Lato vs Open Sans
Comparing two popular Google Fonts for brand typography. See how they differ in style, weight range, and personality — then try both with your actual brand assets.
Lato
Humanist SansThe quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Lato was designed by Warsaw-based typographer Lukasz Dziedzic, with its name meaning "summer" in Polish — reflecting the warmth embedded in its semi-rounded letterforms. Its dual nature blends classical proportions with subtle curves that keep it feeling corporate yet approachable, making it one of the most popular Google Fonts for business websites, portfolios, and SaaS products. The family spans Hairline to Black weights, giving designers broad flexibility for both elegant headlines and highly legible body text.
- Weights
- 5
- Recommended
- 700
- Tags
- warm, corporate, semi-rounded
Open Sans
Humanist SansThe quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Designed by Steve Matteson, Type Director of Ascender Corp, Open Sans is a humanist sans-serif characterized by wide apertures, a large x-height, and upright stress optimized for legibility across print, web, and mobile interfaces. Its neutral yet approachable aesthetic and comprehensive language support including Latin, Greek, and Hebrew scripts make it one of the most versatile choices for corporate, government, and editorial brands. Available as a variable font with weight and width axes, it was updated in 2021 under the Open Font License.
- Weights
- 6
- Recommended
- 700
- Tags
- neutral, readable, web, clarity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Lato and Open Sans?
Lato is a humanist sans font: semi-rounded — warm corporate without being boring. Open Sans is a humanist sans font: neutral clarity — the web's most readable sans-serif. Lato comes in 5 weights, while Open Sans comes in 6.
Which is better for a startup, Lato or Open Sans?
Both are strong choices. The best way to decide is to preview each font with your actual brand assets — your logo, colors, and name. FontCast lets you do this side by side in seconds.
Are Lato and Open Sans free to use?
Yes, both Lato and Open Sans are free Google Fonts available under the SIL Open Font License for personal and commercial use.