The Best Reading Fonts Nobody Talks About
Beyond Times New Roman and Arial: fonts specifically designed for reading fluency that most people have never heard of.
You've been reading in Arial, Times New Roman, or whatever font websites choose for you. These are fine fonts. But "fine" is a low bar when fonts exist that were specifically engineered to make reading easier, faster, and less tiring.
Here are the fonts that researchers and accessibility experts love — but most people have never heard of.
Why Your Font Matters More Than You Think
Typography research consistently shows that font choice affects:
- Reading speed — the right font can improve speed by 10-20%
- Comprehension — letter clarity affects how much you retain
- Eye fatigue — poor fonts cause faster eye strain
- Engagement — readable text keeps you reading longer
Most people never think about fonts because they can't change them. But with the right tools, you can read anything in any font — and the difference is noticeable.
The Fonts
1. Lexend
What it is: A variable font family designed by Dr. Bonnie Shaver-Troup to improve reading fluency.
Why it's special: Lexend was created through research on how the visual system processes text. Its letter spacing and proportions are mathematically optimized to match how your brain recognizes word shapes.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Reading with Lexend feels noticeably smoother — your eyes glide through text with less effort.
Who it helps:
- Anyone who reads on screens regularly
- People who experience eye fatigue
- Readers who find standard fonts "cramped"
- Students and professionals who read large volumes
How to use it: Free on Google Fonts. Available in Nook for any web article, EPUB, or PDF.
2. Atkinson Hyperlegible
What it is: A font created by the Braille Institute, designed for maximum character distinction.
Why it's special: Every character in Atkinson Hyperlegible is deliberately shaped to be different from every other character. The lowercase 'l' has a tail. The number '1' has a serif. The 'Q' has a distinctive stroke. Nothing looks like anything else.
Notice: I l 1 | O 0 Q — each character is uniquely shaped. No ambiguity, no confusion, just clarity.
Who it helps:
- People who confuse similar characters (I/l/1, O/0)
- Anyone with visual processing challenges
- Readers in low-light conditions
- Programmers reading code-heavy text
How to use it: Free from brailleinstitute.org. Available in Nook for any content.
3. Literata
What it is: A serif font designed by Google for extended reading on screens.
Why it's special: Most serif fonts were designed for print. Literata was designed from scratch for digital screens, with careful attention to how serifs render at different sizes and resolutions.
Who it helps:
- People who prefer serifs but find Times New Roman tiring
- Book readers transitioning to digital
- Anyone who reads long-form content regularly
4. IBM Plex
What it is: IBM's open-source font family, designed for both screen reading and print.
Why it's special: IBM Plex strikes an unusual balance — it's highly legible without being clinical. It has personality without being distracting. This makes it excellent for extended reading sessions where both comfort and engagement matter.
Who it helps:
- Professional readers (analysts, researchers, journalists)
- Anyone who finds "clean" fonts boring but needs readability
- Mixed-content reading (text + data + code)
5. Source Serif Pro
What it is: Adobe's open-source serif designed for readability in body text.
Why it's special: Source Serif Pro was designed specifically for long-form reading — not headings, not display use, but the bread and butter of body text. Every design decision prioritizes sustained reading comfort.
Who it helps:
- Long-form readers
- People who prefer serif fonts
- Readers who want a "book-like" digital experience
The Overlooked Typography Settings
The font itself is only half the equation. These settings matter just as much:
Line Height
Default: Most websites use 1.2-1.4x
Better: 1.6-1.8x for reading
More space between lines prevents your eyes from accidentally jumping to the wrong line. This is one of the highest-impact changes you can make.
Column Width
Default: Many websites run text edge-to-edge on wide screens
Better: 50-75 characters per line (roughly 600-700px)
Short lines mean shorter saccades (eye jumps), which means fewer tracking errors and less fatigue.
Font Size
Default: 14-16px on most websites
Better: 18-20px for comfortable reading
Larger text reduces the decoding effort per word. Your brain processes the shape of each word more easily when it's bigger.
Letter Spacing (Tracking)
Default: Font's built-in spacing
Better: Slightly increased for most fonts
A small increase in letter spacing can reduce visual crowding without breaking word recognition. Lexend has this built in; other fonts benefit from a manual increase.
How to Use Any Font on Any Website
Option 1: Nook (Recommended)
Nook lets you choose from 7 optimized fonts — including Lexend, Atkinson Hyperlegible, and OpenDyslexic — and apply them to any article, EPUB, or PDF. You also get full control over size, spacing, and background.
Option 2: Browser Settings
Some browsers let you override website fonts in accessibility settings, but options are limited.
Option 3: Custom CSS Extensions
Extensions like Stylus let you inject custom CSS into websites, including font overrides. This requires CSS knowledge and per-site configuration.
The Bottom Line
You've been settling for whatever font websites give you. But fonts designed for reading fluency — like Lexend and Atkinson Hyperlegible — can meaningfully reduce eye strain, increase reading speed, and help you read longer without fatigue.
The best part? They're all free. The only investment is trying them.
Install Nook, switch to Lexend, and read your next article. Then switch back to the website's default font. The difference will be obvious.
Better fonts are part of a bigger toolkit for making online reading work. For the complete guide — from fonts to guided reading to background adjustments — see why reading online feels so hard.
Related reading:
- Why Reading Online Feels So Hard — the complete guide to online reading struggles and solutions
- Best Fonts for ADHD Reading — seven specific fonts tested and compared
- Reading Fatigue: Why Online Articles Drain You — poor typography is a leading cause of fatigue