic. Neue Montreal is a modern interpretation of Helvetica. Neue Haas Unica is modern interpretation of Unica, which was an amalgam of Univers and Helvetica. Trade Gothic Next is a version of News Gothic, which is the regular-weight version of the original Franklin Gothic.

Honourable mentions

These are the body text typefaces I use for writing only when the need arises, along with the typefaces I like to pair them with.

Finally, I should mention that, even though I don’t currently use these typefaces (they’re on my wish list), the Untitled Serif ($) + Untitled Sans ($) pairing is excellent.

Sans serifs

Calluna Sans

I almost always pair Calluna Sans ($) with Calluna ($). If I hadn’t purchased Calluna Sans and Calluna together, I’d probably pair Calluna with Mercury ($) or Heuristica for their authoritativeness or Gentium (probably Extra Bold) for its warmer vibe.

Heuristica is an extended version of Utopia and is a good, free alternative to Mercury.

Fact

I usually pair Fact ($) with Bitter since the letterforms of both are based on rounded rectangles. Other good pairing options are Caladea for its friendliness, Faustina for its modern rounded-rectangular warmth, and Mercury ($) for its authoritativeness.

Fact is a modern interpretation of Frutiger.

General Sans

I usually pair General Sans with At Hauss ($) since they’re both quite similar (ie At Hauss could almost pass as the display version of General Sans). Other good pairing options are Jost* for its geometric sharpness, Charis for its modern friendliness, and Sentient for old-school its charm and warmth.

Jost* is a modern interpretation of Futura. At Hauss may be a paid typeface, but its non-commercial version costs only €9!

Hint

I usually pair Hint ($) with Emy Slab ($) since they’re both slightly elegant but otherwise solid typefaces. Other good pairing options are Editorial New ($) to add some modern style, Audela ($) to add a little chunkier solidity, and Calluna ($) to add some friendlier style.

Hint is my preferred alternative to Avenir.

Ideal Sans

I almost always pair Ideal Sans ($) with Sentinel ($) since they both have the same vibe and are from the same type foundry. Another good pairing option is Metropolis for its modern solidity.

Metropolis is an interpretation of Gotham, the latter being from the same type foundry as Ideal Sans and Sentinel.

Nebula Sans

I usually pair Nebula Sans with Mercury ($) since they have a similar vibe or with Clab ($) if I want a slightly more solid vibe. Other good pairing options are Goodchild ($) for its modern elegance and Heuristica for its modern friendliness.

Nebula Sans is a version of Source Sans 3 that’s been adjusted to look like Whitney. Heuristica is an extended version of Utopia and is a good, free alternative to Mercury.

Officer Sans

I pair Officer Sans (free) with itself or with Caladea for its friendliness.

You can get the basic version of Office Sans for free, but there is also a full Officer Sans family that you can purchase.

Public Sans

If I’m not pairing Public Sans with itself, I usually pair it with Sentient since they have a similar vibe (friendly, classic). Other good pairing options are Georgia (or Gelasio) for its retro charm, Roboto Slab for its solidity, and Heuristica for its modern friendliness.

Public Sans is my favourite modern interpretation of Franklin Gothic. Gelasio is an open source version of Georgia. Heuristica is an extended version of Utopia and is a good, free alternative to Mercury.

Rig Sans

If I’m not pairing Rig Sans ($) with itself, I usually pair it with Sentient since the latter adds a bit of classic charm to the text. Other good pairing potions are Literata TT Subhead for its solid warmth, Clab ($) for its elegant authoritativeness, and Goodchild ($) for its modern elegance.

Rig Sans is the typeface I go to every time I’m tempted to use something like Verdana.

Source Sans 3

I almost always pair Source Sans 3 with Source Serif 4 since they’re part of the same family. Other good pairing options are Manuale for its rounded-rectangular sharpness, Roboto Slab for its solidity, and Charis for its modern friendliness.

Charis is an updated version of Charter.

Whitney

I almost always pair Whitney ($) with Mercury ($) since they have a similar vibe. Other good pairing options are Sentinel ($) for its old-school vibe, Metropolis for its solidity, and Goodchild ($) for its modern elegance.

Metropolis is an interpretation of Gotham, the latter being from the same type foundry as Whitney and Sentinel.

Honourable mentions

These are the body text typefaces I use for writing only when the need arises, along with the typefaces I like to pair them with.

Finally, as mentioned in the serif section above, even though I don’t currently use these typefaces (they’re on my wish list), the Untitled Sans ($) + Untitled Serif ($) pairing is excellent.

Monospace

I’m only including this section for completeness’ sake because, whenever I use a monospace typeface, I pair it with itself.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The monospace typefaces I use most often are JetBrains Mono, Berkeley Mono, and Cascadia Code. I will also occasionally use Drafting* Mono, At Textual, and Clack.

Concluding thoughts

Sorry for the long post – I had a lot to get through!

If you’ve made it all the way to the end, tell me what your favourite or go-to typeface pairings are.

My favourite typefaces (December 2025)

[NOTE: The most up-to-date version of this list is always on the ‘Typography’ page.]

The end of the year is a good time for me to update my list of favourite typefaces.

Since my last update in December 2024, I have:

As a reminder, the typefaces below are grouped by their level of formality (‘How I think about typefaces’) and are sorted in decreasing order of versatility (ie how easy they are to use in different types of projects).

Serif typefaces

Sans serif typefaces

Slab serif typefaces

Monospace typefaces

Typeface wish list (realistic)

What are your favourite or go-to typefaces? I’d love to know.

My favourite typeface pairings

Having talked about my favourite typefaces, I figured I’d also talk about how I pair those typefaces when using them in various projects.

Here I’m talking mostly about pairing body text and heading typefaces for reading (like on websites or in PDFs) and for writing (like when writing blog posts like these in Microsoft Word).

How do you pair typefaces?

Select your body text typeface and then for the heading typeface choose between harmony and contrast…

Harmony

  • Use the same typeface and maybe pick one with a different weight (eg Regular for the body text and Extra Bold for the headings).

  • Pick a typeface from the same superfamily (eg body text in Source Sans and headings in Source Serif), though this isn’t guaranteed to be the best option in every scenario.

  • Stick to the same broad design classification, ie organic (friendly, warm, human) or mechanical (geometric, stiff, regular). Contemporary typefaces sometimes mix features so this works best with older typefaces.

  • Pick a typeface from the same type designer or type foundry. This doesn’t always work with large foundries like Linotype and Monotype, but works with smaller ones like Hoefler&Co.

  • Pick a typeface with the same mood, vibe, or feel.

Contrast

  • Pick a typeface from a different category, ie serifs with sans serif (or semi-serif).

  • Pick a neutral typeface that doesn’t change the vibe of the body text but still provides a visual difference.

  • Pick a typeface that maintains or enhances the vibe of the body text. If your body text is sharp and angular pick something equally (or even more) sharp and angular. This works best if your body text typeface has a distinct or strong character.

  • Pick a typeface that creates its own vibe if the body text you’re using is somewhat neutral, meaning it doesn’t have a distinct or strong character.

  • Pick a typeface that creates design tension. Don’t change the vibe (unless you really know what you’re doing), but you can change the feel. To use an analogy: don’t change cuisines in the middle of your meal, but you can pair something soft with something crunchy.

Whatever you do, do not pick typefaces that are only slightly different from each other. This ends up looking wrong.

(FYI, the Font Matrix is an incredibly useful concept when it comes to pairing typefaces.)

Acquiring these typefaces

I’ve included links to all the typefaces mentioned below in case you want to purchase them or download the free ones:

  • Paid typefaces are in orange with a dollar sign next to them.

  • Default or free typefaces are in blue with a Windows, Mac, or download icon next to them.

And, in case you’re wondering, the text I’m showing in the graphics below is from an anecdote I shared about a work trip to the Gold Coast ten years ago.

Serifs

TT Jenevers

TT Jenevers is one of my favourite typefaces. It works great in text but also works as a display typeface, so I usually pair it with its own Extra Bold weight. If I want an interesting contrast, I’ll pair it with Fact (a modern remake of Frutiger). But if I want something neutral, I’ll pair it with Helvetica.

Graphic showing the typeface TT Jenevers (paid) paired with TT Jenevers Extra Bold (paid), Fact (paid), and Helvetica (default on Windows and Mac).

