20 Best Modern Script Fonts for 2021

Script fonts give any design project a more humanistic or decorative look, so here are 20 awesome typefaces fit for fresh and modern designs.

Whether it’s your best friend’s handwriting, or a nonchalant brush stroke font popular with beach bars: script fonts definitely evoke certain feelings and attract attention.

As a rule, they have poorer legibility than serif, and especially sans serif fonts and often require a secondary typeface that’s more reader-friendly. Nonetheless, they can be a fantastic choice for certain small businesses and are a huge favorite with social media content creators.

So here are our top go-to script typefaces for 2021!

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Monoline fonts

As the name suggests, monoline fonts are characterized by connected lettering: words are written in one continuous stroke. Naturally, these types of fonts are usually the ones that are most difficult to read, but they can make a wonderful display font (e.g. when people know what they’re supposed to be seeing, the legibility is not as much of an issue).

1. Rampage Monoline Script (free for personal use)

Speaking of monoline fonts that score high for legibility, this lovely stylistic alternative is certainly one to consider. It would look great on signage as well as social media posts, for a variety of industries, but particularly in barbershop branding.  

2. Halimun ($25)

When I think of elegant monoline fonts, the first thing that comes to mind is wedding invitations and very romantic designs. But the font features of this one are minimalism and good readability thanks to the generous width of letters. So it would fit great even on cool grunge designs or music albums.

3. Bimbo (from $87)

This is actually a font pack including 7 typefaces that are all https://creativemarket.com/Zetafonts/2395799-Bimbo-7-fonts. From felltip to sharpie, the different font weights all have the same unique and personal feel (it really looks like someone’s handwriting). It’s not the most affordable font pack, but if you’re after personality, this purchase can really pay off!

4. Maumere (free for personal use)

This interesting monoline font with chunky script letters is practically ideal for captivating YouTube thumbnails as well as a display font on social posts. It’s free for personal use, and the commercial license is a bargain at just $5!

5. Rochestar Stylish Monoline (from $16)

If you want a cool, modern and elegant script that still offers high readability, then Hamstring is definitely a good one to consider. It’s got a natural feel and flow, making it quite versatile: it would work as a display, but also body text font for smaller portions of text (e.g. menus and business cards).

Modern calligraphy fonts

Calligraphy fonts are designed to mimic the old art of writing with a quill. However, there are some awesome stylistic alternatives to this traditional craft that are perfect for all sorts of digital design.

6. Ochre (free)

Here’s a gorgeous free font that couldn’t be more perfect for wedding invitations and perhaps wedding photographer websites. It has multilingual support which is great for a font as decorative and intricate as this one.

7. Angellya ($15)

Not all calligraphy fonts are business-friendly, but Angellya certainly isn’t one of them. With generous ligatures and round letters, this font is quite eye-catching and legible. It would certainly make a good fit for a beauty brand or even a professional massage therapy brochure.

8. Silagus (free)

This stunning free font has very dramatic ligatures so it would make a good beauty logo font. It also supports some multilingual characters so if you want a flowy and romantic wordmark for your business, this might be a wonderful budget-friendly option to consider.

9. Rabitta (free for personal use)

Although many calligraphy fonts mimic old ways of writing, that doesn’t mean that their modern alternatives can’t be very youthful and playful. Rabitta is a gorgeous free font with cute and quirky swashes. It makes a natural choice for wedding invitations, but I would also make a really good display font on different types of brochures and flyers.

Bulky brush fonts

I often associate brush script fonts with a surfer aesthetic, but the truth is that this style of script fonts also comes in all sorts of great alternatives. They’re heavier in weight than some of the delicate handwritten fonts on this list, so they usually look great on larger signage.

10. America (free)

This dramatic script font was inspired by Childish Gambino’s song of a similar name. It’s a font that would look great on grunge designs, but thanks to a natural flow it’s also quite versatile.

11. Arkipelago (free)

This free script font is described as “wet and inky” and indeed it conveys the nonchalant, imperfect feel quite well. Its slightly more traditional look would be a good choice for a pizza flyer or all sorts of menu design (it would pair well with display signs on the inside of your restaurant).

12. Earthtone (free for personal use)

True to its name, Earthtone is rugged and cool, it almost resembles graffiti. The extra swashes offer this brush font a sense of excitement and adventure, making it a perfect fit for sportswear and outerwear brands, as well as travel logos.

13. Nathan (fom $19)

For a much more polished look, I suggest you check out the following font. It will lend your designs a subtle retro look, keeping them crisp and professional. It’s also got that nice Americana look, perfect for burger logos.

14. Lovestory (from $23)

Of course, not all brush fonts are masculine and chunky. Lovestory is a font collection of two font widths and additional SVG files which include the watercolor effect.

15. Necks (from $10)

You wanted modern script fonts? Well, it doesn’t get any cooler than this minimalist brush script that looks like lettering painted in a hurry. You can grab a demo version for free or purchase a commercial license.

Elegant handwriting fonts

Script fonts are supposed to mimic handwriting. So in the last section of the list, we’ve included some of our favorite typefaces that have a very strong sense of personality.

16. Blenheim Signature (free for personal use)

This lovely hand-drawn font looks very elegant but has a quirky and modern twist. It only supports the basic characters and letters, so if your needs are a little more comprehensive you might have to pair it with a secondary font.

17. Sugar & Spice (free personal use)

We’re months away from Christmas, but perhaps the warm and cozy look of this font is just the glimmer of hopefulness so many people need these days. But aside from that, this nonchalant script would make a fantastic cookbook font, either for a cover or as an additional typeface to add personalized comments to the recipes.

18. Rowytta (from $23)

YouTubers, beauty influencers, travel vloggers: pay attention! This fun and quirky script font is ideal for use on social media and will give your visuals a sweet quality to your visuals. It’s free for personal use, but a full commercial license requires payment.

19. Lily of the Valley (free for personal use)

This next font has a similar “cute” effect but isn’t quite as cartoonish. With a carefully selected color palette, it could even fit luxury hotel ads or custom stationery.

20. Agis (free for personal use)

This fancy font really takes the cake as one of the most unique and modern script fonts on the list. It has multilingual support and characters that resemble yearbook inscriptions. However, thanks to the fluid, stencil glyphs could fit very well into a number of different styles.