Build an AI website in 60 seconds

AI generates your personalized website instantly with built-in scheduling, payments, email marketing, and more.

Start for free
Built in tools to grow your business

2026 web design guide: Bento grids and kinetic typography

2 February, 2026 ·Website design
2026 web design guide: Bento grids and kinetic typography
Explore the 2026 web design guide covering Bento grids and kinetic typography, and learn how these trends can enhance your website’s look and feel.

2026 is shaping up to be a year where websites aren’t just functional; they’re expressive. Modern web design leans on modular layouts, like bento grids, that organize content in a clean, flexible way, while kinetic typography adds personality and movement without overwhelming visitors. 

Thanks to AI website design generators, experimenting with these trends is faster and more accessible than ever, letting you test layouts, motion, and typography in minutes with just a few clicks. In this article, we’ll break down what bento grids and kinetic typography are, share practical tips for using them, and show how you can put these trends to work.

What are bento grids?

Image of a website featuring bento grids

Bento grids are layout systems that break your content into neat, box-like sections. Think of the compartments in a Japanese bento lunchbox. Each “tile” has its own job, and together they create a clean layout that’s easy to scan and makes sense at a glance.

What makes bento grid web design popular isn’t just that it looks neat. It taps into something practical too: modular clarity. By slicing content into smaller chunks, visitors can quickly find the info they want (whether it’s a feature, product, or a team member profile) on websites generated by AI without feeling overwhelmed.

Mixing tile sizes is what makes bento grids work. It sets the visual hierarchy and naturally directs attention across the page.

One trend report looking at the top SaaS sites on ProductHunt found that about 67% of sites use some form of bento-style layout on their homepages or feature pages, showing just how widespread this approach has become.

Where they work best

Bento grids aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but there are some places they shine:

Scroll horizontally to view all competitors →

Benefit

Tips

Homepages

Organizing content
Great for multiple selling points, CTAs, or featured stories without chaos.

Product pages

Highlight key features
Allows you to spotlight visuals, specs, and key features in a digestible layout.

Portfolios and galleries

Showcase creative work
Ideal for displaying varied work, with standout pieces alongside smaller thumbnails.

The flexibility of bento grids also means they can adapt responsively (e.g., stacking on mobile or shifting size hierarchy for tablets), so you don’t lose clarity as screen sizes change.

4 bento grid best practices (So it doesn’t look like a dashboard)

A good bento grid should feel like a curated layout, not a data dashboard dumped onto a landing page. When implementing it via a free AI website builder, here are some best practices to follow: 

1. Start with a clear hierarchy

One or two sections should clearly lead, whether that’s a hero message, product value, or visual anchor. Larger tiles naturally signal importance, while smaller ones support the story. If everything is the same size, nothing stands out. 

Spacing matters, too. Generous padding gives each section room to breathe and keeps the page from feeling busy.

2. Consistency keeps things human

Mixing card styles, colors, or typography too much makes bento grids feel chaotic. Repeating patterns (rounded corners, background treatments, type sizes) create rhythm. You can still vary layouts, but the visual language should stay familiar as users move through the page.

3. CTAs need to feel intentional, not scattered

A common mistake is dropping a button into every tile. That turns the page into a wall of asks. Instead:

  • Anchor primary CTAs in larger or central tiles
  • Use secondary CTAs sparingly in supporting sections
  • Make sure buttons visually stand out from the grid itself

4. Mobile stacking is where grids succeed or fail

On smaller screens, bento grids should stack logically. Lead tiles go first, supporting tiles follow. Avoid forcing multi-column layouts on mobile. Single-column stacks with clear spacing almost always perform better.

What is kinetic typography?

Screenshot of a page with kinetic typography

Kinetic typography is exactly what it sounds like: text that moves. Instead of words sitting still on the page, they animate – sliding in, fading, scaling, or subtly shifting as users scroll or interact. When it’s done well, motion helps guide attention and reinforce meaning. When it’s done poorly, it feels like a gimmick that gets in the way.

Motion works best when it supports how people read, not when it competes with it. For example, animating a headline as it enters the viewport can naturally pull focus and signal, “This part matters.” Using motion to emphasize a few words or a short phrase can also help clarify hierarchy, especially on long, high-converting landing pages.

Where kinetic typography improves comprehension:

  • Introducing sections or ideas as users scroll
  • Emphasizing key benefits or outcomes
  • Reinforcing brand tone through subtle rhythm or pacing

Where it quickly becomes distracting:

  • Animating body copy that people need to read carefully
  • Using constant motion with no pause or trigger
  • Stacking multiple effects (movement, color shifts, size changes) at once

3 kinetic typography best practices

The fastest way to ruin a good AI–powered page is to animate everything. Here are some best practices to follow when using kinetic typography: 

1. Use it sparingly and follow natural reading patterns

Text should still behave the way people expect it to. Headings can fade or slide in as they enter the viewport. Key phrases can animate once to draw focus. 

What you don’t want is motion that interrupts reading flow. If users have to wait for text to settle before they can read it, the animation is working against you. 

2. Keep performance top of mind

Heavy animations can slow down pages, especially on mobile. That hurts user experience and conversions. Stick to lightweight transitions like opacity and transform changes rather than complex effects. CSS-based animations tend to be more efficient than JavaScript-heavy ones, and shorter durations (200–400ms) feel responsive without being abrupt.

