Compare Fonts → Monospace → IBM Plex Mono vs Fira Code

IBM Plex Mono vs Fira Code

Both are monospace faces on Google Fonts. Fira Code has the larger x-height, so it looks bigger at the same size. Fira Code takes more horizontal space.

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IBM Plex Mono

Handgloves & Quartz Jockeys

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs, then ship it to 1,842 Grove Street by 9:30 AM.

Fira Code

Handgloves & Quartz Jockeys

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs, then ship it to 1,842 Grove Street by 9:30 AM.

Measured differences

Measured from the font files. Heights and widths are shown as a share of the font size, so they compare directly at any point size.
Measurement	IBM Plex Mono	Fira Code	Difference
x-heightHeight of lowercase letters, as a share of the font size. Higher reads larger at the same point size.	51.6%	52.6%	1.0%
Cap heightHeight of capitals, as a share of the font size.	69.8%	68.8%	0.9%
x-height to cap ratioProportion of lowercase to uppercase. Higher feels more modern and open.	0.74	0.77	0.03
Stroke weightMeasured thickness of a vertical stroke. Higher is heavier on the page.	8.5%	9.0%	0.5%
Stroke contrastHorizontal stroke divided by vertical. 1.0 is even; below 0.5 means strong thick-thin modulation.	0.81	0.76	0.05
Average character widthMean lowercase advance. Higher takes more horizontal space.	60.0%	60.0%	0.0%

Where they diverge most

Stroke contrast: IBM Plex Mono measures 0.81, Fira Code measures 0.76. Horizontal stroke divided by vertical. 1.0 is even; below 0.5 means strong thick-thin modulation.
x-height: IBM Plex Mono measures 51.6%, Fira Code measures 52.6%. Height of lowercase letters, as a share of the font size. Higher reads larger at the same point size.
Stroke weight: IBM Plex Mono measures 8.5%, Fira Code measures 9.0%. Measured thickness of a vertical stroke. Higher is heavier on the page.

At a glance

	IBM Plex Mono	Fira Code
Category	Monospace	Monospace
Weights	7	5
Variable axes	None	1
Language subsets	5	7
Designer	Mike Abbink	The Mozilla Foundation