Hey guys! 👋
I’ve been getting lots of questions about the neobrutalism trend and its key features, so I figured… why not start sharing more helpful design resources and advice?
Let’s kick things off with fonts — specifically, my favorite picks for neobrutalist web design.
Okay, what is Neobrutalism?
Just in case you missed it… Neobrutalism is a design style (or trend, if you prefer) inspired by the original brutalism movement in architecture. It’s defined by bold typography, raw simple shapes, high contrast, bright colors, solid strong borders, and hard shadows (shadow blur? Hell, no!).
It’s functional, minimal, and loud in all the right ways. I use it on my website, in some client projects, and right here in this newsletter.
Why did Neobrutalism get so popular?
After years of clean, soft, and “safe” design trends, people were craving something with more edge. Neobrutalism is just what was needed — unpolished, playful, and refreshingly bold.
It also carries a hint of nostalgia, like a throwback to childhood drawings or early web aesthetics. Startups like beehiiv and Gumroad use it to break away from boring B2B vibes and signal something more casual, youthful, and not boring.
What makes a font “Neobrutalist”?
In neobrutalism, typography isn’t just a detail — it is a huge part of the style.
Most neobrutalist fonts are bold Neo Grotesques or Geometric Sans Serifs with quirky details and vintage energy. It’s a chance to get playful with type in a way that still feels structured.
👀 But where do you draw the line?
It’s easy to go overboard.
Screenshot from Envato Fonts
Just because something looks great on a poster doesn’t mean it’ll work on a website or a mobile app.
Why?
Because we still have to think about accessibility, contrast, readability, loading speed — and the fact that people actually need to read your site.
So skip the overly decorative or tightly condensed fonts. Instead, go for chunky headers, clean body fonts, simple color palettes, and lots of whitespace.
My favourite free Neobrutalist fonts (Google Fonts)
Google Fonts offers a massive library of free, web-friendly fonts — and they’re great for site speed, too. Here are my top picks for any neobrutalist project:
1. Sora
A Neo-Grotesque Sans Serif with subtle nods to low-res aesthetics and early screen typography, but without nostalgia. Everything was made to feel crisp, fresh and modern. “Sora” means “sky” in Japanese, and the font feels just as open.
Best for: Headlines & body text, product UI, clean tech branding.
Pair with: Inter, IBM Plex Sans, Manrope, Noto Sans.
Why I love it: Sleek enough for body text, bold enough for headers. I use it for my own blog — it just works.
2. Epilogue
A Geometric Sans Serif font with a killer “g” and 9 weights — upright and italic, all packed into a variable font. It supports a wide range of Latin-based languages, making it versatile across projects. It shines in bold headers and big typography moments. That said, I don’t find it super satisfying for body text — the rhythm feels a bit off in longer reads.
Best for: Hero headers, buttons, punchy statements.
Pair with: Work Sans, Space Grotesk, Nunito Sans.
Why I love it: That “g” and all the weight options — it gives you room to get loud.
3. Syne
This one’s bold in every sense. A Geometric Sans Serif font that gets wider as it gets heavier, forcing some fun (and sometimes radical) layout decisions. The quirky “g” and smooth ligatures give it an artsy feel — but in Regular weight, it’s more clean and rounded, even a bit Poppins-like.
Syne gets wider as it gets heavier
Best for: Experimental layouts, loud hero titles, portfolios.
Pair with: Poppins, Epilogue, Lato, Inter.
Why I love it: It’s definitely not shy — it pushes you to be bold, but still feels clean and readable in lighter weights.
A Neo Grotesque Sans Serif with mixed flavor — part French, part British, part modern remix. I love its playful ascenders & descenders — just look at the “g” and “f.” It brings personality to headlines and adds edge to bold, expressive brands.
Best for: Headlines, bold modern brands, Gen Z vibes, portfolios with personality.
Pair with: Inter, Roboto, Lato, Noto Sans.
Why I love it: It’s got that weird-but-elegant energy. Total main character font — especially the sexy “g” and “f.”
Plus Jakarta Sans is a Geometric Sans Serif font by Tokotype. Inspired by 1930s grotesques (Futura, Neuzeit Grotesk), but cleaner, sharper and made for the modern web. It’s super versatile: bolds, italics, and regular weights all hold up beautifully.
What makes it really special? The stylistic sets. Turn them on, and the vibe shifts completely — from playful to serious, minimalist to techy. It’s basically four fonts in one.
Stylistic sets (Plus Jakarta Sans)
Best for: Everything — headings, body text, UI, branding.
Pair with: Just itself. It can handle a full system. Also makes a great body font for Epilogue or Syne.
Why I love it: Italics and bolds look equally strong. Like Poppins’ cooler sister — but with built-in mood switches.
Got a Favorite Neobrutalist Font?
Hit reply or drop me a message — I’d love to see what you’re using.
If there’s enough interest, I’ll update the web version with even more free and paid fonts.
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See you next time!
Kristina
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