Compare / Arial vs Comic Sans MS

Arial vs Comic Sans MS

Arial and Comic Sans MS compared on classification, designer, release year, licensing and web use. Arial is sans-serif and Comic Sans MS is handwriting. Sans-serif faces are typically chosen for interfaces, dashboards and body text on screens; handwriting faces for informal or personal-feeling accents.

Arial ▸

Hamburgefonstiv

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 0123456789

Comic Sans MS ▸

Hamburgefonstiv

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 0123456789

Side by side

	Arial	Comic Sans MS
Classification	Sans-serif	Handwriting
Designer	Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders	Vincent Connare
Released	1982	1994
License	Bundled with the operating system	Bundled with the operating system
On a website	Only renders if installed on the visitor's device; embedding it needs its own web license	Only renders if installed on the visitor's device; embedding it needs its own web license

What to know

Arial is sans-serif and Comic Sans MS is handwriting. Sans-serif faces are typically chosen for interfaces, dashboards and body text on screens; handwriting faces for informal or personal-feeling accents.
Both ship with an operating system, so neither needs to be downloaded, but neither can be assumed to be installed on every visitor's device.
Arial (1982) is 12 years older than Comic Sans MS (1994).

Which of these does your site use?

Paste your URL for a free scan: every font the page loads, where it is served from and whether it needs a license.

Questions

Can I use Arial and Comic Sans MS on my website?

Arial: Only renders if installed on the visitor's device; embedding it needs its own web license. Comic Sans MS: Only renders if installed on the visitor's device; embedding it needs its own web license.

Is Arial better than Comic Sans MS?

Neither is better in every case. The right choice depends on where the text appears, your licensing situation and how each typeface looks in your layout; the specimen above shows both side by side.

How do I check which of these fonts my site uses?

Run the free Font Checker Pro scan on your URL: it lists every font the page loads, where each one is served from and whether it needs a license.

Try them with your own text →Arial details Comic Sans MS details