10 Best Wide Fonts

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One of the best things about the digital age is the ability to produce professional-quality promotional materials from any computer. Brochures, announcements, invitations and blog pages can all be created quickly and easily. Wide fonts are very popular for making titles and headlines that pop. This post looks at 10 of the best wide fonts available.

Not very far back in the past, text style choices were limited and unvaried. The dozen or so options to choose from looked very similar to each other. The process of installing and adding new fonts to word processing programs was usually complicated and frustrating. Even when properly installed, options that were not part of the original programming sometimes produced unusual or unreadable effects.

What was once a world of limited choices may now be described as a sort of information overload. Searching the internet, there are thousands of fonts available in both the free and paid formats. Today’s problem might be that there are too many choices, making it hard to decide. This article can help you make that decision. Every font listed below includes tips as to where it could be properly used.

How We Chose Our Ratings

When putting together product ratings, we feel it is most important to be unbiased and honest. Generally, brand reputation and customer reviews are heavily weighted in determining a product rating. Finally, the longevity of a brand or the quality of their other products may also have some influence.

That said, rating fonts is not an easy process. For one thing, there generally isn’t a brand identity that can be readily identified. While one company may create a typestyle and charge a price to purchase it, that same product can frequently be found at a lower price or for free on another site. The superabundance of sites that offer wide fonts make it very difficult to determine where each one was originally created.

In addition, style choice is very subjective. We make every effort to remove all bias from our product reviews. Since fonts are not a physical product, some individual preference had to come into play. Even among our writing staff, there was some disagreement as to which one was the best style. In the end, we looked at our favorites and rated them on versatility, usability and readability. All ratings are based on a five-star scale.

1. Aviano Flare

Aviano Flare

The Aviano Flare font tops the list because it is relatively simple and very easy to read. It’s a very versatile option that would fit as a title or headers on text documents while keeping a touch of style. Term papers frequently have very strict guidelines as to typestyle choices, but if you have the chance, this one looks professional and is visually appealing. Formal letters could use it if there is a need to add a title or heading.

2. Bombelli Light Hand

Bombelli Light Hand

Maybe not ideal for everyone, we liked the Bombelli Light Hand font because of its uniqueness and artsy feel. The lines that trail off some of the letters, such as the “A” and “K”, gives it a very distinctive look. It probably shouldn’t be considered for plain text documents or manuscripts but would be great on announcements or for the cover of marketing materials. Many different types of invitations would also look good with this option.

3. Millennium (BT)

Millennium (BT)

What stands out most about the Millennium (BT) font is the thin outline around the letters. The letters still look professional and could be appropriately used in a logo or information brochure. There is also a bit of fun with these letters that would look great for party invitations or birth announcements. It would be inappropriate to use it in professional correspondence or text-only reports.

4. Controller Ext Three

Controller Ext Three

Uniformity is easily achieved with the block letters in the Controller Ext Three font. The edges of the letters are a little rounded to keep them from looking childish. The block style presents most letters at the same width. The width consistency would make it great to use as lead letters in the opening paragraph of chapters and would keep symmetry if used as bullet points. It is very easy to read and could be used for a variety of applications ranging from sign-making to letterhead.

5. FF Gothic

FF Gothic

Another block style choice, FF Gothic maintains symmetry while throwing in a bit of a science fiction feel. The uniqueness of the “J”, “K” and “Q” offer a retro look reminiscent of the video game text from some of the earliest game platforms. This font would be best used for playful or casual documents like party invites. Titles or headers on a blog that features science fiction or gaming content would be an especially popular choice for using it.

6. Aviano Contrast

Aviano Contrast

The Aviano Contrast font is very sleek and elegant. The thin lines provide excellent reading ease with a sense of sophistication. Wedding invitations and engagement announcements would both benefit from the class portrayed by it. This style would look very appealing with a metallic foil imprint like silver or gold. Since it is a bit understated, it would not pull focus from images if used on event posters or play programs. Food blogs might like to use it for recipe titles or headings.

7. Vienna Extended

Vienna Extended

The Vienna Extended font might have ranked much higher with some individuals, but the unusual nature of it might not resonate with everyone. The top of some of the letters, such as the “B” and “P”, are a bit squished. The “S” is so different from other options that it barely looks like a letter. That said, it has a very strong art deco vibe that a certain subset of people will fall in love with.

