Best Cover Letter Fonts: Typography Choices That Make the Right Impression

Your cover letter’s content matters most—but how that content looks affects how it’s received. Typography might seem like a minor detail, but the wrong font choice can undermine your professional image, reduce readability, or simply make your application blend into the pile of generic submissions.

The right font choice projects professionalism, ensures readability across devices, and subtly reinforces the impression you want to make. This guide covers everything you need to know about choosing the perfect font for your cover letter.

Why Cover Letter Fonts Matter

Typography affects your cover letter in several ways:

First Impressions

Before reading a single word, hiring managers form an impression based on how your letter looks. Professional fonts signal attention to detail and care about presentation.

Readability

The primary purpose of typography is communication. Fonts that are hard to read—whether on screen or printed—create friction that can cause reviewers to move on.

Consistency

Your cover letter and resume should work as a cohesive package. Matching or complementary fonts create a professional, unified application.

Screen vs. Print

Many cover letters are read on screens, but some get printed. Your font should work well in both formats.

ATS Compatibility

Unusual or decorative fonts can cause issues with applicant tracking systems. Standard fonts ensure your text is properly processed.

Categories of Fonts

Understanding font categories helps you make informed choices:

Serif Fonts

Serif fonts have small decorative lines (serifs) at the ends of letter strokes. They’re traditional, authoritative, and classic.

Examples: Times New Roman, Georgia, Garamond, Cambria

Best for: Traditional industries, formal applications, conservative companies

Character: Professional, established, trustworthy, classic

Sans-Serif Fonts

Sans-serif fonts lack the decorative lines, creating a cleaner, more modern appearance.

Examples: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Verdana

Best for: Modern companies, tech industry, creative fields, on-screen reading

Character: Contemporary, clean, approachable, straightforward

Display and Decorative Fonts

These fonts prioritize style over readability and are designed for headlines and short text.

Examples: Impact, Comic Sans, Papyrus, Brush Script

Best for: Never on cover letters (avoid entirely)

Character: Casual, playful, unprofessional in business contexts

Best Fonts for Cover Letters

These fonts are safe, professional choices that work across industries:

Top Serif Fonts

1. Garamond

A classic, elegant serif font that’s highly readable and space-efficient.

Pros:

• Sophisticated appearance
• Excellent readability
• Slightly smaller, allowing more content
• Works well printed

Cons:

• May appear small at standard sizes
• Less clear on some screens

Best for: Traditional industries, executive positions, formal applications

Recommended size: 11-12 point

2. Georgia

Designed specifically for screen readability while maintaining classic serif elegance.

Pros:

• Excellent screen readability
• Professional appearance
• Clear at various sizes
• Widely available

Cons:

• Takes slightly more space than some alternatives
• Very common (but that’s not necessarily bad)

Best for: Any industry, especially when letters will be read on screen

Recommended size: 10.5-12 point

3. Cambria

A Microsoft font designed for on-screen reading while looking good in print.

Pros:

• Clear on screens
• Professional and modern
• Good for both digital and print
• Widely available

Cons:

• Relatively new, less “classic” feel
• Sometimes considered plain

Best for: Corporate environments, professional services

Recommended size: 11-12 point

4. Times New Roman

The classic professional font, though now considered by some as uninspired.

Pros:

• Universally recognized as professional
• Excellent readability
• Virtually always available
• Safe, conservative choice

Cons:

• Can seem dated or unoriginal
• Overused (the “default” effect)

Best for: Traditional industries, government, academia when you want to play it very safe

Recommended size: 11-12 point

Top Sans-Serif Fonts

1. Calibri

Microsoft’s default font since 2007, designed for modern document creation.

Pros:

• Clean, contemporary look
• Excellent screen readability
• Professional yet approachable
• Universally available

Cons:

• So common it may lack distinction
• Default association

Best for: Most professional environments, especially modern companies

Recommended size: 11-12 point

2. Arial

A long-standing professional standard that’s clean and highly readable.

Pros:

• Extremely readable
• Professional appearance
• Available on virtually all systems
• Prints well

Cons:

• Very common
• Some consider it uninspired

Best for: Corporate environments, when simplicity is valued

Recommended size: 10.5-12 point

3. Helvetica

Often considered the gold standard of clean, professional typography.

Pros:

• Exceptionally clean and professional
• Highly readable
• Respected among designers
• Modern yet timeless

Cons:

• Not available on all Windows systems (Arial is a close substitute)
• Can appear generic to some

Best for: Design, marketing, modern companies, creative fields

Recommended size: 10.5-12 point

4. Verdana

Specifically designed for screen readability with generous spacing.

Pros:

• Excellent screen readability
• Clear and professional
• Good letter spacing
• Wide availability

Cons:

• Takes more horizontal space
• Can appear large

Best for: Digital-first applications, tech companies

Recommended size: 10-11 point (smaller due to larger x-height)

5. Trebuchet MS

A clean sans-serif with slightly more personality than Arial.

Pros:

• Modern appearance
• Good readability
• Slightly distinctive
• Professional

Cons:

• Less universally available
• Some consider it too casual

Best for: Creative industries, startups, modern companies

Recommended size: 10.5-11.5 point

Fonts to Avoid

These fonts should never appear on your cover letter:

Always Avoid

Comic Sans: Universally considered unprofessional in business contexts.

