TrueType v.s Postscript Fonts: Which Is Best For Printing

Typography defines the visual identity of every printed marketing asset. Professional designers select specific styles to convey brand messages across posters and business cards.

This selection process involves technical decisions that affect how lines appear on paper or screens.

Choosing between digital font formats dictates the success of a commercial print run. The technical architecture behind these files determines the quality of the final physical product.

Understanding these differences helps prevent production strategy mistakes and profit loss.

In our TrueType vs PostScript guide, we will walk you through everything required to achieve desired results, along with things to consider.

TrueType v.s Postscript Fonts: Main Highlights

• Technical differences between quadratic and cubic outlines.
• Transition from legacy Type 1 fonts to modern OpenType standards.
• Techniques for converting text to paths to ensure reliable printing.

Opentype Vs. Truetype Vs. Postscript: Font Overview In 2026

Overall, the global font and typeface market is expected to increase from USD 1,211.36 million in 2025 to USD 1,609.34 million by 2031.

Above all, modern printing relies on three primary digital formats to render text, though today the reality has shifted almost everything to OpenType.

Each system uses distinct mathematical methods to define the curves of every letter. High quality results depend on selecting the right format for the specific output device.

TrueType vs PostScript technology comparisons often start with the basic architecture of the files.

Today, the industry utilizes several standards to manage how characters look on a screen versus a physical page.

Here are the primary options available to designers today.

1. PostScript Type 1: The long standing professional standard for commercial output using cubic curves.
2. TrueType: A screen focused format utilizing quadratic curves for legibility on digital displays.
3. OpenType: The modern universal wrapper supporting both technologies and massive character sets. OpenType has become the universal standard and is the most used in printing.

The End of PostScript Type 1 Support

Adobe finished the process of ending support for legacy Type 1 fonts in 2023. This change forces designers to update old documents to modern standards.

Using these older files now results in errors within modern design software.

OpenType TT vs. OpenType PS (CFF)

OpenType exists in two main flavors known as TrueType flavored and PostScript flavored.

The extension .otf usually signifies PostScript outlines. Files ending in .ttf often contain TrueType data.

Cross-Platform Reliability and Expanded Glyphs

OpenType supports up to 65,000 characters within a single file. This capacity permits the inclusion of multiple languages and special ligatures.

Designers share these files between Mac and Windows systems without encountering corruption.

Is OpenType or TrueType Better?

Professional printers prefer OpenType for its stability and advanced features.

And still, TrueType remains common for office documents and web use. The decision depends on whether the final goal is a digital screen or a physical press.

Understanding Font Fundamentals: Quadratic Vs Cubic Outlines

Every letter in a digital font consists of mathematical paths called Bézier curves. The complexity of these curves defines how smooth a character appears when enlarged.

Different formats use different types of math to draw these shapes.

An important distinction is that the curve type affects not only visual quality but also how fonts are edited, converted, and optimized across platforms.

Because outline math is foundational, it influences everything from file size to compatibility with operating systems, design software, and output devices.

TrueType Outlines (Quadratic Bézier)

TrueType uses quadratic curves which rely on three points to define a shape.

This math is simpler for computers to process quickly. Simple processing makes these fonts fast to render on low resolution computer monitors.

Because quadratic curves are more constrained, complex shapes often require more curve segments to achieve smooth detail.

This can slightly increase point counts in intricate designs, but the predictable structure has historically made TrueType fonts reliable and consistent across different screen environments.

PostScript Outlines (Cubic Bézier)

PostScript uses cubic curves which involve four points for every segment. This structure provides designers with more control over the specific shape of a curve.

Most high end typeface designers prefer this method for creating elegant and complex letterforms.

The extra control points allow smoother transitions and subtler adjustments with fewer segments, which is especially valuable in display fonts and detailed serifs.

This efficiency makes cubic outlines well suited for professional design workflows where precision and visual refinement are critical.

The Role of the Rasterizer and Hinting

Hinting involves small instructions that tell a computer how to align a font with the pixel grid.

TrueType fonts include these instructions directly within the font file. PostScript fonts rely more on the software inside the printer to handle this task.

At small screen sizes, effective hinting can significantly improve legibility by preventing strokes from appearing uneven or blurry.

While modern displays reduce the need for aggressive hinting, it still plays a role in maintaining clarity on lower resolution devices and legacy systems.

How Does OpenType Handle Outlines?

OpenType acts as a container for either type of outline data. This flexibility allows the format to inherit the best traits of its predecessors.

Modern systems treat both types with high levels of accuracy.

As a result, OpenType has become the dominant format for cross platform typography, simplifying font distribution and usage.

Designers can focus on features like:

• Language support: Enables extensive Unicode coverage, allowing a single font to support multiple writing systems and regional languages.
• Ligatures: Provides automatic and discretionary character combinations that improve readability and visual flow.
• Stylistic alternates: Offers optional character variations designers can use to fine tune tone and personality.
• Advanced typography features: Includes small caps, old style figures, fractions, and contextual substitutions without requiring separate font files.
• Cross platform consistency: Ensures the same font behavior and appearance across operating systems and design applications.

