Format Guide Index

Font Formats:Every Font File Type Compared

This page is the index of the Font-Converters format guides. It covers the 9 font file formats you will actually run into, WOFF2, WOFF, OTF, TTF, SVG, EOT, PFB, PostScript Type 1 and DFONT, and links to a full guide for each one. Start with the comparison table below, which lists the release year, developer, compression, browser support and primary use of every format side by side, then open the guide for the format you need. If you only want the short answer, use WOFF2 on the web and OTF or TTF on the desktop.

Formats Covered

Format Guides

Web Standards Today

Legacy Formats

All Font Formats Compared

Every font file type in one table, with the year it shipped, who built it, how it is compressed, where it runs and whether it is still worth using.

Comparison of all 9 font file formats by full name, release year, developer, compression, browser support, primary use and current status
Format	Full Name	Year	Developer	Compression	Browser Support	Primary Use	Status
woff2	Web Open Font Format 2	2014	W3C	Brotli	All modern browsers	Web fonts, the default choice	Recommended
woff	Web Open Font Format	2009	W3C	zlib	All browsers, IE9+	Web fallback for older browsers	Current
otf	OpenType Font	1996	Adobe & Microsoft	None	All browsers, IE9+	Professional design and print	Current
ttf	TrueType Font	1991	Apple & Microsoft	None	All browsers, IE6+	Desktop apps and print	Current
svg	SVG Font	2001	W3C	None, XML text	Removed from modern browsers	Legacy mobile Safari	Deprecated
eot	Embedded OpenType	1997	Microsoft	Built in	Internet Explorer only	Legacy Internet Explorer	Legacy
pfb	PostScript Type 1 Binary	1984	Adobe	Binary	Not for web use	Legacy desktop publishing	Legacy
Type 1	PostScript Type 1	1985	Adobe	Binary or ASCII	Not for web use	Legacy PostScript printing	Legacy
dfont	macOS Datafork Font	2001	Apple	None	Not for web use	Classic macOS applications	Legacy

Short version: WOFF2 is the modern web standard, WOFF is the fallback, OTF and TTF are the desktop and print formats, and SVG, EOT, PFB, PostScript Type 1 and DFONT are legacy formats you should convert away from.

Font Format Guides

Each format below has its own in-depth guide. Open the guide for the history, the technical detail, the browser support table and the conversion steps, or jump straight into the converter.

woff2

Web Open Font Format 2

Released:2014

Developer:W3C

Compression:Highly compressed (Brotli)

Browser Support:Chrome 36+, Firefox 39+, Safari 12+, Edge 14+

Status:Recommended

Read the full WOFF2 guide Convert WOFF2

WOFF2 is the next generation of WOFF with Brotli compression, offering 30% better compression than WOFF. It is now the recommended format for modern web applications.

Best For

Modern websites
Performance-critical apps
Progressive web apps
Mobile-first design

Limitations

No IE support
Requires fallback for old browsers
Slightly higher processing overhead

Primary Use Case

Modern web development and performance optimization

woff

Web Open Font Format

Released:2009

Developer:W3C

Compression:Compressed (zlib)

Browser Support:All modern browsers and IE9+

Status:Current

Read the full WOFF guide Convert WOFF

WOFF was specifically designed for web use with built-in compression. It wraps TrueType/OpenType fonts with metadata and compression, making files 40% smaller while maintaining compatibility.

Best For

Modern websites
Web applications
Legacy browser support
General web typography

Limitations

Larger than WOFF2
Not ideal for very old browsers
Being superseded by WOFF2

Primary Use Case

Modern web development with broad browser support

otf

OpenType Font

Released:1996

Developer:Adobe & Microsoft

Compression:Uncompressed

Browser Support:All modern browsers and IE9+

Status:Current

Read the full OTF guide Convert OTF

OpenType is an extension of TrueType with additional features. It supports more glyphs, advanced typographic features like ligatures and alternate characters, and is the preferred format for professional design work.

Best For

Professional graphic design
Advanced typography needs
Multi-language publications
High-quality print work

Limitations

Larger file sizes
May not work in very old software
Overkill for simple web use

Primary Use Case

Professional design, advanced typography, and high-quality print

ttf

TrueType Font

Released:1991

Developer:Apple & Microsoft

Compression:Uncompressed

Browser Support:All modern browsers and IE6+

Status:Current

Read the full TTF guide Convert TTF

TrueType is one of the most widely used font formats, developed jointly by Apple and Microsoft. It stores both screen and printer font data in a single file and is supported across all major operating systems.

Best For

Desktop application fonts
Cross-platform compatibility
Software user interfaces
Print and digital media

Limitations

Large file sizes for web
No built-in compression
Limited advanced features vs OTF

Primary Use Case

Desktop applications, software UI, and legacy web compatibility

svg

SVG Font

Released:2001

Developer:W3C

Compression:XML-based

Browser Support:Safari (legacy), deprecated in modern browsers

Status:Deprecated

Read the full SVG guide Convert SVG

SVG fonts are defined using Scalable Vector Graphics markup. They were used for older mobile browsers but are now deprecated in favor of WOFF/WOFF2 for better performance.