Papyrus: Associated with amateurism and poor design choices.

Brush Script/Script Fonts: Hard to read and unprofessional.

Impact/Display Fonts: Designed for headlines, not body text.

Courier/Typewriter Fonts: Dated appearance, poor readability.

Novelty Fonts: Any decorative or themed font.

Generally Avoid

Narrow or Condensed Fonts: Hard to read in paragraphs.

Very Light or Thin Fonts: Poor visibility, especially printed.

Decorative Serifs: Fonts with unusual serifs can appear gimmicky.

System Fonts: Some system fonts don’t transfer well between devices.

Font Size Guidelines

Size matters as much as font choice:

Body Text

• Standard range: 10.5-12 point
• Optimal for most fonts: 11 point
• Never below: 10 point
• Never above: 12 point (may appear unprofessional)

Your Name/Header

• Standard range: 14-18 point
• Should be larger than body text but not dramatically so

Section Headers (if applicable)

• Standard range: 11-14 point
• Can be bold or slightly larger than body text

Contact Information

• Standard range: 10-11 point
• Can be slightly smaller than body text

Matching Your Cover Letter and Resume Fonts

Consistency creates a professional application package:

Same Font Throughout

The safest approach—use the identical font for both documents.

Pros: Maximum consistency, unified appearance Cons: Limited visual variety

Complementary Fonts

Use fonts from the same category or family:

Pairings that work:

• Georgia (cover letter) + Georgia (resume)
• Calibri (cover letter) + Calibri (resume)
• Garamond (body) + Garamond (headers)
• Georgia (body) + Arial (headers)

Contrasting Fonts (Use Carefully)

Mixing serif and sans-serif can work with careful execution:

Example: Georgia body text with Helvetica headers

Rules:

• Limit to two fonts maximum
• Use contrast intentionally (headers vs. body)
• Maintain consistency within each document

Font Settings Beyond Typeface

Line Spacing

Recommended: 1.0 to 1.15 line spacing

Single spacing is standard for cover letters. Adding slight spacing (1.1-1.15) can improve readability without appearing spaced out.

Paragraph Spacing

Recommended: Space between paragraphs (6-10 points) OR indented first lines (not both)

Most modern cover letters use space between paragraphs rather than indentation.

Margins

Standard: 1 inch all around Acceptable range: 0.75-1.25 inches

Margins affect how much space your font has to breathe. Crowded margins make text harder to read.

Alignment

Recommended: Left-aligned (ragged right)

Full justification can create awkward spacing between words. Left alignment is the standard for business correspondence.

Industry-Specific Font Considerations

Traditional/Conservative Industries

Finance, law, government, healthcare:

Recommendations:

• Times New Roman, Garamond, or Georgia (serifs)
• Conservative, classic appearance
• 11-12 point size
• Nothing that stands out for being unusual

Tech and Startups

Software, tech companies, digital industries:

Recommendations:

• Calibri, Helvetica, or Arial (sans-serifs)
• Clean, modern appearance
• 10.5-11.5 point size acceptable
• Can be slightly more contemporary

Creative Industries

Design, marketing, advertising, media:

Recommendations:

• More freedom in font choice
• Sans-serif often preferred
• Helvetica, Trebuchet, or similar
• Consistency with your portfolio aesthetic

Academia and Research

Universities, research institutions:

Recommendations:

• Traditional serifs (Georgia, Times New Roman, Garamond)
• Conservative, scholarly appearance
• 11-12 point size

Testing Your Font Choice

Before sending, verify your font works:

Print Test

Print your cover letter to check:

• Readability at actual size
• How the font renders in print
• Any unexpected formatting issues

Screen Test

View on different devices:

• Desktop monitor
• Laptop screen
• Tablet
• Phone (if applicable)

PDF Test

Save as PDF and reopen to verify:

• Font embedded properly
• No text shifting
• Consistent appearance

Different Systems Test

If possible, view on both Mac and PC to ensure font compatibility. If a font isn’t available on a system, your document may display in a substitute font.

Creating Professional Typography

Tools like 0portfolio.com can help ensure your cover letter and resume use professional, consistent typography that presents your application in the best light.

Best Practices Summary

Do:

• Choose one font from the recommended list
• Keep font size between 10.5-12 point
• Match your cover letter and resume fonts
• Use consistent formatting throughout
• Test before sending

Don’t:

• Use decorative or script fonts
• Mix more than two fonts
• Go below 10 point or above 12 point for body text
• Forget to check how your font looks on different devices
• Choose a font just because it’s “different”

Conclusion

Typography in cover letters serves a supporting role—it should enhance your content without drawing attention to itself. The best font choice is one that’s professional, readable, and appropriate for your industry, allowing your qualifications and personality to shine through your words rather than your formatting choices.

When in doubt, stick with established professionals: Calibri, Georgia, or Garamond work beautifully in virtually any context. They’re readable, professional, and universally available, allowing you to focus on what really matters: the content of your letter.

Remember that your cover letter is part of a package with your resume. Matching fonts create a cohesive, professional impression that signals attention to detail—exactly the quality employers want to see.

Resources like 0portfolio.com can help you create professionally formatted application materials that present you at your best. But the foundation starts with solid typography choices that let your qualifications take center stage.

Choose a professional font, format it cleanly, and let your words make the impression that matters.