Modular Type Scale Calculator

About this calculator

A modular type scale generates a set of font sizes by repeatedly multiplying a base size by a fixed ratio: size(n) = base × ratio^n, so each step up or down the scale is proportionally related to its neighbours rather than picked arbitrarily. Common ratios borrowed from music and classical proportion include the minor third (1.2), major third (1.25), perfect fourth (1.333), and the golden ratio (1.618) — smaller ratios give subtle, closely-spaced sizes suitable for dense UI text, while larger ratios create dramatic contrast suited to editorial or marketing headlines.

Type designers, UI/UX designers, and front-end developers use a modular scale to keep a design system's typography internally consistent — headings, subheadings, and body text all relate by the same mathematical ratio instead of being eyeballed size by size, which is why tools like Tailwind's and Material Design's default type scales are built on the same principle.