File Sizes, Performance, And Print Quality With Fonts

Performance in a printing environment involves more than just how a font looks.

File size and processing speed affect how quickly a printer finishes a job. Efficient data structures lead to faster production times.

Subroutinization and Compact File Sizes

PostScript flavored OpenType fonts utilize a process called subroutinization.

This method identifies repeating shapes within a font and stores them once and produces files that are 20% to 50% smaller than TrueType equivalents.

Smaller font files load faster in design applications and place less strain on system resources when embedded in complex documents.

This efficiency is especially valuable in large projects such as multilingual layouts, variable font families, or print jobs that require embedding multiple typefaces.

Hinting Intelligence: Screen vs. Print Precision

Screen rendering focuses on making text legible at small sizes on a grid of pixels.

Print rendering focuses on the highest possible resolution on paper. PostScript technology excels at maintaining the original design intent during the transfer to ink.

Because print devices operate at far higher resolutions than screens, they benefit more from precise curve data than from aggressive pixel alignment.

Cubic outlines allow subtle stroke modulation and curve transitions to remain intact, resulting in sharper details and more faithful reproduction of the original type design.

Why Digital Printers Prefer OpenType PS

Digital presses use Raster Image Processors to translate digital files into dots of ink. These processors have been built on PostScript logic for decades.

Using the same logic in your fonts ensures the highest level of compatibility.

This alignment reduces the risk of unexpected substitutions, outline conversion errors, or rendering artifacts during output.

Font Format	Primary Outline Math	Best Use Case
PostScript (.otf)	Cubic Bézier Curves	High Resolution Commercial Print
TrueType (.ttf)	Quadratic Bézier Curves	Web Design and Office Documents
OpenType (.otf/.ttf)	Both Supported	Professional Cross-Platform Design

For production environments where consistency and predictability are critical, OpenType PS fonts integrate smoothly into existing workflows and minimize costly reprints or troubleshooting.

Read More: Digital VS Offset Printing: The Ultimate Guide To Printing Methods

Choosing The Right Font For Your Project

Selecting a font involvesbalancing aesthetic goals with technical requirements.

Different projects demand different levels of precision. Your choice affects how your brand appears to your customers.

When to Use OpenType TT (.ttf) for Web and Office

Standard office applications like Word or PowerPoint perform well with TrueType.

Web browsers also favor the hinting found in .ttf files. Use these when your audience primarily views your work on a screen.

Dealing with Legacy Documents and Missing Fonts

Opening old design files often triggers warnings about missing Type 1 fonts. Transitioning these to modern OpenType versions is the only way to ensure future access.

Always keep a backup of original files before making these updates.

When to Use OpenType PS (.otf) for High-End Print

Commercial projects like catalogs or brochures require the precision of PostScript. These files provide the reliability needed for large scale production.

Using .otf files ensures that your typography remains crisp on every page.

How Do You Convert Fonts To Paths In Indesign?

Converting text to paths is a standard practice for preparing print ready files.

This process turns editable text into static vector shapes. Doing this eliminates the risk of font substitution at the print shop.

Converting text to outlines prevents the printer from needing your font files. This step is a safety measure against missing characters or reflow issues.

Once converted, the text is no longer editable, so save a copy of your original document first.

Why Outlining is Still a Printing Golden Rule

Missing fonts cause delays and errors in the production process.

Outlining ensures that the shapes of your letters remain identical regardless of the printer’s software. This practice is especially helpful when using rare or custom typefaces.

The Easy Way: Creating Outlines Manually

InDesign provides a simple command for this task. Select your text frames and navigate to the Type menu.

Choose the Create Outlines option to transform your characters into vector paths immediately.

1. Select the text frame or specific characters using the selection tool.
2. Open the Type menu at the top of the InDesign interface.
3. Click Create Outlines to finalize the conversion to vector shapes.

The Pro Way: Using the Transparency Flattener

The transparency flattener method allows you to keep text editable in your working file while outlining it during PDF export.

This technique requires creating a custom transparency flattener preset. This method is more efficient for long documents with hundreds of pages.

Print Your Marketing Materials With Chilliprinting

High quality printing starts with a professional file preparation process. ChilliPrinting ensures that your designs receive the attention they deserve.

We provide the expertise needed to handle complex font formats and layout requirements.

Our team can cater to the technical needs of B2B clients and non profit organizations. We focus on providing cost effective solutions without sacrificing quality.

• Printing Expertise: Access to professional offset printing for bulk orders and marketing materials.
• Large Range of Products: We offer a large range of products from standard sizes to custom designs.
• Personal Support: Human support to guide you through file preparation and font choices.
• Fast Turnaround: Reliable delivery schedules to help you meet critical deadlines.

Order your next set of business materials from ChilliPrinting for perfect results every time.