# Best Font for a CV (and Resume): Fonts and Sizes for 2026 > The best font for a CV or resume is a clean, common sans serif or serif at 10 to 12 points. Which fonts work, which to avoid, and ATS-friendly sizes. Canonical: https://www.cvchapchap.com/blog/best-font-for-cv **Short answer:** the best font for a CV is a clean, widely available sans serif such as Inter, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial or Calibri, or a plain serif such as Georgia or Times, with body text at 10 to 12 points and headings at 14 to 16\. Use one font, or one sans serif with one serif, and save the CV as a PDF so the font cannot change. Choosing the best font for a CV or resume is about two things: a recruiter must read it easily, and software must read it exactly. Here is what works. ## Best fonts for a CV ### Sans serif fonts (modern, easy on screens) * **Inter**: designed for screens, very clear at small sizes. * **Roboto**: neutral and compact, so more fits on a page. * **Helvetica and Arial**: the classic safe choice. * **Calibri**: Microsoft Office's long-time default, clean but very common. * **Source Sans and IBM Plex Sans**: professional, slightly technical. ### Serif fonts (traditional, formal) * **Georgia**: made for screens, warm and readable. * **Merriweather, Lora and Source Serif**: good for headings over a sans serif body. * **Times New Roman**: safe, but small and dated at 10 points; go to 11 or 12. ## What font size should a CV be? Body text 10 to 12 points, headings 14 to 16, and your name 18 to 24\. Below 10 points a CV becomes hard to read on paper and on phones. If your CV runs long, tighten spacing before you shrink the text; see [how long a CV should be](https://www.cvchapchap.com/blog/how-long-should-a-cv-be). ## What is the best ATS-friendly font? Any standard font is ATS friendly when the text is real text. Applicant tracking systems read the characters, not the shape of the letters, so problems come from text inside images, unusual symbol fonts or a CV saved as a scanned picture. Check yours with the free [ATS CV checker](https://www.cvchapchap.com/ats-cv-checker), and read [why CVs fail ATS](https://www.cvchapchap.com/blog/why-cv-not-passing-ats). ## Fonts to avoid on a CV * **Script and handwriting fonts**: hard to read and they look informal. * **Comic Sans and novelty fonts**: they distract from your experience. * **Very thin or condensed fonts**: they fade when printed or viewed small. * **More than two fonts**: the page looks unplanned. ## Should my CV and cover letter use the same font? Yes. Using the same font and size on both makes your application look like one set. Our free [cover letter generator](https://www.cvchapchap.com/cover-letter-generator) keeps the letter clean to match. ## Serif or sans serif for a CV? Either works. Sans serif looks modern and reads well on screens, which is where most CVs are read first. A serif looks traditional and suits law, academia and formal sectors. A common, safe pairing is a serif for headings with a sans serif for the body. ## Fonts in CV Chap Chap Each of the [70 CV templates](https://www.cvchapchap.com/cv-templates) has its own font pairing, built on Helvetica and Times. On the preview, the Format panel lets you switch every template to one of four pairings: Modern (Inter with Lora), Classic (Source Sans 3 with Source Serif 4), Professional (IBM Plex Sans with IBM Plex Serif) or Elegant (Roboto with Merriweather). You can also change the text size in five steps and the spacing in three. The fonts are embedded in your PDF, so the employer sees exactly what you chose. If your name or town uses letters outside basic Latin, such as Yoruba or Vietnamese accents, the CV switches to a pairing that can print them. For the rest of the layout, see the [best CV format](https://www.cvchapchap.com/best-cv-format) and how a [2026 CV should look](https://www.cvchapchap.com/blog/how-should-2026-cv-look). The best font for a CV is clean, common and comfortable at 10 to 12 points: choose one, use it everywhere, and let your experience do the talking. > Try the four font pairings on your own CV. [Choose a CV template](https://www.cvchapchap.com/cv-templates). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the best font for a CV? A clean, common font: a sans serif such as Inter, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial or Calibri, or a plain serif such as Georgia. Use one font, or one sans serif with one serif. ### What font size should a CV be? 10 to 12 points for body text, 14 to 16 for headings and 18 to 24 for your name. ### What is the best font for an ATS-friendly resume? Any standard font, as long as the text is real text and not an image. ATS software reads the characters, not the style. ### Is Times New Roman okay for a CV? Yes, but it looks small and dated at 10 points. Use 11 or 12 points, or a modern serif such as Georgia. ### Is Calibri a good CV font? Yes, it is clean and readable, though very common. Inter or Roboto give a similar clean look. ### How many fonts should a CV have? One or two: one font for everything, or one for headings and one for body text. ### Ready to Create Your Professional CV? Put these tips into practice. Build a stunning, ATS-friendly CV in under 3 minutes with CV Chap Chap. 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