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SF Mono vs Not Courier Sans
Not Courier Sans is a popular open-source alternative to SF Mono's monospace design. At 45% similarity, Not Courier Sans delivers a raw, experimental aesthetic. Compare which works better for code-editors and terminal projects.
45% Similarity
Design DNA
Design overlap:25%
SF Mono
Structural
Monospace
Visual
Modern
Purpose
Tech
Not Courier Sans
Visual
Expressive
Purpose
Tech
Highlighted traits are shared between both fonts
Visual Comparison
SF Mono
Premium
Not Courier Sans
FreeAa Bb Cc 123
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789 !@#$%^&*()
Feature Comparison
| Feature | SF Mono | Not Courier Sans |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Premium | Free |
| Classification | mono | mono |
| Variable Font | No | No |
| Weights | Multiple | 400, 700 |
| Italics | Yes | No |
| License | Commercial License Required | GPL-2.0-with-font-exception |
| Language Support | latin, latin-extended, cyrillic, greek | latin, latin-extended, cyrillic |
| Source | Apple | Font Squirrel |
Best Use Cases
SF Not
Terminal
Typography for command-line interfaces, terminal emulators, and shell environmen...
SF Not
SF Not
Documentation
Typography for technical documentation, user guides, and help content. Documenta...
SF Not
SF Not
Presentations
Typography for slide decks, keynotes, and presentation materials. Presentation f...
SF Not
SF Not
SF Not
Where You'll See These Fonts
SF Mono
- Xcode
- macOS Terminal
- Apple developer documentation
- iOS development
- Swift Playgrounds
Which Should You Choose?
Consider: SF Mono
- Shares SF Mono's tech character
- Delivers a raw, experimental, technical aesthetic
- Popular in enterprise-corporate design
- Rated as an easy replacement
- Free under GPL-2.0-with-font-exception license
Recommended: Not Courier Sans
- Original design with refined typographic details
- Designed specifically for code-editors and terminal
- Used by Xcode, macOS Terminal
- Commercial license with professional support
Browse by Context
Free Alternatives to Consider
Other free alternatives to SF Mono