Inter

Inter is the UI font that quietly took over the internet. Designed specifically for screens, with tall x-height and open apertures that stay readable at small sizes. If you've used Figma, Linear, or dozens of modern SaaS products, you've already read Inter.

Roboto is Google's system font — similar goals, less personality. SF Pro is Apple's default and looks great but only on Apple devices. Helvetica Neue is the classic that Inter improves on for screens. For paid alternatives, Soehne (from Klim Type) is what OpenAI chose.

If you're designing a dashboard, SaaS UI, or any web app, Inter is the safe-and-great default. It's SIL-licensed, has variable font support, and includes 4 optical sizes. Google Fonts serves it for free. There's a reason it's the most popular font on the modern web.

The catch: it's so popular that your app might look generic. If brand differentiation matters, using the same font as half the internet works against you. Also, Inter optimizes for UI text — it's not the best choice for long-form reading like blogs or documentation.