Best For

Very old mobile devices
Legacy Safari support
Special SVG effects
Historical compatibility

Limitations

Deprecated format
Poor performance
Large file sizes
Limited browser support

Primary Use Case

Legacy mobile browsers and special effects

eot

Embedded OpenType

Released:1997

Developer:Microsoft

Compression:Compressed

Browser Support:Internet Explorer only

Status:Legacy

Read the full EOT guide Convert EOT

EOT is a legacy format, so its guide lives in the combined legacy font formats guide.

EOT was created by Microsoft for Internet Explorer. It includes DRM features and compression but is now largely obsolete as modern browsers support WOFF/WOFF2.

Best For

IE6-8 compatibility
Legacy corporate systems
Old browser support
Historical projects

Limitations

Only works in IE
Obsolete format
No modern browser support
Being phased out

Primary Use Case

Legacy Internet Explorer support (IE6-IE8)

pfb

PostScript Type 1 Binary

Released:1984

Developer:Adobe

Compression:Binary encoded

Browser Support:Limited web support

Status:Legacy

Read the full PFB guide Convert PFB

PFB is a legacy format, so its guide lives in the combined legacy font formats guide.

PostScript Type 1 fonts were the standard for professional desktop publishing before TrueType and OpenType. They offer high-quality rendering but are less common in modern web use.

Best For

Professional printing
Desktop publishing
Legacy workflows
Print production

Limitations

Limited web use
Being replaced by OTF
Requires paired metrics file
Older technology

Primary Use Case

Professional printing and legacy publishing

dfont

macOS Datafork Font

Released:2001

Developer:Apple

Compression:Uncompressed

Browser Support:Not for web use

Status:Legacy

Read the full DFONT guide Convert DFONT

DFONT is a legacy format, so its guide lives in the combined legacy font formats guide.

Datafork fonts are a Mac-specific format that stores font data in the data fork rather than the resource fork. Mainly used for compatibility with older macOS systems.

Best For

Old macOS systems
Classic Mac applications
Mac font archives
Historical projects

Limitations

Mac-only format
Not for web use
Being replaced by OTF
Limited compatibility

Primary Use Case

Legacy macOS compatibility and classic Mac apps

Legacy Formats

EOT, PFB, PostScript Type 1, DFONT

Read the full legacy formats guide

Four font formats are retired but still turn up in old archives and client handoffs. Embedded OpenType was built for Internet Explorer, PFB and PostScript Type 1 carried professional print before OpenType and were discontinued by Adobe in January 2023, and the macOS Datafork font only ever existed on classic Mac systems. One guide covers all four, what they are, why they were retired and what to convert them into.

Embedded OpenType PostScript Type 1 Binary PostScript Type 1 macOS Datafork Font

Which Font Format Should You Use?

Pick the right format for the job in one glance

For Modern Websites

WOFF2WOFF

Use WOFF2 as primary with WOFF fallback for best performance and compatibility.

For Desktop Apps

OTFTTF

OpenType offers advanced features, TrueType for simpler needs and maximum compatibility.

For Print Design

OTFTTF

OpenType provides professional typography features ideal for print work.

For Mobile Apps

TTFOTF

Both formats work well on iOS and Android with good performance.

For Performance

WOFF2

Best compression available, up to 30% smaller than WOFF for faster loading.

For Compatibility

TTFWOFF

Maximum compatibility across old and new browsers and operating systems.

Font Format FAQs

The questions people ask most often about font file formats

What font format should I use?

For websites, use WOFF2 with a WOFF fallback. For desktop applications, print work and anything you install on a computer, use OTF or TTF. Everything else covered on this page, EOT, SVG fonts, PFB, PostScript Type 1 and DFONT, is legacy and only worth keeping to open old files.

What is the difference between TTF and OTF?

Both are installable desktop formats and both work almost everywhere. OTF is the newer OpenType standard, holds up to 65,000 glyphs and carries advanced typography such as ligatures, small caps and alternate characters. TTF is simpler, a little more compatible with very old software and usually smaller. Choose OTF for design and multi language work, and TTF for maximum compatibility.

Which font format is best for websites?

WOFF2 is the best font format for websites. It uses Brotli compression, which makes files roughly 30 percent smaller than WOFF and around half the size of a raw TTF, and every modern browser supports it. Serve WOFF2 first and add WOFF as a fallback only if you still need to support very old browsers.

How many font formats are there?

There are nine font formats in general circulation and this page covers all of them: WOFF2, WOFF, OTF, TTF, SVG, EOT, PFB, PostScript Type 1 and DFONT. Only four of those are worth using today, WOFF2 and WOFF on the web, and OTF and TTF on the desktop.

Are EOT, PFB, PostScript Type 1 and DFONT fonts still needed?

No, those four are legacy formats and Font-Converters covers them together in a single guide. EOT only ever worked in Internet Explorer, PFB and PostScript Type 1 were discontinued by Adobe in January 2023, and DFONT only exists on classic macOS. Keep them to open old archives, then convert them to WOFF2, OTF or TTF for anything new.

In-Depth Guides

Broader guides that build on the formats indexed above.

Complete Comparison

All formats compared

Browser Support

Cross-browser guide

Variable Fonts

Modern responsive typography

OpenType Features

Ligatures, alternates

Format Comparisons

Side-by-side comparisons to help you choose the right format.

TTF vs OTF

Desktop format showdown

WOFF vs WOFF2

Web format comparison

OTF vs WOFF2

Desktop to web

Desktop vs Web

Use case comparison

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