on the face of it

US /ɑːn ðə feɪs ʌv ɪt/
UK /ɑːn ðə feɪs ʌv ɪt/
"on the face of it" picture
1.

used to say that something seems to be true or real, but may not be, when you consider only the obvious facts

:
On the face of it, it seems like a good deal, but we need to read the fine print.
The plan, on the face of it, is simple and effective.