Reviewing Roboto: One of the First Widely Used Mobile Fonts

how to use roboto font

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In This Post…

  • Font of the Week: Roboto
  • What’s New in Branding: Robinhood Refresh

Font of the Week

All About Roboto

Roboto is a typeface known for its mechanical precision and modern, geometric structure. Initially created for Android, it balances geometric shapes with open curves, providing both clarity and legibility. Its tall x-height ensures excellent readability across devices and sizes, making it a popular choice for digital products and mobile apps. Despite its precise design, Roboto features slightly rounded details, giving it a friendly and approachable feel, perfectly blending modernity with versatility for seamless use on screens.

instagram android ui roboto font
Roboto being used on Instagram initial android ui. source: Fonts in Use
Roboto being used on website and print
Roboto being used on website and print. source: Fonts in Use

Font Details

  • High Legibility: The font’s tall x-height ensures excellent readability across different devices. 
  • Neutral Yet Friendly: Roboto’s oval shapes give it a friendly, approachable vibe.
  • Modern and Geometric: Roboto has a modern, geometric structure in its letterforms.
roboto font details for design
Roboto font details for design
many weights of roboto
Many weights of Roboto

How to Use Roboto Font for Logo

Roboto is a modern, geometric font with clean lines, making it perfect for tech companies or minimalist logos. Its balanced letterforms create a sense of reliability and professionalism, so it works well for brands that emphasize clarity and precision. Pair it with simple graphics or icons for a sleek, contemporary look.

How to Use Roboto Font for Branding & Marketing

Roboto's clean and modern appearance makes it an excellent choice for marketing and branding, particularly for digital platforms. Its readability and neutrality give it wide appeal, allowing it to effectively communicate professionalism and innovation across various media, including websites, apps, and advertisements.

Roboto Font Pairings

  • Roboto + Merriweather
  • Roboto + Open Sans 
  • Roboto + Lora
Roboto font pairing
Roboto and Merriweather font pairing

What’s New in Branding

Robinhood Refresh

Robinhood’s new branding was introduced with a refined logo, modular layout, and a black-and-white color palette with bright neon green accents, emphasizing control and simplicity. The old branding focused heavily on bright green tones and youthful, disruptive visuals, emphasizing accessibility. The new branding shifts toward a more refined aesthetic with a modular design system and a sleek black-and-white palette, punctuated by neon green accents. This branding evolution reflects Robinhood’s growth into a mature financial platform, balancing sophistication with approachability, compared to its earlier, more casual identity focused solely on democratizing stock trading. 




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