SFDS type explorations — sans + serif, one page
Same masthead + tagline + section title + tabular data row per candidate. SANS = face does display AND UI (bold masthead). SERIF = display-only; masthead weight chosen PER FACE (light for high-contrast Didones → semibold/bold for book & transitional serifs — labeled on each); body/data stay Plex Sans + Plex Mono. All open-license (OFL). Solid ink — no gradient text-fill. Left = light · right = dark. ★ = lead recommendation. 38 faces.
Sans — lead candidates
Recursive (Linear) Google Fonts
OFL · single-source superfamily: same file gives Sans (MONO 0) + Mono (MONO 1). CASL pinned 0 = rational/technical. Terminal-native. ★
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Inter Tight Google Fonts
OFL · tighter display cut of Inter. Superb numerals. Caveat: base Inter is dormant + the #1 'AI-startup' tell.
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Geist self-host / Fontsource
OFL (Vercel) · clean/SF-like. ⚠ open glyph BUGS: l≈1 and slashed-0≈Ø (bad for a leaderboard) + reads 'Vercel clone'.
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Mona Sans self-host / Fontsource
OFL (GitHub) · TRUE opsz axis → one file does dense body + masthead. GitHub-scale dependable, shipping 2026. Strong single-file pick.
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Space Grotesk Google Fonts
OFL · confirmed tabular+slashed-zero; retro-computing character. Great display; caps at 700, quirks fight dense body.
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Schibsted Grotesk Google Fonts
OFL · editorial grotesque; confident masthead, neutral body. Distinctive. (Verify tabular figures on the binary.)
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Hanken Grotesk Google Fonts
OFL · confirmed tabular + slashed zero; warm humanist, great legibility, actively maintained. Low 'tell'.
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Onest Google Fonts
OFL · neutral modern UI sans. Quiet + contemporary. ⚠ no slashed zero (matters for a verification table).
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Roboto Flex Google Fonts
OFL (Google) · maximal axes incl. GRAD (dark-mode weight parity, NO reflow) + opsz. Max dependability; base Roboto reads generic.
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Figtree Google Fonts
OFL · friendly geometric; slashed zero ✓ but near-solo repo. Least 'serious', most inviting.
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Sans — earlier alternatives (incl. current stack)
IBM Plex Sans Google Fonts
OFL · YOUR CURRENT UI sans + the research TOP PICK: tabular-by-default, confirmed slashed zero, IBM-maintained 2026, engineered retro-technical trust. ★
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Rubik Google Fonts
OFL · in current stack, slated to CUT. Rounded geometric; overlaps Plex Sans with no distinct job.
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Public Sans Google Fonts
OFL (US gov) · tabular 'for data design', proven across .gov. ⚠ FROZEN (font 2022, project retired 2026).
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Inter (base) Google Fonts
OFL · the standard Inter. Superb engineering, true opsz/Display — but dormant ~20mo + THE generic 'AI-tell'.
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Sans — more dependable variable options
Hubot Sans self-host / Fontsource
OFL (GitHub) · Mona's expressive sibling; pairs as DISPLAY over Mona-as-UI. Flashy retro-technical. (Frozen since 2023.)
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Archivo Google Fonts
OFL · grotesque with display muscle (heavy weights + Expanded/Narrow). Strong masthead, neutral body.
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Manrope Google Fonts
OFL · popular geometric-humanist. ⚠ source abandoned since 2018, no slashed zero — feels safe, isn't.
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Albert Sans Google Fonts
OFL · geometric revival, elegant, slightly warmer than Inter. Small foundry, active.
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Instrument Sans Google Fonts
OFL · compact grotesque (wght+wdth), 12 stylistic sets; used on whitehouse.gov. Precise-but-friendly.
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Bricolage Grotesque Google Fonts
OFL · real opsz, most display character (ink traps). ⚠ NO tabular figures + undisambiguated l → DISPLAY ONLY.
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Lexend Google Fonts
OFL · engineered for reading-proficiency; calm, very clean, slightly soft. Dependable.
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Sora Google Fonts
OFL · techy geometric w/ computing feel + distinctive lowercase. On-brand retro-tech.
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Serif — display options (paired w/ Plex Sans body + Plex Mono data)
EB Garamond Google Fonts display-only · masthead semibold 600 · body=Plex Sans
OFL · your ORIGINAL display pick. Renaissance book serif — literary/academic authority. A text face at display size (delicate thins); numbers default oldstyle → keep them out of the serif.
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Newsreader Google Fonts display-only · masthead medium 500 · body=Plex Sans
OFL · screen-native transitional serif w/ true opsz axis (6–72). 'Journal / record of truth' authority — fits a verification brand. Variable. Prior serif rec ★
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Fraunces Google Fonts display-only · masthead semibold 600 · body=Plex Sans
OFL · old-style soft-serif with character (opsz + SOFT + WONK). Kills the AI-startup tell hardest; warmth softens the clinical read.
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Literata Google Fonts display-only · masthead medium 500 · body=Plex Sans
OFL (Google Books) · reading serif w/ opsz, variable. Warm, sturdy, book-like — the most 'trustworthy long-form' serif.
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Source Serif 4 Google Fonts display-only · masthead semibold 600 · body=Plex Sans
OFL (Adobe) · sober transitional serif, variable opsz+wght. Corporate-neutral, safe, lower character than Newsreader.
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Lora Google Fonts display-only · masthead medium 500 · body=Plex Sans
OFL · calm bracketed serif, well-hinted for screen, variable. Safe but reads 'blog-generic'.
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Libre Caslon Display Google Fonts display-only · masthead regular 400 · body=Plex Sans
OFL · Caslon = authority / founding-documents lore. High-contrast display cut; fragile small, strong at masthead.
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Playfair Display Google Fonts display-only · masthead bold 700 · body=Plex Sans
OFL · high-contrast Didone display, variable. Dramatic/luxe masthead; very high contrast = fragile small, can read fashion-y.
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Instrument Serif Google Fonts display-only · masthead regular 400 · body=Plex Sans
OFL · single-weight high-contrast display serif; editorial/trendy. Distinct but reads 'design-agency 2024'.
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Fresh — indie / notable OFL variable (less Google-tired)
Commissioner Google Fonts
OFL (Kostas Bartsokas) · humanist sans with OPTIONAL expressive axes (slant / flair / volume). Clean by default, personality on tap. Underused.
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Anybody Google Fonts
OFL · Eurostile/techno width+weight VF — on-brand AI / retro-computing energy without cosplay.
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Martian Mono Google Fonts
OFL (Evil Martians) · technical mono with a width axis. NB: Martian GROTESK isn't open-source — this is its OSS sibling.
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Monaspace Neon self-host / Fontsource
OFL (GitHub) · variable mono superfamily with 'texture-healing'. Freshest reputable mono — dead-on for a code / AI-eval product.
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Big Shoulders Google Fonts display-only · masthead semibold 600 · body=Plex Sans
OFL (Production Type, made for Chicago) · industrial condensed display VF — a punchy, characterful masthead.
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Piazzolla Google Fonts display-only · masthead semibold 600 · body=Plex Sans
OFL · variable serif with a true opsz axis — a fresher Fraunces / Newsreader alternative.
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Redaction self-host / Fontsource display-only · masthead regular 400 · body=Plex Sans
OFL (Jeremy Mickel × Titus Kaphar) · art-world provenance; a 'degradation' grade system. Distinctive + conceptual.
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