Not all fonts are created equal – especially when it comes to accessibility. For people with disabilities, the right font can mean the difference between a smooth, inclusive experience and one that feels frustrating or confusing.
In this blog, we’ll explore the best ADA compliant fonts for websites in 2025, including recommended typefaces, font sizes, and tips for readability. By the end, you’ll know exactly what font to choose to make your website more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Section 508 Standards don’t explicitly name any fonts as ADA-compliant or accessible. However, they provide helpful criteria for selecting accessible fonts.
Here are the key criteria to consider:
While this list isn’t exhaustive, it covers some of the most important font traits to consider when aiming for ADA compliance and inclusive design. Now let’s take a look at the fonts that best embody these principles.
Atkinson Hyperlegible was designed by the Braille Institute to help people with low vision read more clearly. Its exaggerated letter shapes make similar characters like “I,” “l,” and “1” easy to tell apart. It’s one of the most accessible fonts available.
Roboto is a clean, modern sans-serif font developed by Google. It strikes a nice balance between geometric structure and friendly curves. It’s highly readable on screens, making it perfect for websites and mobile apps.
Helvetica is a classic font known for its simple, neutral design. It’s widely used in accessible design because of its clarity and clean lines. While it may not be available on all systems, it’s a favorite among designers for good reason.
Verdana was made specifically for screen use, with wide letter spacing and large characters. It’s very readable at small sizes, which makes it great for body text. If you want something easy on the eyes across all devices, Verdana delivers.
Arial is a default font on almost every system, making it a reliable choice for accessibility. It’s simple, clean, and works well for both headings and body text. Because of its familiarity and clarity, it’s often a go-to for ADA-friendly design.
Tahoma is similar to Verdana but slightly more compact, making it useful in tighter spaces. It has a clean, even stroke width that keeps text easy to read. It’s especially good for UI elements like buttons, labels, and menus.
Calibri is a soft, modern font with rounded edges that give it a friendly look. It was Microsoft’s default font for years and is still widely used in accessible documents. It’s a good all-around option for digital content that needs to be easy to read.
The recommended ADA font size for regular body text is 16px (12pt). For headings, a minimum of 24px (18pt) is suggested. Additionally, WCAG requires that all text be scalable up to 200% without loss of content or functionality.
💡 Tip:
Using fixed pixel sizes for text can sometimes lead to issues like truncated content or poor resizing on different devices. To improve flexibility and user experience, it’s better to use relative units like %, em, or rem, which scale more effectively based on screen size and user settings.
You can test how well your text resizes using the text enlargement test tool at a11y-guidelines.orange.com.
Choosing an ADA-compliant font is a smart move toward building a more inclusive website – but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. True accessibility means considering how every part of your site supports users of all abilities, from text and colors to navigation and structure.
Not sure how accessible your site really is? Run a free accessibility audit with WebYes to uncover hidden barriers and get clear, actionable steps to make your site fully inclusive. Because accessibility isn’t just about compliance – it’s about creating a better web for everyone.
A font is ADA-compliant if it is easy to read, has clear character distinction, uses a sans-serif style, and works well with assistive technologies. Additionally, it should be legible at various sizes and scalable without breaking the layout.
No, the ADA doesn’t specify exact fonts. However, fonts like Atkinson Hyperlegible, Arial, Roboto, Verdana, and Helvetica follow best practices for accessibility and are widely considered ADA-friendly.
The WCAG recommends using at least 16px (12pt) for body text and 24px (18pt) for headings on websites to ensure readability. When users can’t resize text – such as on kiosks or closed systems – the ADA requires a minimum height of 3/16 inch (4.8 mm), based on the uppercase “I”.
Article by
Melwyn holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and has been writing professionally for over 4 years. He has a strong background in SEO and is certified in web accessibility from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). When he's not writing about website optimisation, you can find him enjoying a game of FIFA or exploring the open world of GTA.
How do you create web content that drives action, not just fills space? The kind where every word earns its place, serves a purpose, and leads people to what they need. In this edition of The Better Web Dialogues, we talk with Kavya R, Content Designer at CookieYes, to unpack the craft of writing web […]
Not every organisation or service is covered by the European Accessibility Act (EAA). While the EAA sets out broad accessibility requirements for products and services across the EU, it also outlines specific exemptions – some permanent, some limited in scope. This section breaks down who and what is fully exempt from the EAA, so you […]
Because the European Accessibility Act (EAA) is transposed into national law by each EU member state, the exact rules can vary slightly from country to country. If you’re a business operating in Ireland and working on EAA compliance, we’re here to help you understand what’s required. In this post, we break down everything you need to know about the […]
Not sure if your website meets EAA accessibility requirements? With the June 2025 deadline approaching, now’s the time to check and fix what’s missing – otherwise, you could face hefty fines and legal consequences. In this guide, you’ll learn what makes a website EAA compliant – and how to check yours using both automated tools […]