Why you should use system font for Shopify store? What are the benefits?

February 25, 2025 · Nova Theme

Using system fonts for your Shopify store offers several benefits, especially in terms of performance, consistency, and user experience. Here's why it's a good idea to rely on system fonts:

1. Improved Performance

  • Faster Load Times: System fonts are already installed on users’ devices, so they don't need to be downloaded from an external server. This reduces page load time, which can positively impact your store’s speed and SEO rankings.
  • Less HTTP Requests: Using system fonts eliminates additional HTTP requests that would be necessary for loading custom web fonts. This can improve page speed, particularly on mobile devices or slower connections.

2. Consistency Across Devices

  • Native Experience: System fonts ensure that your store's text looks consistent across all platforms, whether it's on a Mac, Windows, or mobile device. This gives your visitors a native, familiar experience that’s consistent with other apps and websites they use.
  • Cross-Browser Compatibility: Since system fonts are universally available across all major platforms and browsers, you won’t encounter issues with fonts not displaying correctly or fallback fonts not being styled the same way.

3. Improved Accessibility

  • Readability: System fonts are generally optimized for readability on different screen sizes and resolutions. They are also designed to work well across a variety of devices (desktop, tablet, and mobile), ensuring that your store remains legible to all users.
  • Clear and Easy-to-Read: Most system fonts (like Segoe UI, Roboto, and San Francisco) are designed for clarity and legibility, making it easier for visitors to navigate your store.

4. Better Mobile Experience

  • Responsive Design: System fonts typically adjust more seamlessly to different screen sizes and resolutions. Using custom fonts often requires additional tweaking to ensure they display properly on mobile devices.
  • Less Resource-Intensive on Mobile: Mobile users benefit from system fonts because they don’t have to load large font files, saving data and improving performance.

5. No Licensing Issues

  • No Licensing Fees: Many custom fonts require you to purchase licenses or adhere to specific usage terms. With system fonts, you don’t need to worry about licensing, as they are free to use and already included in the operating system.
  • No Legal Restrictions: System fonts come pre-installed with operating systems and are safe to use, reducing the risk of legal issues related to font licensing.

6. Design Trends & Aesthetic

  • Modern Look: System fonts like -apple-system, Segoe UI, and Roboto are often modern and clean, which aligns with current design trends. These fonts are designed with web and digital use in mind, making them a good fit for contemporary Shopify stores.
  • Consistency with Operating Systems: Since system fonts are part of the operating system's design, using them can make your store feel more integrated with the user's device, creating a smoother and more professional aesthetic.

7. Simplified Design

  • Less Overhead: When you use system fonts, you don’t need to worry about configuring web fonts or ensuring proper font loading behavior. It simplifies your design process and reduces the amount of CSS you need to manage.
  • No Font Loading Failures: With custom web fonts, if there’s a problem with font loading (e.g., due to slow servers or network issues), your store might display incorrect or broken fonts. System fonts will always load as they are already available on the user's device.

When Should You Consider Custom Fonts?

While system fonts are great for performance and consistency, there are cases when you might want to use custom fonts, such as:

  • Brand Identity: If you have a unique font that represents your brand and helps it stand out.
  • Design Preferences: If your store has a specific design aesthetic that calls for a certain font that isn’t available in system fonts.

If you choose to use custom fonts, consider using services like Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts. But be aware that custom fonts may impact performance, so it's important to optimize them properly (e.g., using font-display options, loading only necessary styles, etc.).

In Conclusion

Using system fonts in your Shopify store enhances performance, ensures a consistent user experience, and reduces complexity. Unless you have specific branding or design requirements that necessitate custom fonts, sticking with system fonts is a solid, performance-oriented choice that can help improve your store’s speed and accessibility.