What Are the Best Fonts for Labels?

You finally have it: the perfect logo. You’ve put in countless hours into tweaking every color and perfecting every line. But there’s still one choice that threatens to make-or-break everything:

The font.

A font can be a tricky thing. It needs to be eye-catching, but legible. Your eyes shouldn’t glaze over it, but it shouldn’t distract. It needs to be readable at a glance—but still pop. If it feels like a high-wire juggling act, that’s because it is.

And it’s worth getting it right! Font psychology finds that everything from letter spacing to letter shape affects customer perception of your brand. If you nail it, you’ll have an iconic logo. And you can keep using that logo time and time again to make more sales. (After all, how much does Coca-Cola love that initial investment they made into their signature “cursive” font?)

What Are the Best Fonts?

Choosing the right font is both a science and an art, and it requires a healthy balance of both. Some of the best fonts to use for labels include:

• Georgia: Nothing says 'timeless' like Georgia; it's like the denim jacket of fonts—classic, comfortable, and cool.
• Garamond: Elegant yet accessible, perfect for when you want to add a touch of class without the top hat.
• Open Sans: Clean and versatile, it’s the T-shirt and jeans of your font wardrobe.
• Helvetica: The business suit of fonts—sharp, professional, and ready for anything.
• Arial: Ubiquitous yet functional, like a good office chair.
• Futura: The forward-thinking font for brands looking to make a bold statement.
• Calibri: The casual Friday of fonts—relaxed but competent.
• Tahoma: Sturdy and straightforward, it gets the job done with no fuss.
• Verdana: Clear and legible, perfect for small text where you need to maximize readability.
• Roboto: Modern with a mechanical skeleton and largely geometric forms.
• Cambria: Tailored for on-screen reading and good in print too.
• Times New Roman: The old-school teacher of fonts—everyone knows it, everyone’s seen it.
• Gill Sans: The friendly face in the crowd, approachable and artistic.

Keep reading to explore how you can pick the font that makes sense for the kind of customers you want to attract.

What Makes a Font “Readable”?

The best fonts for labels have to be easy to read, or else there’s not much point. So, let’s dive into the elements of a readable font:

Contrast

Is the font contrasting enough with the surrounding elements to stand out? For example, if you have a hot sauce label with fiery graphics, you probably don’t want your font to be fire-themed as well because it will blend into the background.

Spacing between letters

Too little? Too much? It can be difficult to figure out without some tweaking. If you have a round bottle, your spacing should be tighter so that the most essential information is fully visible from the front. It’s wise to experiment; try a few iterations until you choose the spacing that works best for your label—too tight and it’s hard to read, too loose and it looks overly grandiose.

Distinction

Many fonts use the same shape for different letters. Depending on the font, one, lowercase L, and capital I can all look like the same symbol. To avoid confusion, it’s often wise to use distinct fonts with entirely unique characters.

Using dyslexic-friendly fonts

Typically, less “crowded” fonts are the most accessible. Sans serif fonts, like Arial, are widely used for this reason—as are Verdana, Calibri, and Century Gothic. That doesn’t mean you can’t be creative with your brand font, only that reader-friendly fonts are helpful for smaller print, like ingredients, descriptions, and disclosures.

What Are the Most Legible Fonts for Labels?

Once you have an idea of what you want your font to look like, it’s time to narrow it down. Let’s get specific with some of the most popular, legible font choices and explore the positives of each. Remember, you should be creative when it comes to your brand logo and font. It’s only the smaller, granular text areas that should always be in more legible fonts. When it comes to strong branding, every choice counts!

Serif Fonts

Georgia

Georgia is a type of serif font that has a “classic” look to it—use all capital letters and it already reads like a label. It’s especially good at evoking that sense of “classic” flavor. The bolder you go, the more confident it looks.

Garamond

Garamond is popular in printing books, a fact that attests to its basic readability. It’s also light, a little on the thin side, with plenty of empty space. It’s generally better for an elegant touch, which is excellent if you sell a premium product or want to emphasize the upscale nature of your offerings.