Mercury

Mercury is designed by Hoefler&Co and I pair it with another one of their typefaces, usually in this order: Whitney (vibe = elegant, modern), Ideal Sans (vibe = warm, human), or Verlag (vibe = classic, art deco).

Graphic showing the typeface Mercury (paid) paired with Whitney (paid), Ideal Sans (paid), and Verlag (paid).

Stempel Garamond

Stempel Garamond is one of my favourite Garamonds and I usually pair it with Fact (a modern remake of Frutiger). If I want something more friendly, I’ll pair it with Gill Sans Nova (a modern remake of Gill Sans). But if I want something fancy, I’ll pair it with Jost* (a modern remake of Futura).

Graphic showing the typeface Stempel Garamond (paid) paired with Fact (paid), Gill Sans Nova (paid, but versions also available on Windows and Mac), and Jost* / Futura (free to download and default on Mac).

Charter

For Charter (which also has an ITC version) I tend to stay neutral and solid, and so I usually pair it with the Extra Bold weight of Public Sans (or Libre Franklin). If I want to be even more neutral, I go with Neue Haas Unica. Or sometimes I go with Inter (which is a remake of Roboto that’s optimised for user interfaces).

Graphic showing the typeface Charter (free to download) paired with Public Sans Extra Bold (free to download), Neue Haas Unica (paid), and Inter (free to download).

Vollkorn

Vollkorn is a down-to-earth typeface, so I don’t pair anything fancy with it – that’s why I usually go with Inter (a modern remake of Roboto) or sometimes Roboto itself. Though if I want a more lively vibe, I go for Neue Haas Unica (a friendlier version of Helvetica).

Graphic showing the typeface Vollkorn (free to download) paired with Inter (free to download), Roboto (free to download), and Neue Haas Unica (paid).

Crimson Pro

Crimson Pro is a contemporary, Garamond-inspired typeface and so I tend to match it with Fact, a contemporary Frutiger-inspired typeface. If I want something more neutral and geometric, I go with Inter (a remake of Roboto). If I want something lively, I go with Neue Haas Unica (a friendlier version of Helvetica).

Graphic showing the typeface Crimson Pro (free to download) paired with Fact (paid), Inter (free to download), and Neue Haas Unica (paid).

Source Serif

Source Serif is inspired by typefaces like Fournier and I almost never pair it with anything other than Source Sans, which is its equivalent in the Source superfamily. If I had to pair it with something else, I’d go with something neutral like Helvetica or Roboto.

Graphic showing the typeface Source Serif (free to download) paired with Source Sans (free to download), Helvetica (default on Windows and Mac), and Roboto (free to download).

Sans serifs

Ideal Sans

Ideal Sans is one of my all-time favourite typefaces. It’s from Hoefler&Co and I pair it with another one of their typefaces, usually in this order: Sentinel (vibe = classic + contemporary), Whitney (vibe = elegant, modern), or Verlag (vibe = classic, art deco).

Graphic showing the typeface Ideal Sans (paid) paired with Sentinel (paid), Whitney (paid), and Verlag (paid).

Whitney

Whitney is also one of my all-time favourite typefaces. It too is from Hoefler&Co and so I pair it with another one of their typefaces, usually in this order: Mercury (vibe = friendly, compact), Verlag (vibe = classic, art deco), or Whitney Narrow (vibe = elegant, modern).

Graphic showing the typeface Whitney (paid) paired with Mercury (paid), Verlag (paid), and Whitney Narrow (paid).

Fact

Fact is a contemporary Frutiger-inspired typeface that I like to pair with TT Jenevers (Extra Bold). If I want something more straightforward I pair it with its own Extra Bold weight. If I want something classic, I pair it with Crimson Pro, a contemporary, Garamond-inspired typeface.

Graphic showing the typeface Fact (paid) paired with TT Jenevers Extra Bold (paid), Fact Extra Bold (paid), and Crimson Pro (free to download).

