If you want to be sure your font collection includes the most legible and readable, tried and true typefaces for text, you can't go wrong with the selection of serif fonts presented here. While this is only the tip of the iceberg, these classic serif fonts are versatile and reliable standards. Within each grouping are many varieties and renditions, some more suitable than others for body copy. Because few designers can agree on which is best, this list is presented in alphabetical order.
Baskerville
Baskerville Com Regular; Fonts.com
A classic dating from the 1750s, the many variations of Baskerville and New Baskerville serif fonts work quite well for both text and display use.
- ITC Baskerville Pro Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Baskerville Com Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- New Baskerville Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Monotype Baskerville Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Baskerville Volume (URW) (Buy Direct)
Bodoni
Bodoni Classic Roman; Fonts.com
A classic text face styled after the work of Giambattista Bodini. Some font versions are, perhaps, too heavy or carry too much contrast in thick and thin strokes for body text but work very well as a display face.
- Bodoni 1 Volume (Buy Direct)
- Bodoni Multilingual Volume (Buy Direct)
- Bodoni Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- La Bodoni Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Bauer Bodoni Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Monotype Bodoni Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- WTC Our Bodoni Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
Caslon
LTC Caslon Regular; Fonts.com
Benjamin Franklin chose Caslon for the first printing of the American Declaration of Independence. Fonts based on the typefaces of William Caslon are good, readable choices for text.
- Adobe Caslon Volume (Buy Direct)
- Adobe Caslon Expert Volume (Buy Direct)
- Adobe Caslon Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- ITC Founder's Caslon Complete Volume (Buy Direct)
- Caslon Classico Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- William Caslon Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Caslon Antique Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
Century
Monotype Century Schoolbook Pro; Fonts.com
The best known of this family is probably New Century Schoolbook. All the Century faces are considered highly legible serif fonts, suitable not only for children's textbooks but for magazines and other publications as well.
- Monotype Century Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- ITC Century Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- New Century Schoolbook Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
Garamond
ITC Garamond Family; Fonts.com
Typefaces bearing the Garamond name are not always based on the designs of Claude Garamond; however, these serif fonts share certain characteristics of timeless beauty and readability.
- ITC Garamond Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Adobe Garamond Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Stempel Garamond Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Garamond 3 Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
Goudy
Goudy Family; Fonts.com
This popular serif typeface from Frederic W. Goudy has evolved over the years to include many weights and variations.
- Goudy Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Monotype Goudy Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Goudy Old Style Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- URW Goudy Volume (Buy Direct)
Palatino
Palatino Family; Fonts.com
Sabon
Sabon Family; Fonts.com
Stone Serif
ITC Stone Serif; Fonts.com
A relatively "young" design from the late 1980s, the whole family with its coordinated serif, sans serif, and informal families work well for mixing and matching styles.
- ITC Stone Serif Volume (Buy Direct)
- ITC Stone Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- ITC Stone Complete Family Pack Adobe (Buy Direct)
Times
Times Family; Fonts.com
Possibly overused but a good basic serif font nonetheless. Originally designed for newspaper use, Times, Times New Roman, and other variations are designed to be easily readable and legible as body text — a neutral font.
- Times Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- Times New Roman Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
- CG Times Complete Family Pack (Buy Direct)
