editorial

Frank Ruhl Libre and Ubuntu font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
Issue 07 · Field notes
A field guide to good ideas

Good pairings feel inevitable. Great ones set the tone before a single word is read.

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A strong pairing creates clear hierarchy while feeling like one consistent voice across every page. This paragraph is set in Ubuntu, while the headline uses Frank Ruhl Libre. Numbers like 0123456789, punctuation “quotes” — and ampersands & — reveal a lot about how two typefaces get along.

Contrast, then harmony

Look for contrast in structure and harmony in proportion: similar x-heights, compatible widths and a shared sense of rhythm. Bold text and italic text should feel natural, too.

Why this pairing works

A classic contrast: Frank Ruhl Libre's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Ubuntu's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Ubuntu stays comfortable at paragraph sizes.

HFrank Ruhl Libre

Frank Ruhl Libre is a free serif typeface designed by Yanek Iontef, added to Google Fonts in 2016. It comes in 7 weights, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Frank Ruhl Libre →

BUbuntu

Ubuntu is a free sans serif typeface designed by Dalton Maag, added to Google Fonts in 2010. It comes in 4 weights with matching italics.

More pairings for Ubuntu →

Use this pairing on your website

HTML — paste in <head>
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Frank+Ruhl+Libre:wght@700&family=Ubuntu:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Frank Ruhl Libre', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

body {
  font-family: 'Ubuntu', sans-serif;
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.6;
}

More pairings with Frank Ruhl Libre

The art of saying less

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HFrank Ruhl LibreBOpen Sanseditorial→

A classic contrast: Frank Ruhl Libre's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Open Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Ideas that travel well

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HFrank Ruhl LibreBRalewayeditorial→

A classic contrast: Frank Ruhl Libre's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Raleway's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

The future of small business

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HInterBFrank Ruhl Libremoderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Inter keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Frank Ruhl Libre's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

More pairings with Ubuntu

Where craft meets code

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HRoboto SlabBUbuntufriendly→

A classic contrast: Roboto Slab's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Ubuntu's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Ideas that travel well

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HPT SerifBUbuntueditorial→

A classic contrast: PT Serif's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Ubuntu's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Good things take time

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HLoraBUbuntueditorial→

A classic contrast: Lora's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Ubuntu's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Frequently asked questions

Do Frank Ruhl Libre and Ubuntu go well together?

A classic contrast: Frank Ruhl Libre's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Ubuntu's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Ubuntu stays comfortable at paragraph sizes.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Frank Ruhl Libre for headings at weight 700, and Ubuntu for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Frank Ruhl Libre and Ubuntu free?

Yes — both are open-source fonts on Google Fonts and free for personal and commercial use.