The Best Fonts for Invoices (And How to Edit Them Quickly)

This guide is for freelancers, small businesses, and teams who want invoices that are easy to read, look professional, and don’t slow down payment because of formatting issues.

Clear font choices help clients scan totals, dates, and line items quickly. This reduces back-and-forth and avoids delays caused by unclear or awkward layouts.

Below, you’ll find reliable invoice fonts, when each one works best, and where to avoid them, along with steps on how to customize fonts in PDFs for a clean look.

Best Invoice Fonts: Top Choices and When to Use Them

Choosing the right font for your business invoice isn’t just a design decision. It directly affects how professional, legible, and trustworthy your invoice appears.

Below are the best fonts for business invoices, each with specific strengths for different use cases:

Arial

Arial is one of the most universally available fonts and is often seen as a reliable fallback to Helvetica. It offers a professional look that’s easy to read both on screen and paper. When editing invoices in tools like Smallpdf, Arial is a safe choice where consistent display across devices matters.

• Best for: Invoices that need maximum compatibility across different systems and software
• Pros: Compatible with almost every platform, easy to scan, great for email and print
• Cons: Can appear generic compared to more distinctive typefaces

Calibri

Calibri is the default font for many Microsoft Office documents, so it’s instantly familiar to most clients. It combines modernity with a rounded design that feels approachable yet professional.

• Best for: Businesses using Microsoft Office ecosystem and modern corporate environments
• Pros: Well-balanced proportions for legibility, works especially well in compact layouts
• Cons: May not be available on older systems or non-Microsoft platforms

Helvetica

This timeless sans-serif font is known for its clean lines and excellent legibility. It’s widely used in corporate branding and professional documents, giving your invoice a modern, polished look.

• Best for: Premium brands and companies prioritizing sophisticated design
• Pros: Works well across print and digital formats, fits most industries, highly legible even in small sizes
• Cons: Not included with all operating systems, may require licensing

Open Sans

This font is a versatile, web-friendly sans-serif with a clean and modern look. It’s widely used in design, making it a great choice for digital invoices or cloud-based invoicing platforms. It’s designed for optimal screen readability and is professional and neutral. Font embedding through tools like Smallpdf helps ensure Open Sans displays correctly for recipients.

• Best for: Digital-first businesses and online invoicing platforms
• Pros: Optimized for screen reading, modern appearance, excellent x-height for small text
• Cons: Requires web font loading for consistent display across devices

Times New Roman

A classic serif font, Times New Roman is especially useful if you want your invoice to look formal. The serif helps guide the eye, which can enhance readability for longer invoices with multiple line items. It has a familiar and professional appearance and is easy to read in print.

• Best for: Traditional industries like law, finance, or formal service providers
• Pros: Excellent for print documents, serif aids reading flow, universally recognized
• Cons: Can appear dated in modern digital contexts

Verdana

Verdana was specifically designed for screen readability with wide character spacing and clear letterforms. It maintains excellent legibility even at smaller sizes on computer monitors.

• Best for: Invoices primarily viewed on screens or by clients with visual accessibility needs
• Pros: Superior screen clarity, accessible design, works well for older monitors
• Cons: Wide spacing can make documents longer, less efficient for print

Roboto

Roboto is a modern sans-serif font designed for clear reading on screens. It balances clean geometry with open letterforms, making it easy to read on phones, tablets, and desktop displays. It feels neutral and professional without looking dated.

• Best for: Digital invoices, SaaS billing, and mobile-first workflows
• Pros: Excellent screen readability, performs well at small sizes, familiar to many users
• Cons: Not installed by default on all systems, may require font embedding for consistency

Inter

Inter is a contemporary sans-serif font created specifically for user interfaces and data-heavy layouts. It handles numbers, tables, and tight spacing well, which makes it a strong choice for detailed invoices with many line items.

