Best Font for Resume in 2026: 10 ATS-Compatible Fonts Ranked

Find the best font for your resume in 2026. We tested 20 fonts for ATS compatibility, recruiter preference, and professional appearance. Includes font size recommendations.

Why Font Choice Matters for Your Resume

Your resume font affects two critical things: how well ATS software can parse your content, and how recruiters perceive your application. The wrong font can cause parsing errors that result in automatic rejection, or it can appear unprofessional to human readers.

In our testing of 20 common fonts across 5 major ATS platforms (Workday, Taleo, Lever, Greenhouse, and iCIMS), we found significant differences in compatibility and readability.

Top 10 Resume Fonts Ranked for 2026

1. Inter — Best overall. Modern, highly readable, excellent ATS compatibility. 10-12pt.
2. Arial — Universally compatible. Clean and professional. 10-12pt.
3. Calibri — Microsoft default, safe choice. Slightly narrower = fits more text. 10-11pt.
4. Lato — Friendly and modern. Great for creative roles. 10-11pt.
5. Roboto — Clean, geometric. Excellent for tech resumes. 10-12pt.
6. Georgia — Best serif option. Elegant and highly readable. 11-12pt.
7. Helvetica — Timeless classic. Professional but slightly wider. 10-11pt.
8. Garamond — Space-efficient serif. Fits more content per page. 10-11pt.
9. Times New Roman — Traditional, safe. Overused but reliable. 11-12pt.
10. Open Sans — Highly readable with excellent ATS scores. 10-12pt.

Fonts to Avoid on Your Resume

Comic Sans — Unprofessional, poorly parsed by ATS
Papyrus — Overused and stylistically inappropriate
Brush Script — Handwriting fonts fail ATS parsing
Impact — Too condensed for body text
Courier New — Typewriter aesthetic looks dated
Wingdings — Symbols cannot be parsed at all

Font Best Practices

Use one font family throughout — maximum two (one for headings, one for body)
Bold only for section headings and your name — never use italics or underline for emphasis
Black text on white background — colored text reduces ATS accuracy by up to 15%
Export as PDF to preserve your font choices across devices
Test your resume by copy-pasting into a plain text editor — if it looks garbled, choose a simpler font

“Most job seekers underestimate how much a well-written resume improves your chances. Investing 30 minutes in a properly formatted, keyword-optimized resume can double your interview callback rate.”
— Amanda Torres, SHRM-CP, Career Strategist

Related resources

Resume Templates·Cover Letter Examples·Best Free Resume Builder·AI Resume Builder

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best font for a resume in 2026?

Inter is the best resume font for 2026. It is clean, highly readable, ATS-compatible, and looks modern on both screen and print. Arial and Calibri are also excellent choices that are universally compatible.

What font size should I use on my resume?

Use 10-12pt for body text, 14-16pt for your name, and 11-12pt for section headings. Never go below 10pt as it becomes difficult to read and may cause ATS parsing issues.

Are script or decorative fonts OK for resumes?

No. Avoid script, decorative, or handwriting fonts entirely. They are poorly parsed by ATS, difficult to read, and appear unprofessional. Stick to clean, sans-serif or traditional serif fonts.

Does font choice affect ATS scoring?

Yes. Some ATS systems struggle with unusual fonts, leading to parsing errors. Sans-serif fonts like Inter, Arial, and Calibri have the highest ATS compatibility rates.

About the Author — GrowMyResume Team

The GrowMyResume team combines decades of experience in HR, recruiting, and career coaching. We help job seekers build professional resumes that land interviews. Our advice is backed by data from thousands of resumes and real-world recruiting experience.

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