Microsoft Font Validator vs FontForge

Struggling to choose between Microsoft Font Validator and FontForge? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Microsoft Font Validator is a Office & Productivity solution with tags like font, validator, testing, quality-assurance, microsoft.

It boasts features such as Scans font files for issues like missing glyphs, corrupt data, and format inconsistencies, Provides detailed reports on font file problems, Supports various font formats including TrueType, OpenType, and WOFF, Allows users to test font files before using them in projects, Helps designers and developers ensure font quality and consistency and pros including Free to use, Comprehensive font file validation, Supports a wide range of font formats, Easy to use interface, Helps identify and fix font-related issues early in the development process.

On the other hand, FontForge is a Photos & Graphics product tagged with font, editor, opensource, typography, glyphs, kerning, hinting.

Its standout features include Vector drawing tools for designing glyphs, Importing and exporting various font formats, Editing typographic features like kerning, ligatures, etc, Font hinting and optimization for screen and print, Scripting and automation via Python, Cross-platform - works on Linux, Mac, Windows, Command line and GUI versions available, and it shines with pros like Powerful feature set for free software, Open source with an active developer community, Cross-platform and widely compatible, Scripting allows advanced automation, Supports many font formats and professional features.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Microsoft Font Validator

Microsoft Font Validator

Microsoft Font Validator is a free tool that allows designers and developers to test font files for issues before using them in projects. It scans fonts for problems like missing glyphs, corrupt data, and format inconsistencies.

Categories:
font validator testing quality-assurance microsoft

Microsoft Font Validator Features

  1. Scans font files for issues like missing glyphs, corrupt data, and format inconsistencies
  2. Provides detailed reports on font file problems
  3. Supports various font formats including TrueType, OpenType, and WOFF
  4. Allows users to test font files before using them in projects
  5. Helps designers and developers ensure font quality and consistency

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Free to use

Comprehensive font file validation

Supports a wide range of font formats

Easy to use interface

Helps identify and fix font-related issues early in the development process

Cons

Limited to font file validation only, no other font management features

May not cover all possible font-related issues

No advanced features or customization options


FontForge

FontForge

FontForge is an open-source font editor that allows users to create and edit various types of fonts. It has robust tools for editing glyph shapes, kerning, hinting, and other typographic features.

Categories:
font editor opensource typography glyphs kerning hinting

FontForge Features

  1. Vector drawing tools for designing glyphs
  2. Importing and exporting various font formats
  3. Editing typographic features like kerning, ligatures, etc
  4. Font hinting and optimization for screen and print
  5. Scripting and automation via Python
  6. Cross-platform - works on Linux, Mac, Windows
  7. Command line and GUI versions available

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Powerful feature set for free software

Open source with an active developer community

Cross-platform and widely compatible

Scripting allows advanced automation

Supports many font formats and professional features

Cons

User interface can be complex for beginners

Limited native support for variable fonts

Not as full-featured as paid font editors

Documentation and learning resources could be better