Are you looking for ways to refine the text on your video screen?

Trying one of the best subtitle fonts for video editing is undoubtedly a terrific idea. Besides adding to the video’s aesthetics, the right font for subtitles would also offer good overall background adjustability.

So, which all subtitle fonts are readable, trendy, and also go with the tone of most videos? Read on to find our top 20 picks.

But first, let’s check how to add subtitles to any video.

How to Add Subtitles to Your Video

When it comes to adding subtitles to videos, creators and editors often seek quick and easy ways to do that. And at Wave.video, we offer just that with our super simple captioning tool.

In addition to helping you add auto-generated captions and custom subtitles to your videos, we also provide hundreds of subtitle fonts to choose the best one for your video project.

Here’s how to use our automatic captioning feature and turn any speech to text on the double:

Step 1 – Create or upload a video

Log into your Wave.video account and go to My projects. Click + Create and select one of the options:

• start with a blank video;
• generate a video from a text or blog post;
• create a new video from templates and stock assets.

Alternatively, you can upload a video by clicking on the Upload Video button. Once you’ve uploaded a video, click Edit to add subtitles.

Step 2 – Automatically generate captions

Now, use our automatic captioning feature to convert voice to text and even translate it into over 70 languages to create video subtitles. Or, upload your custom subtitles in .srt or .vtt format.

To use our automatic subtitle generator, go to our video editor and click Captions on the left menu. Next, choose Auto and select the video and language to generate subtitles automatically. If you want to upload a custom subtitles file, select that option from the drop-down.

Step 3 – Customize subtitles

Once you’ve added subtitles, customize them by changing the subtitle font, color, size, etc., to match your brand and video aesthetic. You can also edit the text and adjust the timing in this step.

When ready, click the Play icon to preview the changes in real time.

Step 4 – Publish and download the video

Finally, hit the Publish button on the top right to render your video and share or download it.

That’s how you create super-awesome videos with subtitles using Wave.video.

20 Best Subtitle Fonts for Your Video

When choosing a font for subtitles, ensure it’s readable and conveys the scene’s emotion and tone. We bring you 20 subtitle fonts for video editing that can be easily styled to match the general aesthetic of most video types!

1. Open Sans

One of the best ones in the Google fonts collection, Open Sans is a humanist sans serif font designed by Steve Matteson, Type Director of Ascender Corp. Its open forms and neutral style make it an easily readable font.

The upright stress combined with sharper cuts gives it a clearer identity. It’s also available in different styles and sizes, which adds to its versatility, making it an incredible choice for subtitles.

2. Poppins

Designed by Ninad Kale and Jonny Pinhorn, Poppins is a beautiful sans-serif font that can work flawlessly for any video context. It stands out with its stunning circles and geometric looks.

Virtually monolinear, except for the optical changes applied to some embellishments and spots, this font is a good choice for those looking for a minimalist yet friendly appeal in their videos.

3. Oswald

A refreshing typeface in a sea of classics and timeless fonts for editing, Oswald is a compact yet bold sans serif font that’s specially designed for standard digital screens.

If your font choice is a confident style with light and bold weights and tightened spaces, Oswald could be a superb fit.

4. Verdana

One of the widely opted subtitle fonts, this sans serif font was developed to improve on-screen legibility.

Verdana was designed by famous type designer Matthew Carter and hand-hinted by one of the top hinting experts, Agfa Monotype’s Tom Rickner. With a talented team behind this typeface and the focus on ensuring that on-screen reading is pleasing and clear, it’s a suitable choice for subtitles.

5. Chivo

An Omnibus-Type grotesque sans serif typeface, Chivo is designed for high-performance typography by Héctor Gatti.

With soft curves and high-contrast glyphs, this strong and futuristic font lends a subtle balance and practicality to the text. It’s a good pick for long-reading subtitles as it offers great clarity and legibility.

6. Rubik

Another sans serif font, Rubik, was designed by Philipp Hubert and Sebastian Fischer. Later, the Hebrew component was redesigned by Meir Sadan, and the Cyrillic component by Alexei Vanyashin. With its gorgeous rounded corners dispensing a quite bold character than a classic one, it goes well with subtitles that demand greater attention.

7. Arial

An all-time classic, Arial is one of the most commonly used fonts on the list. This modern sans serif style font was designed by Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders.

Popularly used for professional and academic purposes for many years now, Arial is an elegant choice for subtitles too. Its softer and fuller curves with diagonally cut terminal strokes express the versatility of this typeface on different screens.

8. Roboto

Another one from Google, Roboto, was designed by Christian Robertson and is a neo-grotesque sans-serif typeface with a well-spaced tone. Featuring geometric yet mechanical forms, this font is best known for its friendly curves, allowing a natural reading flow. It’s also screen adjustable, which makes it an awesome pick for subtitles and captions.

9. Lato

Developed by Lukasz Dziedzic, Lato is a simple and stunning font from the sans serif typeface family. Semi-rounded, sleek and stylish, this font is easy to read, which makes it a fantastic option for in-video texts and subtitles.

No matter the niche of your video, use Lato as a contemporary alternative to more classic fonts for editing, and you’d never go wrong!

10. Times New Roman

Oh, the legend! Times New Roman doesn’t deserve an introduction, but you definitely need to know why it makes an outstanding choice for subtitles. This serif font first hit the headlines in 1932 with its appearance in The Times of London newspaper.

