Source Sans 3
Source Sans 3, designed by Paul D. Hunt for Adobe, was the company's first open-source typeface family and set the standard for professional-grade free fonts. Its humanist sans-serif forms draw on the clarity of Morris Fuller Benton's gothics, offering excellent readability across screens and print with an extensive weight range from ExtraLight to Black. Ideal for corporate identities, documentation, and UI design, it supports an unusually broad set of Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek scripts.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
About Source Sans 3
- Designer
- Paul D. Hunt
- Foundry
- Adobe
- Released
- 2012
- License
- SIL Open Font License 1.1
- Category
- Humanist Sans
- Recommended Weight
- 700
- Variable Axes
- weight
- Script Support
- Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Vietnamese
- Available Weights
- 200300400500600700800900
Who Uses Source Sans 3
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Standard typeface), U.S. Small Business Administration (Primary typeface), U.S. Web Design System (Recommended font).
Pairs Well With
Similar Fonts
Inter
Designed for screens — the definitive UI typeface
Open Sans
Neutral clarity — the web's most readable sans-serif
Nunito
Rounded terminals — friendly without being childish
Lato
Semi-rounded — warm corporate without being boring
Cabin
Humanist with character — modern yet approachable
Rubik
Slightly rounded corners — tech-friendly, UI-ready
Karla
Grotesque character with humanist warmth — underrated gem
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Source Sans 3 renamed from Source Sans Pro?
Adobe renamed Source Sans Pro to Source Sans 3 in 2021 when it was updated to version 3 with variable font support and expanded character sets. The "Pro" suffix was dropped to align with the versioned naming convention used across the Source family.
What is the Source superfamily and how does Source Sans 3 fit in?
The Source superfamily includes Source Sans 3 (sans-serif), Source Serif 4 (serif), and Source Code Pro (monospace), all designed by Adobe under the same open-source philosophy. The three families share design principles and metrics, making them work seamlessly together in complex typographic systems.
Why is Source Sans 3 a popular choice for U.S. government websites?
Source Sans 3 is recommended by the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) for its professional neutrality, strong accessibility characteristics, and open license. Its extensive weight range and broad language support make it suitable for the diverse communication needs of federal agencies.