Times New Roman

Times New Roman is a reliable serif font known for its clear, traditional look. It’s widely used in professional documents and lends authority to your labels. Perfect if your branding seeks a familiar, trustworthy impression.

Sans Serif Fonts

Helvetica

Helvetica is bold, strong, and has a modern look to it that’s ideal for showing off revolutionary, new products. Helvetica was specifically crafted for signage, which is why it works so well with large labels, advertisements, flyers, and just about anything that needs a nice, clear, neutral tone.

Arial

Arial is one of the most prominent fonts on the web, and for obvious reasons. It offers stark clarity even when you’re looking at small letters on a screen. That said, Arial uses “mirrored character,” meaning symbols like q and p are mirror images of the same shape. While that makes the font more consistent, it can sometimes cause issues for customers with reading disorders.

Open Sans

Open Sans is plain, simple, clear, and incredibly popular. The professional crispness and legibility make this a perfect font for small text on “everyday” brands. Certainly, a font to keep in your back pocket.

Futura

Futura is a geometric sans serif font with a modern, minimalist feel. It gives labels a sleek, contemporary look and works great on products aiming for a clean, futuristic aesthetic.

Roboto

Roboto is an approachable, balanced font developed with digital displays in mind. Its clarity at small sizes makes it ideal for detailed labeling on tech products, food packaging, or any item that needs readability with a modern flair.

Script Fonts

Great Vibes

Great Vibes is a flowing, elegant script font. It’s ideal for labels that want a luxurious or handmade appearance, especially beauty products, specialty foods, or boutique items where style counts.

Lobster

Lobster has a friendly, bold personality with slightly playful curves. It’s ideal for casual, inviting labels like beverages, snacks, or any brand looking to connect with customers in a relaxed, approachable way.

Dancing Script

Dancing Script offers an airy, casual elegance. This font works beautifully for labels on artisanal goods, handmade gifts, and personal care products, where warmth and friendliness are key.

Display Fonts

Bebas Neue

Bebas Neue is a bold, eye-catching font known for its striking, attention-grabbing qualities. Perfect for headlines or labels that need to stand out on a crowded shelf and make an immediate impact.

Impact

Impact, true to its name, commands attention. With bold, heavyweight lettering, it’s ideal for labels on promotional or sale items, or any product demanding immediate visibility and strong branding.

Pacifico

Pacifico is a casual, retro-style font full of personality. It suits brands wanting a vintage or relaxed vibe, such as craft beers, coffee packaging, or lifestyle and leisure products.

Creative Fonts for Stickers

Depending on the type of brand identity you want to create, there are a series of creative fonts that will help share the voice, personality, and vibe of your brand. Here are a few of our favorite creative fonts to use when designing a custom sticker:

• Candyhouse
• Claudria
• Tastify
• Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
• Boldwell
• Bubble Boom
• Notice Things
• Hiatus Brush

Let's take a closer look at each creative font.

1. Candyhouse

  

Candyhouse is a fun and playful font that is perfect for creating stickers with a whimsical and lighthearted feel. Its thick, rounded letters are reminiscent of candy and sweets, making it a great choice for designs related to desserts, parties, or children's themes.

2. Claudira

  

Claudria is a very bouncy and playful font that is great for youthful and lighthearted brands. It's simple yet eye-catching design resembles the handwriting of a child, with each letter featuring slight curves that lend an air of excitement to the font.

3. Tastify

  

Tastify is a relaxed font with a playful touch that makes it a suitable choice for creative businesses, craft food companies, or salons looking to design custom stickers. Consider using Tastify font to infuse your designs with a lively and unique personality.

4. Oh! Sweet Nuthin'

  

Oh! Sweet Nuthin' is a distinctive font that offers a retro, hand-drawn feel, that is in all-caps and has irregular lines and rough edges, giving it a unique and authentic look. The font's quirky style is perfect for vintage-inspired designs, posters, or logos.

