editorial

Roboto Serif and Nunito font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

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Issue 07 · Field notes
Everything starts with a sketch

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 Nunito, while the headline uses Roboto Serif. 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: Roboto Serif's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Nunito's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Nunito ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

HRoboto Serif

Roboto Serif is a free serif typeface designed by Commercial Type and Greg Gazdowicz, added to Google Fonts in 2022. It comes in 9 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with grade, optical size, width and weight axes.

More pairings for Roboto Serif →

BNunito

Nunito is a free sans serif typeface designed by Vernon Adams, Cyreal and Jacques Le Bailly, added to Google Fonts in 2012. It comes in 9 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Nunito →

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=Roboto+Serif:wght@700&family=Nunito:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Roboto Serif', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

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

More pairings with Roboto Serif

Built for the long run

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

HRoboto SerifBRubikeditorial→

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

Everything starts with a sketch

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

HRoboto SerifBRobotoeditorial→

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

Built for the long run

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

HUbuntuBRoboto Serifmoderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Ubuntu keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Roboto Serif's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

More pairings with Nunito

Good things take time

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

HBitterBNunitoeditorial→

A classic contrast: Bitter's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Nunito'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.

HCormorant GaramondBNunitoeditorial→

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

Frequently asked questions

Do Roboto Serif and Nunito go well together?

A classic contrast: Roboto Serif's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Nunito's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Nunito ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Roboto Serif for headings at weight 700, and Nunito for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Roboto Serif and Nunito free?

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