3. Accessibility isn’t optional

Some users are sensitive to motion, and modern sites need to respect that. Supporting prefers-reduced-motion lets your site automatically tone down or remove animations when users ask for it. That usually means:

  • Disabling non-essential movement
  • Replacing animations with simple fades or static text
  • Keeping content fully readable without motion

6 example page sections using these trends

Here’s how bento grids and kinetic typography tend to work best in practice.

1. Hero with animated headline

Image of a website with an animated headline in the hero section

A short headline that fades, slides, or gently scales into view can immediately set tone and hierarchy. The key is restraint. One animation, one moment. The motion should guide the eye to the message, not compete with it. Supporting text and CTAs should stay static so users know exactly where to click.

2. Feature grid (bento)

Image of a website with a feature grid

Instead of stacking advanced features in a long list, a grid lets you group ideas visually:

  • Larger tiles for core benefits
  • Smaller tiles for supporting features or tools
  • Mixed content (icons, short copy, visuals)

The result feels modern and organized without forcing visitors to read everything top to bottom.

3. Case-study grid

Image of a website featuring a case study grid

Case studies don’t need to be long to be effective. A bento-style grid works well for showcasing multiple stories at once. Each tile can highlight a result, a logo, or a short outcome summary. Users can scan for relevance and click deeper only if something catches their interest, which lowers friction.

4. Testimonial cards

Image of website with testimonial cards

Testimonials naturally fit into card-based layouts. Clean spacing, consistent formatting, and subtle hover effects make social proof easier to digest. Motion should stay minimal here; think gentle emphasis, not animation loops.

5. Pricing blocks

Image of website with pricing blocks

Pricing sections benefit from structure and clarity. A grid with one highlighted option and clear spacing between plans reduces decision fatigue. Motion can help draw attention to the recommended plan, but everything else should feel calm and readable.

6. Footer CTA section

Image of website with kinetic typography on footer CTA

The final CTA is a chance to simplify. Often, this section works best with less motion, not more. A bold headline, a short reassurance, and one clear action inside a simple grid layout give users a clean exit – or a confident next step.

How to implement these trends quickly with an AI website design generator (Without breaking SEO)

Start with structure before style. Use an AI website generator to generate a clean layout with clear sections (hero, features, social proof, pricing) using proper semantic headings. Once the hierarchy makes sense on its own, you can layer in bento-style grids or light motion. If the page reads well with animations turned off, you’re in a good place.

The best AI website builder and AI-powered tools also help you create stunning websites and experiment safely. After you create pages, you can test multiple layout variations, grid sizes, or headline treatments without rebuilding the AI-generated website from scratch. 

To keep SEO intact and ensure your site ranks well on search engines, focus on the basics that still matter:

  • Use one clear H1 and logical H2s and H3s
  • Write descriptive alt text for images inside grid tiles
  • Avoid hiding important text behind animations
  • Run performance checks after adding motion
  • Track user interactions with Google Analytics to see user engagement

How B12’s AI website builder helps you build modern layouts fast

Responsive websites with modern layouts look impressive, but building them from scratch usually takes time, design experience, and a lot of trial and error. 

B12’s powerful AI website creator cuts through that by starting with an AI-generated structure that already follows best practices. You get a first draft that makes sense: clear sections, strong hierarchy, and room to apply trends like bento grids or subtle motion without breaking usability.

You can adjust sections, resize blocks, swap AI-generated content, or reorganize grids as your message evolves. Want a feature section to feel more “bento”? Break it into modular tiles. Need a calmer hero? Dial back the motion and keep the headline clean. You’re not locked into a rigid template.

B12’s site builder also handles the parts that are easy to overlook but hard to fix later:

  • Pages are mobile-ready
  • Performance is prioritized, so layouts stay fast even as designs get more expressive
  • Core SEO structure is baked in

With B12’s user-friendly website maker, you create a website that feels current without feeling fragile. You get a modern business site that is secure, loads quickly, reads clearly, and scales as your business grows – all without needing to become a designer or developer along the way. Plus, you can start on a free domain first to simplify getting your site live. 

Conclusion

Modern web design in 2026 isn’t about chasing trends for the sake of it. Bento grids and kinetic typography work because they make published websites easier to scan, easier to understand, and more engaging when used with restraint. 

The real win is combining those ideas with an AI website design generator that handles structure, performance, and mobile behavior from the start. That frees you up to focus on clarity, messaging, and what actually gets people to act while easily creating professional-looking sites. 

Want to create entire websites without overthinking every design decision? Try B12 today and launch a mobile-friendly, fully functional site you can easily customize.

Look professional online with tips from B12

Receive our email newsletter for advice on how to grow your business and engage clients.

Draft your site in 60 seconds

Get an AI website made specifically for you that's free to launch.

Start for free ✨

No credit card required

Related posts

8 website design trends you should try in 2026
8 website design trends you should try in 2026

Spend less time on your website and more time growing your business

Let B12 set up your professional online presence with everything you need to attract, win, and serve clients.

Get started for free

Product

Customers

Helpful information and tools

© 2026 B12. All rights reserved.
PrivacyTerms of Service