Key takeaways
- Typography shapes how professional and trustworthy a firm looks, and how easy pages are to read.
- Use one or two typefaces: often a serif or sans serif for headings and a highly readable sans serif for body text.
- Body text should be at least 16px, with comfortable line spacing and lines of about 60 to 80 characters.
- Use generous white space and a clear heading hierarchy so pages are easy to scan.
- For tables of rates and fees, choose fonts with clear, tabular figures.
Visitors judge a website’s credibility in moments, and typography is a large part of that impression. For an accounting firm, the goal is type that feels calm, precise and trustworthy, and above all is easy to read, because much of the content is detailed and numerical.
Choosing typefaces
Serif and sans serif
- Sans serif typefaces (without the small strokes on letters) are clean and modern and work well for body text on screens.
- Serif typefaces can feel traditional, editorial and authoritative, and work well for headings.
A common, effective pairing is a serif for headings with a sans serif for body text, or a single well-designed sans serif family used throughout with different weights.
What to look for
- Legibility at small sizes, with distinct characters (such as a capital I, lower case l and the number 1)
- A full set of weights, at least regular and bold, with italics
- Clear figures, ideally with tabular (equal-width) numbers for tables of rates and fees, so columns align
- A pound sign and other symbols you need
- Good language support, if you publish in Welsh or other languages
Avoid decorative, script or novelty fonts for anything beyond a logo.
Size, spacing and line length
| Element | Guide |
|---|---|
| Body text | At least 16px on desktop and mobile |
| Line height | Around 1.5 times the font size for body text |
| Line length | About 60 to 80 characters per line |
| Paragraph spacing | Clear space between paragraphs |
| Headings | A clear scale, such as H1 noticeably larger than H2, and H2 than H3 |
WCAG also requires that content still works if users increase line, letter and paragraph spacing, so avoid fixed-height text boxes that clip text.
White space
White space, the empty space around text and elements, is not wasted space. It:
- groups related content and separates sections
- makes pages easier to scan and less tiring to read
- makes calls to action stand out
- gives a calm, confident impression
Common problems on practice websites include cramped text, too many boxes and borders, and every section competing for attention. Remove clutter before adding decoration.
Contrast and colour
Text must have enough contrast against its background: WCAG AA requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Light grey body text on white, a common design trend, often fails. Do not use colour alone to convey meaning. See accessibility.
Hierarchy and structure
- one H1 per page, then H2 for main sections and H3 for subsections
- headings that describe the content, so they work for skimming and screen readers
- bold for emphasis sparingly; avoid underlining text that is not a link
- consistent styles for links, buttons and labels
Numbers and tables
Accounting websites often show rates, thresholds and fees. Make them easy to check:
- right-align figures in tables, using tabular figures
- show units and the tax year next to figures
- use clear table headers and avoid cramped cells on mobile
Web fonts and performance
- Self-host fonts or use a reputable provider, and load only the weights you use.
- Use
font-display: swapor similar, so text appears while fonts load. - Choose fallback fonts with similar proportions to reduce layout shift.
Heavy font files slow pages, especially on mobile. See website speed.
Frequently asked questions
What font is best for an accounting firm website?
A clear, well-designed sans serif for body text, optionally paired with a serif for headings. Readability matters more than any particular font.
What font size should body text be?
At least 16px, with a line height of around 1.5.
How many fonts should a website use?
One or two typefaces, with a limited number of weights.
Does white space really matter?
Yes. It makes pages easier to read and scan, highlights calls to action and makes a firm look more confident and professional.
Sources
Facts and rules in this guide were checked against the sources below in October 2026. Platforms, prices and regulations change, so check the current position before acting. This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice.