Some people are positive that Serif typefaces are the right choice. They claim it's the old standard where the eyes more easily recognize words because of the small serifs which add to the details of the symbol (word).
Then, there are people who swear by the Sans Serif types, claiming it's much easier to recognize the symbols without the unneeded serifs.
Our experience tells us it is a matter of taste regarding which should be selected. Still, there are some aspects that should be considered:
Do you know the age of your readers in general?
Young people, especially children, usually prefer Sans
Serif, while older people prefer Serif.
What is the message you want to send?
Texts which should reflect high authority/
Is your type size small?
Screens with lower pixel density* usually display Sans
Serif types better in smaller sizes, as Serif has more curves and details.
How high is the PPI on the majority of your
visitors’ screens?
Screens with higher density* display Serif types pretty
well.
What kind of font rendering do your readers have?
Serif usually works better on Mac-OS/Ubuntu than Windows
type of font rendering.
Do you plan to use multiple typefaces?
Perhaps you could combine both, Serif and Sans-Serif (as headlines and
main text).
* Hi-quality paper publications can have a density of dots up to 2400 DPI, while screens have up to ≈ 282 PPI. Yet most screens have around 100 PPI. Some users claim that 220 PPI is very good pixel density when looking from a distance of 40 cm. All data is from 2014.
To receive a full consultation and an in-depth inspection of your website, application, or publication, contact Percaption at info@percaption.com