UI Creative’s Best Modern Serif Fonts
Serif fonts are back, and modern serifs are behind many of today’s best brand logos, magazine covers and websites. Below are 36 of the best modern serif fonts, grouped into display serifs, elegant ligature serifs, editorial font families and modern retro serifs. We also explain what makes a serif modern and how to choose one.
Every font on this page:
- OTF and TTF files, for PC and Mac
- Works in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and Microsoft Word once installed
- Supports 66 Latin-based languages, according to the listings
What is a modern serif font?
A serif font has small strokes, called serifs, at the ends of its letters. In typography, Modern (or Didone) originally meant the high-contrast serifs of the late 1700s, like Didot and Bodoni. Today modern serif usually means any contemporary serif with clean, sharp details: high contrast, distinctive curves and a fresh, fashion-forward feel.
- High stroke contrast: very thin hairlines next to thick stems.
- Sharp or soft serifs: either razor-thin or rounded and bold, rarely in between.
- Distinctive letters: a looping g, a swash R or ligatures that make a word memorable.
- Display first: most are made for headlines and logos, with families for longer text.
Modern serif display fonts
High-contrast serifs with clean, sharp details, made for big headlines, logos and posters. This is the look most people mean by modern serif.
1. Grandeurs
Tall, high-contrast capitals with a few looping letters, shown in black on blush pink with a botanical rose. Elegant for beauty and wedding brands.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
2. Aglycones
A curvy modern serif with ball terminals and swooping letters, in white over a dark green leaf.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
3. Angular Flow
Sharp, angular capitals with fine hairlines over a yellow gradient. Fashion-editorial and very current.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
4. Aqueduct
A classy modern serif with long descenders and soft curves, shown with a vintage portrait on cream.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
5. Astraroche
Thin, wide capitals with swash details on a few letters, in white over black quilted leather.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
6. Blockstone
Condensed, high-contrast capitals with 20 ligatures, per the preview, in dark green on mint.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
7. Bodar
A Didone-style display with crossing ligatures in black on cream. Refined for fashion and perfume logos.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
8. Palaestra
Bold, wide capitals overlapping a classical bust on peach. Strong for posters and gallery branding.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
9. Glamorise
Elegant capitals with a few looping letters, in white on dark green with a vintage rose illustration.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
10. Mindleast
A high-contrast modern serif display in white over a teal photo of a fairground ride.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
Elegant modern serifs with ligatures
Soft, flowing serifs with joined letters and alternate characters. Use them for wedding, beauty, interior and lifestyle brands.
11. Delphine
Tall, condensed capitals labelled a modern ligatures font, in white over a black-and-white dancer.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
12. Elegance Prime
A flowing italic serif with ligatures in white over a warm portrait in a hat.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
13. Ignacio Maverick
A high-contrast elegant serif with sparkles in black on cream, framed by tropical leaves.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
14. Liquefier
A bold, soft elegant serif in white over a mountain lake.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
15. Grespoika
A serif display that the preview describes as having beautiful curves for fashion and feminine designs, in dark grey on mint.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
16. Gemindary
A light, graceful serif with a long y, in white over a dark veiled figure.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
17. Gashingtone
A classic serif with high contrast and a looping g, in black on cream with a framed photo.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
18. Manifesto
A classic modern elegant serif in white on dark green with leaves.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
For more high-end serifs, see our fonts for luxury brand logos.
Modern serif font families for editorial and websites
Families with several weights and italics, so one font can cover headlines, subheadings and body text in magazines, books and websites.
19. Backswings
A modern combination serif family in purple on textured paper; the preview shows 10 styles.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
20. Fairytale Serif
A classic serif family in white over a blue marble texture; the preview shows 10 styles.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
21. Metropolitan Parliament
An editorial serif family with a matching italic, in white over a warm, dark interior.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
22. Newsweekly
An editorial serif with italic, set over a fashion photo. Made for magazine covers and articles.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
23. Moderna Serif
A modern serif family with a bold italic, in white over a dancer and blue sky.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
24. Palatines Serif
A display serif family with italics in cream on dark green with roses; the preview shows 10 styles.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
25. Lecherously
A modern serif family in white over a purple and pink gradient.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
26. Luminary Serif
An elegant serif family with a flowing italic, in white over a photo in a green field.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
27. Methadone
A sturdy, lowercase-friendly modern serif in white over a cello player. Readable enough for subheadings.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
Modern retro serif fonts
Soft, bold serifs inspired by the 70s, the biggest serif trend of recent years for packaging, book covers and brand logos.
28. Dainty Fusion
A bold modern retro serif in cream over a moody portrait among leaves.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
29. Golden Heritage
A 90s retro serif with an italic, in white over a blue tennis court with a ball.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
30. Jacklight Beach
A heavy modern retro serif in white over a street portrait. Confident for fashion and music.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
31. Magnetizer
A modern retro serif display in white over a hand with gold rings.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
32. Mewatonia
Bold retro capitals in bright blue over a black-and-white statue.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
33. Lengthwise
A soft, bold retro serif display in white over an orange and blue gradient.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
34. Brainstorm
A retro serif display in red-orange on cream with a faded flower.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
35. Bohemian Whisper
A flowing retro italic serif in white over an orange poppy.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
36. Periosea
A chunky retro serif in white on an orange blob over a vintage crowd photo.
OTF + TTF · PC and Mac · works in Word
Serif font styles compared
| Style | Looks like | Best for | Examples above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modern display | High contrast, sharp hairlines | Logos, fashion, posters | Bodar, Angular Flow, Blockstone |
| Elegant ligature | Flowing curves, joined letters | Weddings, beauty, interiors | Delphine, Elegance Prime, Grespoika |
| Editorial family | Balanced weights and italics | Magazines, books, websites | Metropolitan Parliament, Newsweekly, Fairytale Serif |
| Modern retro | Soft, bold, 70s curves | Packaging, book covers, cafes | Dainty Fusion, Magnetizer, Periosea |
How to choose a serif font
- Decide where it will be used. Display serifs for logos and headlines; families with italics for longer text.
- Check it small. Hairline serifs can break up at small sizes and on screens.
- Pair it with a sans serif for body text and interfaces; see our sans serif fonts.
- Use ligatures sparingly. One or two in a logo look special; too many hurt readability.
- Look for a family if you need a whole brand system from one font.
For logo fonts in every style, see our logo fonts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best modern serif font?
For logos and headlines, a high-contrast display serif such as Bodar, Angular Flow or Grandeurs. For a whole brand or website, a family with italics like Metropolitan Parliament or Fairytale Serif.
What is the difference between serif and sans serif?
Serif fonts have small strokes at the ends of letters; sans serif fonts do not. Serifs feel classic, editorial or elegant; sans serifs feel clean and modern.
Are serif fonts good for websites?
Yes, especially for headlines. For body text, pick a family with sturdy serifs and a regular weight, and check readability on small screens.
What is a retro serif font?
A soft, bold serif inspired by 1970s type, with rounded shapes and tight spacing. It is popular for packaging, book covers and lifestyle brands.
Can I use these serif fonts in Word or Canva?
Install the OTF or TTF file to use it in Word and desktop apps; the listings say they work in Microsoft Word. In Canva Pro you can upload the font file.
Looking for more serif fonts?
Browse the full collection of serif fonts.