Fira Sans

Fira Sans is a “wider, calmer” (and free) version of FF Meta, at least according to Erik Spiekermann who created both those typefaces. I like to pair it with TT Jenevers, a Dutch-style serif due to its asymmetrical shapes and ovals that don’t have a uniform slant angle. You’d think this pairing wouldn’t work because they both have their own strong personalities, but the modern Fira Sans works nicely with the classical TT Jenevers. If I don’t want that modern/classical contrast, then I use Merriweather instead – another modern, legible, web-first typeface with its own character. But if I want to go a little more neutral, but still highly legible, I go with General Sans (which I now use wherever I would have otherwise used Montserrat all those years ago).

Graphic showing the typeface Fira Sans (free to download) paired with TT Jenevers Extra Bold (paid), Merriweather (free to download), and General Sans (free to download).

Source Sans

Source Sans is inspired by typefaces like Franklin Gothic (Linotype have their own version of this, which they named Trade Gothic). I almost never pair it with anything other than Source Serif, which is its equivalent in the Source superfamily. If I had do pair it with something else, I’d go with a modern serif like Merriweather or Noto Serif.

Graphic showing the typeface Source Sans (free to download) paired with Source Serif (free to download), Merriweather (free to download), and Noto Serif (free to download).

General Sans

General Sans is a compact (but still readable) geometric typeface that isn’t spiky and expressive like Futura but also isn’t neutral and boring like Roboto. That said, I usually pair it with Jost*, which is a modern remake of Futura. If I want contrast, I go with the matching bigness and orderliness of Noto Serif. But if I want a more interesting contrast, I go with Gill Sans Nova, which is an old-style/geometric hybrid that’s full of character.

Graphic showing the typeface General Sans (free to download) paired with Jost* / Futura (free to download and default on Mac), Noto Serif (free to download), and Gill Sans Nova (paid, but versions also available on Windows and Mac).

Avenir Next LT

Avenir Next LT is a more versatile and fleshed-out version of the original Avenir; while Avenir itself is a more humanist take on the geometric typefaces Futura and Erbar. (I use Avenir Next LT when I want a more geometric version of Whitney but I don’t want something as sharp as Jost*.) I usually pair Avenir Next LT it with Zilla Slab, which brings a nicely contrasting futuristic vibe. If I want something more grounded, then I pair it with Sentinel. Though sometimes I find the best pairing is with Avenir Next LT itself.

Graphic showing the typeface Avenir Next LT (paid, but also included with Microsoft Office since 2019) paired with Zilla Slab (free to download), Sentinel (paid), and Avenir Next LT (paid, but also included with Microsoft Office since 2019).

Slabs

I don’t use slab serif typefaces enough to have a favourites list, but these are the three I use most often:

  • Zilla Slab, an open-source typeface from Mozilla and the one I’ve used in the headings of all the graphics above.

  • Roboto Slab, an open-source typeface from Google that I don’t use often, but is good to have when I need it.

  • Sentinel, which I’ve mentioned above but am including here for completeness’ sake.

Final thoughts

I hope the three of you who made it all the way to the end of this post found it interesting and maybe even useful :)

Since you did make it here, please comment below and tell me what your favourite typeface pairings are and what you use them for. I’d love to know.

FYI, I usually write my blog posts in Microsoft Word with body text in Ideal Sans and headings in Sentinel. But this one I wrote with body text in TT Jenevers and headings in TT Jenevers Extra Bold.

Screenshot showing the top of this blog post as it was written in Microsoft Word using the typefaces TT Jenevers for body text and TT Jenevers Extra Bold for headings.

Note: The Windows, Office, and Mac icons used in the graphics above are by ‘Pixel perfect’, ‘Pixel perfect’ and ‘Freepik’, respectively. Also, if you’re interested, these are the typefaces that come preinstalled with Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS.

4 Jan 2024 update: In the ‘Charter’ section (and the ‘Pairing serif #4: Charter’ graphic) I swapped Trade Gothic (a paid typeface that is, however, downloadable for free on Windows) with Public Sans (a free and open-source typeface).

14 Mar 2024 update: I only recently realised that Avenir Next LT has been included in Microsoft Office since 2019, so I’ve now added my favourite pairings for this typeface as well.

26 Mar 2024 update: Since I added Avernir Next LT as the seventh sans serif typeface on this list, to balance things out I added Source Serif as the seventh serif.