• Best for: Invoices with dense tables, itemized charges, and financial data
• Pros: Clear numerals, strong legibility in tables, consistent spacing
• Cons: Not preinstalled on most systems, requires embedding for reliable display

Courier New

Courier New is a monospaced font where every character takes the same width. While it’s not ideal for full invoice layouts, it can be useful for specific elements that rely on alignment, such as item codes or reference numbers.

• Best for: Item codes, reference numbers, and purchase order IDs
• Pros: Perfect column alignment, universally available, easy to scan fixed-width data
• Cons: Poor choice for body text, looks dated if overused

Tahoma

Tahoma is a sans-serif font designed for clarity at small sizes. It uses tight spacing and clear letterforms, making it easier to read on screens and helpful for users with mild visual accessibility needs.

• Best for: Accessibility-friendly invoices and screen-based viewing
• Pros: Clear at small sizes, good screen performance, widely supported
• Cons: Limited stylistic flexibility, less modern appearance

Invoice Typography Best Practices (Sizes, Hierarchy, and Legibility)

Beyond choosing the right font family, proper typography ensures your invoices are professional and easy to process. These guidelines help create clear visual hierarchy and improve readability.

Font Size Guidelines

• Body text (line items, descriptions): 10-12 points
• Important details (totals, due dates): 12-14 points
• Headers (company name, “Invoice”): 14-18 points
• Fine print (terms, payment details): 8-10 points minimum

Visual Hierarchy Rules

• Company name and logo should be the largest text element.
• Invoice total and amount due deserve prominent sizing.
• Line items should be consistent and easily scannable.
• Contact information can be smaller but must remain legible.

Screen vs Print Considerations: Sans-serif fonts like Arial and Calibri typically perform better on screens, while serif fonts like Times New Roman can enhance readability in print. Consider your primary delivery method when choosing between font types.

How to Change Fonts in a PDF Invoice With Smallpdf

Now that you know how important font styles are for your invoice, let’s look at how you can change the fonts in your PDF so that it looks professional and trustworthy.

Step 1: Open Smallpdf’s PDF Editor and upload your invoice (drag and drop works too).

Step 2: Click “Edit Text,” then select the text you want to change.

Step 3: Adjust the font, size, color, or alignment as needed.

Step 4: Download your updated PDF or click “Finish” to print or share it.

Make Your Invoice Look Professional in Minutes With Smallpdf

Smallpdf’s PDF Editor lets you update invoice fonts directly in your browser, so you can make quick fixes without redesigning the document or switching software. Because everything runs online, you can edit invoices from any device and send them on immediately.

Files are handled securely, with automatic font embedding to keep layouts consistent when invoices are shared, downloaded, or printed. That means fewer formatting issues, fewer questions from clients, and smoother payment processing.

Start your free trial to access all Smallpdf tools and keep your invoices clear, consistent, and ready to send.

FAQs: Fonts for Invoices

What is the best font size for an invoice?

Most invoices work best with 10-12 pt for line items and descriptions, and 12-14 pt for totals and due dates. Headers like your company name or “Invoice” can be slightly larger, usually 14-18 pt, as long as the hierarchy stays clear.

Should I use serif or sans-serif fonts on invoices?

Sans-serif fonts like Arial, Calibri, and Open Sans are easier to read on screens and are the safest choice for digital invoices. Serif fonts like Times New Roman can work for printed invoices or more traditional industries, but they may feel dated in online billing.

Why do invoice fonts sometimes change when clients open the PDF?

Font changes usually happen when the original font isn’t embedded in the PDF. If the recipient’s device doesn’t have that font installed, it gets replaced automatically. Using a PDF editor that embeds fonts helps preserve spacing, alignment, and layout.

Can I change invoice fonts without recreating the document?

Yes. If your invoice is already a PDF, you can edit the text and adjust fonts directly using a PDF editor, rather than rebuilding the invoice in Word or design software. This is especially useful for quick fixes before sending or resending invoices.