editorial

Source Serif 4 and Roboto font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
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 Roboto, while the headline uses Source Serif 4. 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: Source Serif 4's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Roboto's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Roboto ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

HSource Serif 4

Source Serif 4 is a free serif typeface designed by Frank Grießhammer, added to Google Fonts in 2021. It comes in 8 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with optical size and weight axes.

More pairings for Source Serif 4 →

BRoboto

Roboto is a free sans serif typeface designed by Christian Robertson, ParaType and Font Bureau, added to Google Fonts in 2013. It comes in 9 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with width and weight axes.

More pairings for Roboto →

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=Source+Serif+4:wght@700&family=Roboto:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Source Serif 4', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

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

More pairings with Source Serif 4

More pairings with Roboto

Everything starts with a sketch

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

HCrimson TextBRobotoeditorial→

A classic contrast: Crimson Text's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Roboto'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.

HEB GaramondBRobotoeditorial→

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

Frequently asked questions

Do Source Serif 4 and Roboto go well together?

A classic contrast: Source Serif 4's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Roboto's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Roboto ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Source Serif 4 for headings at weight 700, and Roboto for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Source Serif 4 and Roboto free?

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