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Best font for a resume

The best resume font is one every computer has (or a metric twin of it), with a large x-height so it stays readable at 10–11 pt. Calibri, Arial, Cambria, Georgia and Garamond are all safe. What differs is how much each one fits on a page, and that you can see below.

Short answer: Calibri (or Carlito) at 11 pt for most people; Cambria or Georgia if you prefer a serif; Garamond at 11.5–12 pt for formal fields; Times New Roman at 11 pt if you are fighting for space. Avoid decorative, condensed or script fonts, and use one font for the whole resume.

Compare resume fonts at the same size

Same sentence, same point size, same 6.5-inch text column (US Letter with 1-inch margins). Watch how the line count and characters per line change.

Carlito (Calibri metrics)– chars/line · – lines
Rebuilt the weekly delivery schedule for 14 drivers, cutting late deliveries by 31% in six months. Introduced a two-step order check that reduced picking errors from 4.2% to 1.1%, and trained nine new hires on the warehouse system using a checklist that is now the team standard.
Arimo (Arial metrics)– chars/line · – lines
Rebuilt the weekly delivery schedule for 14 drivers, cutting late deliveries by 31% in six months. Introduced a two-step order check that reduced picking errors from 4.2% to 1.1%, and trained nine new hires on the warehouse system using a checklist that is now the team standard.
Caladea (Cambria metrics)– chars/line · – lines
Rebuilt the weekly delivery schedule for 14 drivers, cutting late deliveries by 31% in six months. Introduced a two-step order check that reduced picking errors from 4.2% to 1.1%, and trained nine new hires on the warehouse system using a checklist that is now the team standard.
Tinos (Times metrics)– chars/line · – lines
Rebuilt the weekly delivery schedule for 14 drivers, cutting late deliveries by 31% in six months. Introduced a two-step order check that reduced picking errors from 4.2% to 1.1%, and trained nine new hires on the warehouse system using a checklist that is now the team standard.
EB Garamond– chars/line · – lines
Rebuilt the weekly delivery schedule for 14 drivers, cutting late deliveries by 31% in six months. Introduced a two-step order check that reduced picking errors from 4.2% to 1.1%, and trained nine new hires on the warehouse system using a checklist that is now the team standard.

Why the same point size looks different

A point size measures the invisible box each letter sits in, not the letters themselves. Garamond draws its lowercase letters small inside that box (a low x-height), so 11 pt Garamond looks like 10 pt Calibri. Arial draws them large and wide, so it looks bigger and fits fewer words per line. That is why the builder bumps Garamond to 11.5 pt by default and why Flex-fit never takes it below 10.5.

The letter box stays fixed while the visible part changes, which is roughly the Moon's trick too: it never shrinks, we just see less of its lit side. ahaboo narrates why.

Safe resume fonts, compared

FontStyleBody sizeFeelSpace use
Calibri / CarlitoSans10.5–11.5 ptFriendly, modern, the Word default since 2007Compact
Arial / Arimo, HelveticaSans10–11 ptNeutral, very plainWide
Cambria / CaladeaSerif10.5–11.5 ptSturdy, designed for screensMedium
GeorgiaSerif10–11 ptWarm, very readable on screenWide
GaramondSerif11.5–12 ptClassic, formalVery compact
Times New Roman / TinosSerif11–12 ptTraditional; some find it datedMost compact

Carlito, Arimo, Caladea and Tinos are open-source fonts drawn to the exact letter widths of Calibri, Arial, Cambria and Times New Roman. Using them in the builder means your line breaks match what a recruiter sees if the PDF falls back to the Microsoft font.

Fonts to avoid

  • Script and handwriting fonts: hard to read, and some parsers mis-recognise the characters.
  • Condensed or light weights: they fit more but tire the eye and print faint.
  • Comic Sans, Papyrus and novelty fonts: they draw attention to the font instead of you.
  • Icon fonts for contact details: a phone glyph may extract as a random letter. Write "Phone:" or just the number.

Font is only one lever for fitting a page; see resume font size and margins.

Questions

What is the best font for a resume in 2026?

Calibri remains the safest all-round choice because it is familiar, readable and compact. Microsoft's newer default, Aptos, is also fine where it is installed. Cambria and Georgia are good serif options.

What font size should a resume be?

Body text 10–12 pt depending on the font (10.5–11 for Calibri or Arial, 11.5–12 for Garamond or Times), headings 12–14 pt, and your name 18–28 pt.

Is Times New Roman bad for a resume?

No, it parses perfectly and fits the most on a page. Some recruiters find it old-fashioned, so it is best when you need space rather than as a style choice.

Can I use two fonts on a resume?

You can use a second font for your name only, but one font in two weights (regular and bold) almost always looks cleaner.