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Merriweather sets the tone in one line. Lato stays out of the way and lets it.

MERRIWEATHER 700  +  LATO 400

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What Fonts Go With Raleway?

What Fonts Go With Raleway?

Raleway pairs great with Merriweather, Open Sans and Lato. All 15 pairings are shown below in real rendered specimens, with the reason each one works.

Raleway type specimen

What fonts go with Raleway? This elegant geometric sans-serif with distinctive character details requires partners that can complement its fashionable aesthetic without creating visual redundancy.

Raleway began as a single thin weight by Matt McInerney before being expanded into a comprehensive family by Pablo Impallari and Rodrigo Fuenzalida. Its design features a stylistic alternate inspired by geometric sans-serifs, giving designers another way to shape its headlines. The typeface straddles the line between geometric structure and humanist warmth, with elegant proportions suited to fashion, beauty, and lifestyle branding. Its lighter weights are particularly graceful, while heavier weights maintain refinement without becoming clunky.

Pairing Raleway means understanding its fashion-forward character. It reads as elegant and contemporary, which can clash with overly traditional or utilitarian companions. The best pairings either share its sophisticated sensibility or provide enough contrast to create intentional tension. Body text companions need enough personality to support Raleway’s elegance without overwhelming readers. Here are 15 fonts that pair well with Raleway, each chosen for how they engage with its distinctive aesthetic.

1. Merriweather

Raleway and Merriweather font pairing: Raleway headline with Merriweather body text

Raleway’s elegant thin strokes find their perfect counterweight in Merriweather‘s substantial serif presence. The distinctive Raleway ‘W’ brings geometric flair to headlines while Merriweather’s tall x-height ensures comfortable extended reading. This pairing whispers sophistication without pretension, making it ideal for boutique hotels, lifestyle magazines, or fashion editorials that prioritize refined aesthetics.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Merriweather (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side
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2. Open Sans

Raleway and Open Sans font pairing: Raleway headline with Open Sans body text

Sometimes simplicity wins. Open Sans provides the neutral, readable foundation that lets Raleway’s subtle personality shine in headlines. Both fonts share generous letter-spacing sensibilities and clean geometry, creating visual cohesion without redundancy. This versatile pairing works across contexts from corporate communications to personal blogs, adapting to whatever tone your content requires.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Open Sans (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

3. Lato

Raleway and Lato font pairing: Raleway headline with Lato body text

Two sans-serifs with distinct voices create nuanced hierarchy. Lato‘s semi-rounded letterforms and warm personality complement Raleway’s cooler elegance. The weight differences between these fonts allow for flexible headline-to-body relationships. Use this for contemporary portfolios, startup websites, or anywhere modern sophistication needs approachable warmth.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Lato (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

4. Roboto Condensed

Raleway and Roboto Condensed font pairing: Raleway headline with Roboto Condensed body text

Width contrast creates instant visual interest. Roboto Condensed‘s narrow efficiency contrasts with Raleway’s more generous proportions, establishing clear hierarchy through letterform width alone. The geometric foundations of both fonts ensure harmony despite their differences. This pairing excels in space-constrained layouts, mobile interfaces, or any design requiring compact headlines with readable body text.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Roboto Condensed (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side
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5. Bitter

Raleway and Bitter font pairing: Raleway headline with Bitter body text

Slab serif substance grounds Raleway’s ethereal lightness. Bitter brings weight and solidity to body text, its sturdy serifs providing visual anchors that prevent layouts from feeling too airy. The contrast between Raleway’s thin elegance and Bitter’s chunky presence creates engaging tension. Perfect for creative studios, artisanal brands, or editorial designs that need both finesse and foundation.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Bitter (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

6. Cabin

Raleway and Cabin font pairing: Raleway headline with Cabin body text

Two fonts that share contemporary sensibilities without competing for attention. Cabin‘s rounded-geometric hybrid approach complements Raleway’s cleaner geometry while adding subtle warmth. Try different weights to give each font a clear role. Deploy this combination for tech-forward brands, mobile apps, or modern web experiences that prioritize clarity.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Cabin (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

7. PT Sans

Raleway and PT Sans font pairing: Raleway headline with PT Sans body text

Clean lines and shared proportional logic unite these two sans-serifs. PT Sans brings Russian typographic heritage with its sturdy, practical letterforms, while Raleway contributes elegant headline presence. Use the pairing for educational materials, institutional sites, or layouts that need a practical body font beneath elegant headings.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and PT Sans (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side
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8. Playfair Display