The condensed upper portion of many letters might make it difficult for some people to read, especially those with vision problems, so it would not be a good choice for professional or academic purposes. Social media graphics and promotional posts would really stand out by using it as long as the font was not used excessively. Themed-party invitations would stand out by its use.

8. Telidon Expanded

Telidon Expanded

If you really want a retro computer feel, the dot matrix design of the Telidon Expanded font is right for you. It is not an appropriate choice for use on student papers. This is a fun option that was created to appeal to fans of early computers and gamers. You can almost hear the screech of a dot matrix printer when you look at it. Telidon Expanded could be used sparingly for newsletters for the cosplay crowd. It might also be a good ironic choice to use in a retirement announcement or for an introduction to computers class promotional flyer.

9. HWT Unit Gothic 716

HWT Unit Gothic 716

The HWT Unit Gothic 716 is designed to make a bold statement. Thick letters give it a strong and authoritative presence. Any line using it will stand out and garner attention. There are many uses that would be appropriate for this font, but it might not be the best option for signage that needs to be readable from a distance. The thickness of the letters may cause them to appear blurry when read from afar. With minimal use, it could make specific points in a brochure or leaflet to have a big impact. For a postcard mailer, combining it with a bright color will almost guarantee that any line will get read. Only one line of text should be highlighted that way.

10. Compur

Compur

All about fun, the Compur font is lighthearted and whimsical. Almost every letter has a slight curve effect that creates a happy feeling. Baby announcements and children’s party invitations would be perfect for it. Social media graphics and blog banners will be distinctive with a positive charm. Since it gives off a bit of a juvenile persona, it would not be the right choice for business documents, unless your business caters to the youthful crowd or services for children. Titles on promotional flyers for health clubs and gyms would be eye-catching with this choice.

How To Choose a Font

If you are putting together a document or promotional piece, the vast number of options may be overwhelming. While we strongly recommend each item listed above, there are a few factors you may want to consider before selecting your final choice.

Audience

Typestyle use can be restricted based on your expected audience. Academic institutions may provide only one or two styles that are permissible for use with essays or theme papers. Professionals, such as lawyers and accountants, will want a more conservative type that maintains their professional image. Casual documents and party invitations will want to reflect the tone of the message you want to be passed on to the final reader. Heavily scripted or embellished fonts may be difficult to read for someone with little or only a mediocre grasp of the language.

Readability

The right choice will always be one that is easy to read. There is a lot of leeway for choices made for digital products or documents. These types of uses have more options because of user’s ability to increase text size if needed. Posters and banners, on the other hand, need to be easily readable from a distance. Banners that will be high up should have thicker letters that appear clear from ground level. Wide fonts are a good choice for banners and signs because the extra width naturally increases reading ease.

Color Choice

Corresponding colors are another important item to consider. High contrast colors, such as black text on a white page, are very readable and make almost any choice appropriate. Similar hue or palette colors between text and medium may cause some letter bleeding and make letters look fuzzy. Typestyles that are very thin may be blurry or entirely unidentifiable from a distance. Conversely, excessively thick fonts may meld together and look like a meaningless blob from afar.

Medium

Where the text will be placed is also worth considering. Signs look best with a semi-thick font. Product manuals or disclaimers that might have smaller print need a letter that looks clear at any size. Text that is being formatted for a book typical will best use a simple choice, so the typeface doesn’t detract from the writing.

Document Type

Finally, the document itself may dictate some style choices. Information brochures or user manuals need to be easily readable for the widest audience possible. Wedding invitations will typically want to maintain a formal and elegant styling, so a balloon or novelty style might not be considered in good taste. Formal letters and emails that are sent to a varied customer base should have text that will be effortlessly read by most readers.

Buyer’s Guide

Each of the options listed in this article has its own strength and ideal use location. While we may have an intense fondness for the art deco style of the Vienna Extended font, you may personally hate it. Don’t be afraid to try a variety of options for the project you are preparing. If your content will be available on the web, enlarge and shrink it to make sure it continues to be easily read. Remember, web content is viewed on both large screen computers and smartphones, and thus should be easy to read when big or small. Producing promotional items might be a new endeavor for you, so be sure to get some input from other people to guarantee the widest appeal.

The choices are nearly limitless. Using wide fonts is a fun way to show off your personality and individual style. Look at the options available and consider the points in this post to help you make a decision. In the end, trust your gut. Looking at the lettering on a draft document will quickly tell you if it is the right one for you.