Along with a nice filter and examples, Google’s directory also offers pairing suggestions under the “Pairings” tab. If you already know a font you like (in this example we’ll use Pacifico), look it up in the directory like this. FontFont pair This handy website has a pretty good list of font pair recommendations, sorted by type (e.g. Serif/sans-serif, Cursive-serif). Even better, you can type your text directly into their website to see how it looks with each font combo. Initiative This ongoing project offers beautiful font inspiration with passages from Aesop’s Fables set in different Google font combinations. It’s fun to scroll through even if you’re not looking for new fonts. Type is like a museum of beautiful websites curated from around the web, with information on the fonts used in each.
You can sort their library to only show you examples of Google web fonts. FontsinUse Similar to type.io, Fonts in Use is a collection of websites sorted by the font. This is a good option if you already have a font in mind and want to special leads get ideas of creative ways to use it or pair it. type connection Want to have a little bit more fun with this? Type Connection sets up your font search as a dating game, so you can practice picking out good matches. Finding fonts in the wild font ninja FontFaceNinja in action What if you happen to stumble across a website using fonts you just love? Well, you’re in luck, because it’s easy to look under the hood and see which fonts they are using.
Both Chrome and Firefox offer plugins that will tell you the exact fonts you’re seeing. WhatFont and Font face Ninja are both great options. ConclusionOne last tip: just because a Google “web” font exists doesn’t mean it’s right for a website. Scroll down the list and you’ll see a lot of fonts that are hard to imagine in actual usage. If you suspect a font might be too hard to read, it probably is. Also, remember not to worry too much about this. As in real life, there’s no “perfect” pairing. If you find a font combination you like, and it’s readable, go with it, and have fun! This article was originally written for Jimdo by Maggie Biroscak. With a simple, intuitive interface, Jimdo enables anyone to create a unique website with a blog and online store.