Arimo font pairings start from a practical brief. According to its Google Fonts description, Arimo was designed by Steve Matteson as a refreshing sans serif that is metrically compatible with Arial, meaning it matches Arial’s character widths. It offers improved on-screen readability, covers the pan-European WGL character set, and was made for developers who need width-compatible fonts so documents keep their layout across platforms. Arimo is free under the SIL Open Font License. Because it fills the same space as Arial, it is a safe replacement in templates, documents and older web layouts, and it pairs with the same kinds of fonts that work with any clean neo-grotesque.
Is Arimo a heading or body font?
Arimo is mainly a body font. Its plain, familiar shapes read well in paragraphs, tables, forms and documents, and its wide language support covers Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew and Vietnamese. The Google Fonts version is variable with a weight axis from Regular (400) to Bold (700) and matching italics. That range is enough for clear subheads and bold labels, but it lacks the very heavy or very light weights that make dramatic display type. For that reason, most designers use Arimo for body text and give big headlines to a partner with more character, or set Arimo Bold as a simple heading over a serif body.
Best fonts to pair with Arimo
These partners cover a matched serif, a screen reading serif and three headline faces with different moods. Every font listed is free on Google Fonts.
| Pairing | Use as | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Arimo + Tinos | Heading + Body | Tinos is a serif also designed by Steve Matteson, so its body text shares a clean, document-friendly feel with Arimo headings. |
| Arimo + Merriweather | Heading + Body | Merriweather is a sturdy screen serif that makes long text comfortable to read beneath plain, clear Arimo headings. |
| Arimo + Playfair Display | Body + Heading | Playfair Display adds high-contrast, elegant headlines that give personality to pages set in neutral Arimo body text. |
| Arimo + Montserrat | Body + Heading | Montserrat’s wide, geometric capitals make bold modern headings that stand apart from the narrower, familiar Arimo text. |
| Arimo + Roboto Slab | Body + Heading | Roboto Slab gives headings solid, square serifs and a confident tone that contrasts cleanly with even Arimo paragraphs. |
Arimo + Tinos (for documents and reports)
Tinos is the natural partner for Arimo. Google Fonts credits both families to Steve Matteson, and Tinos comes in Regular and Bold with italics. Set Arimo Bold for headings, subheads and table headers, and Tinos Regular for paragraphs. The result looks like a tidy, traditional document: serif text for reading, sans headings for structure. This is especially useful for reports, policies, proposals, academic papers and web pages that also need to be printed or exported, since both fonts keep a familiar, office-style look. Keep the hierarchy simple, because each family has only a few styles. For more ideas on document typography, see our guide to the best fonts for reports.
Arimo + Playfair Display (for editorial headlines)
When Arimo feels too plain on its own, move it to the body and set headlines in Playfair Display. Playfair is a high-contrast display serif with weights from 400 to 900 and italics, so it makes elegant page titles, pull quotes and section openers. Arimo then carries paragraphs, captions, menus and forms without competing for attention. The contrast between Playfair’s sharp thick and thin strokes and Arimo’s even, practical shapes makes the hierarchy instant. Use Playfair large, at 36 pixels or more, and keep Arimo Regular for running text. This pairing works for blogs, small business sites, event pages and newsletters that want a more polished look with little effort. Compare other partners in our Playfair Display font pairings guide.
Arimo + Montserrat (for modern marketing pages)
For a clean, contemporary look, pair Arimo body text with Montserrat headings. Montserrat is a geometric sans with a weight axis from 100 to 900 and italics, and its wide, round capitals look striking in bold headlines and buttons. Arimo is narrower and more neutral, so the difference in width and construction is enough to separate the two even though both are sans serifs. Set Montserrat Bold or ExtraBold for headlines, ideally in short phrases, and use Arimo Regular for paragraphs. This combination suits landing pages, startup sites, presentations and promotional emails.
How to pair fonts with Arimo yourself
Treat Arimo as a neutral base. Partners that add something Arimo lacks, such as stroke contrast, serifs or strong geometric shapes, will make good headings. Fonts that look very close to Arimo, such as other neo-grotesques of similar width, will not create enough contrast. Remember its weight range runs from 400 to 700, so if you need a very light or very heavy look, get it from the partner. If you are replacing Arial in an existing template, Arimo keeps line breaks in place, which makes it a safe base for pairing tests. Try combinations in our font pairing generator and browse alternatives in our list of the best fonts for presentations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What font pairs best with Arimo?
Tinos is the most natural partner because Google Fonts credits both to Steve Matteson, and the pair suits documents and reports. Merriweather is a strong reading serif for long web pages. If you want Arimo as the body font, Playfair Display, Montserrat and Roboto Slab make good headline faces.
Is Arimo the same as Arial?
No, but Arimo is metrically compatible with Arial, so it uses the same character widths and text set in one will reflow almost identically in the other. Its letterforms are its own design, and Google Fonts notes improved on-screen readability.
Is Arimo good for body text?
Yes. Arimo is designed for on-screen readability and works well for paragraphs, forms, tables and documents. Use Regular (400) for body text and Medium, SemiBold or Bold for emphasis and headings.
Is Arimo free?
Yes. Arimo is free on Google Fonts under the SIL Open Font License, which allows personal and commercial use, self-hosting and modification. It supports Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew and Vietnamese character sets.
Who designed Arimo?
Arimo was designed by Steve Matteson. Google Fonts describes it as a refreshing sans serif that is metrically compatible with Arial, and its source files are available on GitHub.