5. Boldwell

  

Boldwell font is quite like the name suggests, bold. This font features a modern and versatile sans-serif font that is characterized by its bold and robust design. Whether you're creating a sleek and professional design or a bold and edgy one, Boldwell is a font that can help you achieve your vision.

6. Bubble Boom

  

Bubble Boom is a graffiti-style font that features thick, bubbly letters that give off a friendly and lighthearted vibe. Bubble Boom is a perfect font for brands targeting a younger audience, such as children's products or candy companies.

7. Notice Things

  

Notice Things font is best suited for short text or messages since the interior of the letters are transparent, but when used in combination with suitable visuals, it can create an impactful sticker design.

8. Hiatus Brush

  

The Hiatus Brush font style would be fitting for a horror movie or punk band sticker due to its overall appearance, which exudes a gothic and ominous vibe. The uneven lines at the bottom of the letters give an impression of blood dripping, further enhancing its dark aesthetic. However, this font style may not be suitable for visuals with a playful or light-hearted tone, and it is recommended to use it sparingly.

Making the Most of Your Fonts

These fonts are tried and true, a good starting place—but they may not be your final destination. Choosing a font style is just the beginning, you also need to consider the other elements that make for cohesive branding. 

Going Bold

Bold can make a higher impact, but it can also make the font appear “busier,” which can impact its legibility. If you go bold, you may want to increase letter spacing.

Color In the Lines

Take Coca-Cola’s classic white over red. A good color combination can inspire your appetite (McDonald’s and Coca-Cola) or suggest a more modern tone (think of Apple black-and-white-and-gray themes). Remember to choose contrasting colors; in fact alcohol labels require it. Contrasting colors will help your text stand out against the background texture, making it easier for customers to read.

It’s Elementary Design

Whether you want one letter to extend into graphic design elements like arrows or circles—or if you prefer a clean, minimalistic look—every choice will impact how people perceive your brand. Be clear about the elements of design you choose to incorporate and make sure you can justify every choice.

Of course, all that work will go to waste if you don’t put your new design to use. Stomp’s nifty design tool and near-instant proofs will make sure your custom labels are the best around.

Label Font FAQs

What are the best fonts for name tags?

The best fonts for name tags are those that are easy to read from a distance, like Gotham, Arial, Myriad Pro, Helvetica, or Futura. These fonts are favored for their clear, straightforward letterforms that stand out without unnecessary flourishes, making them perfect for conferences, workshops, or any event where quick recognition is key. For instance, Helvetica is widely used in corporate events due to its professional appearance and high legibility.

What is the most legible font for small print?

Helvetica is ideal for small print on business cards, menus, and appointment cards because of its tall, thin letters that optimize the available space without sacrificing readability. A practical example can be seen in many legal documents where legibility is paramount, and every inch of space counts.

What are the different types of display fonts?

Display fonts come in various styles, each suited for specific applications. Slab serif fonts like Roboto Slab are excellent for bold headlines, script fonts such as Brush Script are perfect for invitations, reverse-contrast fonts create dynamic emphasis in logos, and sans serif fonts like Bebas Neue are a go-to for clean, modern advertising copy.

What are the four main types of fonts?

Different types of fonts can evoke different feelings and impressions. Serif fonts, like Times New Roman, are often viewed as traditional and reliable, making them a popular choice for print media. Script fonts, such as Pacifico, lend a personal, human touch ideal for wedding invitations. Sans serif fonts, including Arial, are perceived as modern and clean, suitable for digital screens and tech companies. Display fonts, like Impact, are used to make a bold statement and grab attention quickly.

What is the most popular font?

It depends on the context! For digital readability and everyday clarity, Arial and Open Sans are top picks. For classic, printed designs, Times New Roman and Georgia are go-to serif fonts. If you're designing a bold product label, Bebas Neue or Impact are often favorites for their eye-catching style.

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