Safe Web Fonts
Compatibility is one of the biggest issues in Web typography.
The fonts you see on your Web site can appear completely different when looking at them from another computer.
If the OS of your visitor doesn't include the same font, his browser will automatically apply a substitute.
Compatible / Comparable Sans Serif Fonts
The most popular Sans Serif fonts on the Web are Arial, Verdana (for Windows) and Helvetica for Mac OS.
Ideally, you should select one of these three for your primary font and specify the other two as backup choices.
Considering that Web browsers render these fonts at fairly low resolutions, they appear quite similar, especially at small point sizes.
Windows |
Your System: |
Mac OS |
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Arial
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Chicago
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Comic Sans
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Geneva
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Helvetica
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Impact
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Monaco
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MS Sans Serif
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Trebuchet MS
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Verdana
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Similar Serif Fonts
Times New Roman is the most popular Serif font used on the Web.
It is compatible for both Mac OS and Windows and should be your primary Serif backup choice.
Courier is an ugly monotype font used mainly because of its functionality.
Although Courier can be helpful in particular cases, very few Web sites employ it for bulks of textual content.
Windows |
Your System: |
Mac OS |
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Courier
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Palatino
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Times
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Symbols
As you can see form the table below, the Symbol font ensures the widest cross-platform compatibility.
Nonetheless, displaying specific symbols is rarely an issue in terms of compatibility.
If you only need to display one or few specific symbols, it may be better to save them as images.
Windows |
Your System: |
Mac OS |
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Symbol
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WingDings
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Zapf Dingbats
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