Compare Fonts → Monospace → JetBrains Mono vs IBM Plex Mono

JetBrains Mono vs IBM Plex Mono

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

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JetBrains 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.

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.

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	JetBrains Mono	IBM Plex Mono	Difference
x-heightHeight of lowercase letters, as a share of the font size. Higher reads larger at the same point size.	55.0%	51.6%	3.4%
Cap heightHeight of capitals, as a share of the font size.	73.0%	69.8%	3.2%
x-height to cap ratioProportion of lowercase to uppercase. Higher feels more modern and open.	0.75	0.74	0.01
Stroke weightMeasured thickness of a vertical stroke. Higher is heavier on the page.	9.0%	8.5%	0.5%
Stroke contrastHorizontal stroke divided by vertical. 1.0 is even; below 0.5 means strong thick-thin modulation.	0.89	0.81	0.08
Average character widthMean lowercase advance. Higher takes more horizontal space.	60.0%	60.0%	0.0%

Where they diverge most

x-height: JetBrains Mono measures 55.0%, IBM Plex Mono measures 51.6%. Height of lowercase letters, as a share of the font size. Higher reads larger at the same point size.
Stroke contrast: JetBrains Mono measures 0.89, IBM Plex Mono measures 0.81. Horizontal stroke divided by vertical. 1.0 is even; below 0.5 means strong thick-thin modulation.
Stroke weight: JetBrains Mono measures 9.0%, IBM Plex Mono measures 8.5%. Measured thickness of a vertical stroke. Higher is heavier on the page.

At a glance

	JetBrains Mono	IBM Plex Mono
Category	Monospace	Monospace
Weights	8	7
Variable axes	1	None
Language subsets	6	5
Designer	JetBrains	Mike Abbink