The story behind Inter
Few typefaces have influenced modern web design as profoundly as Inter.
Originally designed by Rasmus Andersson, Inter has grown from a screen-first typeface into one of the most widely used open-source fonts on the web. Its combination of clarity, versatility, and readability has made it a favorite among designers, developers, and product teams alike.
I spent years designing with Inter. It became the foundation for countless websites I built and shaped how I think about typography—not as decoration, but as a tool to help people read, understand, and engage with ideas.
This article explores the story behind Inter, why I chose it for so many projects, and the lessons it continues to teach me about thoughtful design.
Why Inter became popular
Created by Rasmus Andersson in 2017, Inter was designed specifically for computer screens. The open-source typeface family includes nine weights, each paired with an italic counterpart, for a total of 18 styles. It’s available as a variable font, offering remarkable flexibility for modern digital design.
2.3m
Number of websites currently featuring Inter font.
Inter arrived at the right time. As websites and applications became increasingly sophisticated, designers needed a typeface that felt equally at home in user interfaces, editorial layouts, and marketing websites.
Its strength wasn’t personality—it was clarity. Inter is highly legible across a wide range of sizes and quietly fades into the background, allowing the content to take center stage.
Those qualities, combined with its open-source license, helped Inter become one of the defining typefaces of modern web design. Today, it’s trusted by designers, developers, and product teams building everything from startups to personal websites.
Why I chose Inter
I first started using Inter because it solved a practical problem: it simply worked. Whether I was designing a WordPress theme, building a client website, or publishing long-form content, it consistently delivered a clean and comfortable reading experience.
Over time, I came to appreciate something more important. Inter never felt like it was competing with the content. It established a clear visual hierarchy without becoming the focal point, giving words the space they needed.
That philosophy aligned closely with my own approach to design. I believe typography should create understanding before it creates expression. A typeface should support the ideas on the page, not distract from them.
For years, Inter became my default because it did exactly that. It brought clarity, consistency, and restraint to every project, reinforcing my belief that typography is one of the most important decisions a designer can make.
Lessons from Inter
Designing with Inter for so many years changed how I think about typography. More than any individual feature or stylistic detail, it reinforced the idea that great type should make reading feel effortless.
That lesson continues to shape every project I work on today. When I evaluate a typeface, I care less about whether it feels distinctive and more about whether it helps readers move naturally through the content.
Perspective
Great typography rarely draws attention to itself. Its greatest achievement is making the content feel effortless to read.
Designing with Inter also refined my eye. The more I appreciated its quiet confidence and emphasis on readability, the more I found myself searching for those same qualities in other typefaces. Inter didn’t just become a tool I relied on—it became the standard by which I evaluated every font.
That perspective eventually led me to Google Sans. While designing Suede, I chose it as the typographic foundation—not because Inter fell short, but because I was looking for a different expression of the same values: clarity, restraint, and exceptional readability.
I still recommend Inter without hesitation. It’s one of the finest open-source typefaces available, and it helped shape my philosophy that typography is most successful when readers remember the ideas they encountered—not the font they were reading.
Conclusion
Inter has earned its place as one of the defining typefaces of modern web design. Its thoughtful design, open-source foundation, and exceptional readability have made it a trusted choice for millions.
For me, Inter represents more than a well-crafted typeface. It shaped how I think about typography and reinforced a belief that continues to guide my work today: the best design doesn’t compete for attention—it helps people understand what matters.
Whether you’re choosing your first typeface or refining an existing design system, Inter is worth understanding—not simply because it’s popular, but because it demonstrates how thoughtful typography can quietly improve every reading experience.
Resources
Using Inter is as easy as downloading & installing it. If you want to use Inter on your website, you can get it from Google Fonts.
Inter is licensed under the SIL Open Font License. You are free to use this font in almost any way imaginable. It can be used freely in your projects—print or digital, commercial or otherwise.
Below is a list of resources you might find helpful about Inter: