I bought a font today. First time ever paying for a typeface. And it was Berkeley Mono.
No regrets.
Why Berkeley Mono
If you've spent any time in developer circles online, you've probably seen Berkeley Mono without knowing it. It's the font that makes terminals and code editors look like they belong in a different era — precise, warm, slightly retro, but completely modern in its execution.
If you've spent any time in developer circles online, you've probably seen Berkeley Mono without knowing it. It's the font that makes terminals and code editors look like they belong in a different era — precise, warm, slightly retro, but completely modern in its execution.
It sits in a category of its own. Not as sterile as JetBrains Mono. Not as quirky as Monaspace. Not as ubiquitous as Fira Code. Berkeley Mono has a character that's hard to describe until you see it in your own editor — and then you immediately understand why people pay for it.
Why I Finally Pulled the Trigger
I've been using free monospace fonts for years. JetBrains Mono, Cascadia Code, Hack, Iosevka — all excellent, all free, all perfectly usable.
But I kept coming back to Berkeley Mono screenshots in other people's setups. There's something about it that makes code look more intentional. More considered. Like the typography is actually part of the craft.
At some point it stopped being about the font and started being about respecting the work. Designers put real effort into these typefaces. Paying for one felt right.
At some point it stopped being about the font and started being about respecting the work. Designers put real effort into these typefaces. Paying for one felt right.
First Impressions
Set it up in Neovim immediately. Then the terminal. Then LM Studio for good measure.
Set it up in Neovim immediately. Then the terminal. Then LM Studio for good measure.
The letterforms are clean but not cold. The characters are distinct — zero vs O, one vs l vs I — no ambiguity anywhere. Ligatures are subtle and actually useful rather than decorative. And at small sizes it stays sharp in a way that cheaper fonts don't.
It just looks good. All day, every day, staring at code — that matters more than I expected.
What It Cost
Not cheap for a font. But cheap compared to most software subscriptions I pay monthly without thinking about it. One purchase, lifetime use, no subscription.
Not cheap for a font. But cheap compared to most software subscriptions I pay monthly without thinking about it. One purchase, lifetime use, no subscription.
For something you look at every single day as a developer, it's one of the better value decisions I've made.
Recommended?
If you spend serious time in a terminal or code editor and you've never thought about your font — start thinking about it. Typography in development environments is underrated.
If you spend serious time in a terminal or code editor and you've never thought about your font — start thinking about it. Typography in development environments is underrated.
And if you're going to buy one font, Berkeley Mono is a good place to start.
17 May 2025
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