# Free alternatives to Menlo

Menlo is a commercial monospace from Apple (Bitstream Vera derivative) (https://developer.apple.com/fonts/system-fonts/). Bundled on macOS for desktop use; DejaVu Sans Mono is the free equivalent. The name is used only to identify the typeface; BrandSweets does not host or embed it. Below: the 8 closest free, open-licensed families, ranked by a published deterministic score (https://brandsweets.com/fonts/alternatives/methodology).

## Reference profile

- Slug: `menlo`
- Category: mono · Class: monospace
- Traits: technical, neutral, clean
- Roles: code, ui
- Metrics: x-height 0.55, cap height 0.73, normal width, low contrast (approximate, publicly documented)
- Languages: latin, latin-ext, cyrillic, greek · Variable: no
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/alternatives/menlo

## Score

`score = 0.35·classification + 0.25·metrics + 0.20·traits + 0.10·useCase + 0.05·language + 0.05·variable`; every axis in [0, 1]. A family gate runs first: specialist families (blackletter, script, glyphic, stencil, monospace, pixel) only list same-family fonts; elsewhere a cross-family mismatch is capped at 0.2. Curated picks are listed first, then pure formula; ties break on popularity, then slug.

## Ranked alternatives

### 1. JetBrains Mono — 88%

- Slug: `jetbrains-mono` · mono · OFL-1.1 · JetBrains, Philipp Nurullin, Konstantin Bulenkov · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/jetbrains-mono · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/jetbrains-mono/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: monospace.
- Metrics (×0.25): 1.00 — x-height 0.55 vs 0.55 for Menlo (near-identical); cap height 0.73 vs 0.73 for Menlo (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.40 — Shares clean, technical (2 of 5 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 1.00 — Both suit code, ui.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Menlo's subsets (cyrillic, greek, latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Menlo.
- Family gate: pass — Both in the monospace family.

### 2. Roboto Mono — 88%

- Slug: `roboto-mono` · mono · OFL-1.1 · Christian Robertson · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/roboto-mono · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/roboto-mono/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: monospace.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.91 — x-height 0.53 vs 0.55 for Menlo (near-identical); cap height 0.71 vs 0.73 for Menlo (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.50 — Shares neutral, technical (2 of 4 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 1.00 — Both suit code, ui.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Menlo's subsets (cyrillic, greek, latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Menlo.
- Family gate: pass — Both in the monospace family.

### 3. Spline Sans Mono — 82%

- Slug: `spline-sans-mono` · mono · OFL-1.1 · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/spline-sans-mono · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/spline-sans-mono/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: monospace.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.98 — x-height 0.55 vs 0.55 for Menlo (near-identical); cap height 0.73 vs 0.73 for Menlo (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.25 — Shares technical (1 of 4 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 1.00 — Both suit code, ui.
- Language (×0.05): 0.50 — Covers latin, latin-ext; lacks cyrillic, greek.
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Menlo.
- Family gate: pass — Both in the monospace family.

### 4. Geist Mono — 81%

- Slug: `geist-mono` · mono · OFL-1.1 · Andrés Briganti, Mateo Zaragoza, Guillermo Rauch, Evil Rabbit, José Rago, Facundo Santana · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/geist-mono · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/geist-mono/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: monospace.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.91 — x-height 0.53 vs 0.55 for Menlo (near-identical); cap height 0.71 vs 0.73 for Menlo (close); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.25 — Shares technical (1 of 4 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 1.00 — Both suit code, ui.
- Language (×0.05): 0.75 — Covers cyrillic, latin, latin-ext; lacks greek.
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Menlo.
- Family gate: pass — Both in the monospace family.

### 5. Fira Mono — 81%

- Slug: `fira-mono` · mono · OFL-1.1 · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/fira-mono · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/fira-mono/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: monospace.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.85 — x-height 0.53 vs 0.55 for Menlo (near-identical); cap height 0.69 vs 0.73 for Menlo (close); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.25 — Shares technical (1 of 4 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 1.00 — Both suit code, ui.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Menlo's subsets (cyrillic, greek, latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Menlo.
- Family gate: pass — Both in the monospace family.

### 6. Ubuntu Mono — 81%

- Slug: `ubuntu-mono` · mono · UFL-1.0 · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/ubuntu-mono · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/ubuntu-mono/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: monospace.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.84 — x-height 0.52 vs 0.55 for Menlo (close); cap height 0.69 vs 0.73 for Menlo (close); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.25 — Shares technical (1 of 4 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 1.00 — Both suit code, ui.
- Language (×0.05): 1.00 — Covers all of Menlo's subsets (cyrillic, greek, latin, latin-ext).
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Menlo.
- Family gate: pass — Both in the monospace family.

### 7. Reddit Mono — 80%

- Slug: `reddit-mono` · mono · OFL-1.1 · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/reddit-mono · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/reddit-mono/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: monospace.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.91 — x-height 0.52 vs 0.55 for Menlo (close); cap height 0.72 vs 0.73 for Menlo (near-identical); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.25 — Shares technical (1 of 4 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 1.00 — Both suit code, ui.
- Language (×0.05): 0.50 — Covers latin, latin-ext; lacks cyrillic, greek.
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Menlo.
- Family gate: pass — Both in the monospace family.

### 8. IBM Plex Mono — 78%

- Slug: `ibm-plex-mono` · mono · OFL-1.1 · Mike Abbink, Bold Monday · static
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/ibm-plex-mono · font.md: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/ibm-plex-mono/font.md
- Classification (×0.35): 1.00 — Same class: monospace.
- Metrics (×0.25): 0.85 — x-height 0.52 vs 0.55 for Menlo (close); cap height 0.70 vs 0.73 for Menlo (close); both normal width; both low stroke contrast.
- Traits (×0.20): 0.17 — Shares technical (1 of 6 traits).
- Role (×0.10): 1.00 — Both suit code, ui.
- Language (×0.05): 0.75 — Covers cyrillic, latin, latin-ext; lacks greek.
- Variable (×0.05): 1.00 — Static instances, like Menlo.
- Family gate: pass — Both in the monospace family.

## Self-host JetBrains Mono (woff2)

- 100 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-100.woff2
- 200 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-200.woff2
- 300 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-300.woff2
- 400 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-400.woff2
- 500 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-500.woff2
- 600 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-600.woff2
- 700 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-700.woff2
- 800 normal: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-800.woff2
- 100 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-100i.woff2
- 200 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-200i.woff2
- 300 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-300i.woff2
- 400 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-400i.woff2
- 500 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-500i.woff2
- 600 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-600i.woff2
- 700 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-700i.woff2
- 800 italic: https://fonts.brandsweets.com/jetbrains-mono/jetbrains-mono-800i.woff2

## Connect an agent

Point any MCP client at the BrandSweets fonts endpoint to get this list with scores, or search the catalog:

- Endpoint: https://mcp.brandsweets.com/fonts/mcp
- Tools: `find_alternatives` (e.g. `find_alternatives({ commercialFont: "menlo", limit: 8 })`), `list_commercial_fonts`, `list_fonts`, `suggest_fonts`.