The best resume fonts are clean, professional and easy to read on screen and in applicant tracking systems (ATS). These free fonts work in Google Docs and can be installed for Word.
Fonts load from Google Fonts. “Get font” opens the official download page. All are free for personal and commercial use under their open licenses.
Our picks
- Sans serif (modern, ATS-friendly): Lato, Open Sans, Source Sans 3, Roboto, Inter, IBM Plex Sans.
- Calibri look-alike: Carlito has the same character widths as Calibri, so templates keep their layout.
- Arial / Times look-alikes: Arimo and Tinos are metrically compatible.
- Serif (traditional, academic, legal): Merriweather, Lora, EB Garamond, Libre Baskerville, Source Serif 4.
Resume font rules
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Body size | 10-12 pt |
| Headings | 14-16 pt, bold |
| Fonts per resume | 1-2 |
| Avoid | Script, display, novelty and very light weights |
| File | Export to PDF so fonts are embedded |
ATS systems read text, not fonts, but unusual fonts can turn into garbled characters if a recruiter opens a .docx without the font installed. Exporting to PDF avoids that.
Frequently asked questions
What font do recruiters prefer?
Clean, familiar fonts: Calibri, Arial, Garamond and their look-alikes. What matters most is readability and consistency.
Is Times New Roman OK for a resume?
It’s acceptable but dated. Tinos (metric-compatible), Source Serif 4 or EB Garamond give a fresher serif look.
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