Courier vs Space Mono

Space Mono was influenced by Courier.

Type specimen — Courier (Monospace slab); shown in Cousine, a metric match (OFL)

Courier

The slab-serifed monospace designed for IBM typewriters in 1955, so ubiquitous it became the visual default of the typewritten page — and, by industry decree, of the screenplay. Every glyph marches at the same fixed width.

  • Fixed monospaced width across all glyphs
  • Blunt slab serifs padding narrow letters
  • Low stroke contrast for ribbon-impact durability
  • Open counters and sturdy, even forms
  • Wide, generous letter spacing
Full Courier guide →
Type specimen — Space Mono (Monospace); set in Space Mono (OFL)

Space Mono

A fixed-width display monospace from Colophon Foundry, blending mid-century sci-fi quirk with a retro-futurist swagger. Distinctive ball terminals and angular details give the rigid grid an unmistakable personality.

  • Fixed monospaced width with display-scale personality
  • Bulbous ball terminals on several letters
  • Sharp angular cuts at stroke junctions
  • Retro-futurist, mid-century sci-fi detailing
  • Pronounced contrast unusual for a monospace
Full Space Mono guide →

At a glance

CourierSpace Mono
Era1955–present2016–present
DisciplineTypographyTypography
RegionUnited States, GlobalUnited Kingdom, Global
FamilyMonospaceMonospace
Formal traitsmonospaced, fixed-width, slab-serif, low-contrastmonospaced, fixed-width, display, ball-terminals

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