Crafted by Stanley Morison and Victor Lardent at The Times, this typeface carries a distinct, timeless style. Thanks to its readable and versatile influences, it’s an excellent on-screen subtitle font that’s sure to grab your viewer’s attention without over-occupying them.

11. IBM Plex Sans

IBM Plex Sans is one of the best subtitle fonts created by the company. Crafted to replace IBM’s corporate typeface Helvetica, this font carries a vision for innovation with its futuristic, clear, and crisp glyphs.

Although it goes well with tech videos, here we have used it with a fitness video, and the results are as fabulous.

12. Georgia

Georgia is a classic serif font inspired known for its legible and elegant letterforms. The well-spaced typeface is excellent for long sentences, and the bubbly look makes it a great choice for subtitles for lifestyle videos and vlogs, etc.

13. Source Sans Pro

Source Sans Pro is Adobe’s first open-source typeface family. This sans serif typeface was designed by Paul D. Hunt and might remind one of Helvetica. However, this reasonably futuristic take on the old-style font is easily readable at various resolutions and sizes, making it one of the best subtitle fonts.

14. Impact

Trusted by most online gamers as an impactful on-screen text, the Impact font is a bold yet brilliant choice for subtitles. It’s a sans-serif typeface that is an ideal fit for short, punchy, and stylish subtitles.

Use this font for your power-packed, fun-filled videos that you need to make more accessible without taking away the viewer’s attention from the screen’s action.

15. Asap

Asap or “as soon as possible” is an Omnibus-Type. This contemporary sans-serif typeface with subtle rounded corners also has a standardized character width, which means all text lines are of the same length. If you are observant, you will realize that if you use this font, you don’t have to worry about reflowing a text body. And the modern look makes it one of the best subtitle fonts for YouTube videos.

16. Merriweather

Designed by Sorkin Type, a type design foundry in Western Massachusetts, USA, the Merriweather font is admired for its large height and rather condensed letterforms with diagonal stress.

There’s also an emphasis on open forms and sturdy serifs. Its crafty design makes the font a highly recommended typeface for subtitles on the big screen.

17. Tahoma

A font for subtitles that looks similar to Verdana, Tahoma is a Microsoft-created font much narrower than Verdana. Each letter’s condensed letter spacing and style make it a favorite for video creators looking for a formal, leaner subtitle aesthetic.

The font’s weight executes well with different background colors and movement, and its almost perfect clarity makes it a suitable pick for different sizes and types of screens.

18. Bitter

With its unusual name, this open-source slab serif typeface creates gorgeous subtitles for any video design project. Designed by Sol Matas for Huerta Tipografica, Bitter is crafted for comfortable reading on all digital screens.

This font is perfect for subtitles, featuring a large x-height and subtle characteristics like thick, even strokes. And, at Wave.video, we love how it adds a specific tempo to flowing texts.

19. Quicksand

If you seek a bit of oomph in your subtitles, Quicksand is the font to try. Clean curves, thin lines, and large letters make the typeface legible, irrespective of the screen size. Whether you choose it for its contemporary lettering style or the clear rhythm it produces, its up-to-date aesthetic won’t disappoint you.

20. Arvo

With a clear yet loud style, Arvo is last on the list. Somewhat monolinear-ish, this typeface comes with a bit of contrast.

So, if you’re looking for a legible font for your video’s subtitles, this slab serif font is a remarkable choice. Notwithstanding its geometric patterns, Arvo is a non-distracting font that blends in with the video, giving it a predominantly modern feel.

Best Practices for Choosing and Editing Subtitle Fonts

Subtitle fonts are finally given the importance they deserve. But choosing and editing your A-font is a top challenge that can’t be solved using trial and error. Ensuring that your video’s subtitle font aligns with its tone and style requires a strategic approach.

Here are a few things you must consider while choosing and editing subtitle fonts:

Pick an appropriate font

First things first. Begin by choosing a clear and legible font. It should have distinctive characteristics that make reading the moving text with the opposite background easier. Whether you pick serif or sans serif typeface, confirm that it adds to the video’s vibe while improving the viewing experience.

Place it right

Besides the choice of subtitle font, the subtitle’s position also impacts the video. A centered subtitle is usually easy to follow. On the other hand, a subtitle on the right or left could represent dynamism. So, position your subtitle right to convey the message effectively.

Mind the color and the background

Your chosen subtitle should be in a color that complements the video. It shouldn’t be too dull nor too bright to distract the viewers. Usually, white and yellow are considered safe options.

Also, consider how the subtitle font mixes up with the background. Some fonts may look too distracting or overpowering, while some may not be legible over a busy background.

Size it properly

Your subtitle fonts should be the right size – not too small to make reading difficult and not too large to distract the viewers. Use Wave.video’s subtitler and experiment with different sizes to find the right one that doesn’t obscure the other essential elements in your video.

Stay consistent

When you choose a style and size, try to stick to it throughout the video. And if you add it to your brand kit, even better. It will help your audience identify with your videos better and save you from decision fatigue.

Ready to Use the Best Subtitle Fonts?

A video’s subtitles are as important as its content, if not less. So, ensure your videos’ subtitles and captions stand out with the best font. Also, follow the tips mentioned above to get the most out of your subtitles.

If you’re keen on learning how to create a custom SRT subtitle file, we’ll leave you with this excellent resource: How to Create a Custom SRT Subtitle File for Your Video.