Raleway and Playfair Display font pairing: Raleway headline with Playfair Display body text

High drama meets understated elegance. Playfair Display‘s theatrical stroke contrast and hairline serifs create headlines that demand attention, while Raleway’s measured sophistication grounds body text in contemporary clarity. This pairing suggests luxury without excess, perfect for high-end retail, wedding stationery, or lifestyle content aimed at discerning audiences.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Playfair Display (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

9. Droid Serif

Raleway and Droid Serif font pairing: Raleway headline with Droid Serif body text

Designed for Android’s small screens, Droid Serif brings readable warmth beneath Raleway’s cool headline elegance. Its serifs provide textural contrast against Raleway’s modern lines. This reliable pairing serves content-heavy sites, news platforms, and reading-focused applications.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Droid Serif (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

10. Alice

Raleway and Alice font pairing: Raleway headline with Alice body text

Decorative charm meets geometric precision. Alice‘s quirky serifs and distinctive personality add character beneath Raleway’s more restrained headlines. The pairing creates whimsical yet sophisticated layouts, perfect for children’s book publishers, creative agencies, or lifestyle brands that embrace personality without sacrificing professionalism.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Alice (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

11. Avenir

Raleway and Avenir font pairing: Raleway headline with Avenir body text

Two geometric sans-serifs with complementary voices. Avenir‘s humanist touches and balanced proportions provide subtle contrast against Raleway’s cleaner geometry. Together they create cohesive layouts that feel timeless. Use this for architecture firms, design agencies, or any context where modernist aesthetics define the brand.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Avenir (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

12. TeX Gyre Adventor

Raleway and TeX Gyre Adventor font pairing: Raleway headline with TeX Gyre Adventor body text

Clean geometric alignment between two fonts that prioritize precision. TeX Gyre Adventor‘s roots in URW Gothic, a stand-in for ITC Avant Garde Gothic, and its consistent stroke weights complement Raleway’s own geometric foundations. The pairing reads as intellectual without being cold. Perfect for scientific publications, data visualization platforms, or academic contexts requiring contemporary clarity.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and TeX Gyre Adventor (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

13. Jost

Raleway and Jost font pairing: Jost headline with Raleway body text

Minimalism amplified through careful font selection. The AirFreight.com visual guidelines use Jost for headlines and Raleway for body copy. Jost’s direct geometric shapes give the headline a firm edge, while Raleway keeps the supporting text elegant. Try this division for gallery websites, architectural portfolios, or designs where negative space matters as much as typography.

Character specimen: Jost (heading) and Raleway (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

14. Roboto

Raleway and Roboto font pairing: Raleway headline with Roboto body text

Roboto provides stable ground for Raleway’s elegant headlines. Its neutral character lets body text sit quietly beneath Raleway’s distinctive personality. The width contrast between these fonts creates natural hierarchy. Deploy for web applications or any project that calls for a restrained body font.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Roboto (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

15. Source Sans Pro

Raleway and Source Sans Pro font pairing: Raleway headline with Source Sans Pro body text

Adobe’s humanist contribution to open-source typography complements Raleway’s cooler elegance. Source Sans Pro‘s friendly letterforms provide a calm body voice beneath sophisticated headlines. Both fonts share professional clarity without corporate coldness. Ideal for documentation, product sites, or interfaces requiring warmth within minimalist frameworks.

Character specimen: Raleway (heading) and Source Sans Pro (body) letters, numbers and symbols side by side

Conclusion

There are no absolute rules for font pairing, just principles to guide you. The key is contrast—in weight, in style (serif vs. sans-serif), or in personality. Raleway is versatile enough to play well with many different typefaces.

Trust your eye, experiment freely, and remember that the best pairing is the one that serves your content and audience. Typography should enhance communication, not complicate it.

About the Author

Douglas Bonneville is a graphic designer and typographer since 1992. He is the author of The Big Book of Font Combinations and has contributed to numerous design publications. His work focuses on making typography accessible and practical for designers at all levels.

About Douglas Bonneville

Douglas has been a graphic designer since 1992, in addition to software developer and author. He is a member of Smashing Magazine's "Panel of Experts" and has contributed to over 100 articles. He is the author of "The Big Book of Font Combinations", loves cats, and plays guitar.

About BonFX

Douglas Bonneville has been a graphic designer since 1992 and has written about type here since 2009. BonFX is a blog about typography and design, and the books that came out of it.

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