Here’s the Deal

Monospace vs SF Mono

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When comparing Monospace vs SF Mono, the Slant community recommends SF Mono for most people. In the question“What are the best programming fonts?” SF Mono is ranked 23rd while Monospace is ranked 100th. The most important reason people chose SF Mono is:

This font is legible in every condition.

Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking

Common Questions

What are the best programming fonts?

Pros

Pro
Supports Dropbox sync

Dropbox integration updates files in real time.

Pro
Files are organized via hashtags instead of folders

You organize files by adding hashtags as the last line of a document. You can even use nested hashtags for greater control.

Pro
Distraction-free

Monospace Writer's interface is clutter-free, there's nothing but text on the screen.

Pro
Best legible font

This font is legible in every condition.

Pro
Clear and dis·tin·guish·a·ble

Code is very readable at both big and small sizes.

Pro
Beautiful with high pixel density

Pro
Looks good on low and high PPI displays

SF Mono looks good on external monitors and Retina Displays. Large and small font sizes.

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Cons

Con
Hashtag-based organizational method might not feel intuitive

Using hashtags might take some to get used when transition from more common organizational methods like folder-based organization.

Con
macOS only.

Con
Slightly difficult to use outside of Xcode, Terminal, or Console

The typeface isn't available in Font Book, etc. unless the user imports the files embedded in the apps above.

Con
Apple is locking down this font

It's not open in any sense of the word. It even gives warnings if you try to rip it out of the Terminal.app or Xcode bundles. Obviously, Apple only wants it on their tools. This is such a shame. It should work in other editors, too. It's a beautiful font. Apple open sourced swift, why can't they be open with a monospace font?