What is PFA?

PostScript Type 1 ASCII (PFA) is a human-readable printer font format used in professional typesetting and PostScript printing.

What is TTC?

TrueType Collection (TTC) bundles multiple TrueType fonts into a single file, commonly used for CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) font families.

When Should You Use PFA vs TTC?

PFA vs TTC: Key Differences

• •The core technical difference: PFA relies on lossless compression whereas TTC uses lossless compression.
• •Neither format changes compression philosophy — both are lossless compression — so any size differences are due to encoding efficiency, not a shift in quality approach.
• •Transparency: N/A
• •File sizes: PFA files typically range 20-100KB per font and TTC files 5-30MB for CJK font collections.
• •PFA is optimized for professional printing, postscript devices while TTC is designed for font distribution, cjk font collections — choose based on your specific workflow needs

Advantages of PFA

• ✓PFA applies lossless compression specifically calibrated for Professional printing, PostScript devices.
• ✓PFA enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓PFA guarantees every bit of the original data survives — no approximations, no shortcuts.
• ✓You will find PFA support built into virtually every tool that handles Professional printing, PostScript devices — no plugins or converters needed.

Advantages of TTC

• ✓TTC compresses data using lossless methods, keeping file sizes manageable for Font distribution, CJK font collections.
• ✓Industry-wide support means TTC files open anywhere — from legacy systems to the latest devices.
• ✓Lossless quality makes TTC the gold standard for archival and master copies.
• ✓From professional software to open-source alternatives, TTC works out of the box.

Common Use Cases for PFA to TTC Conversion

• Game UI typography
• Website typography
• Brand identity
• Print design
• Mobile apps
• Desktop publishing

Industry Applications

Best Practices for PFA to TTC Conversion

• →Converting PFA to TTC: check that glyph coverage is preserved — some formats have character limitations
• →Use TTC for cross-platform compatibility
• →Test fonts across different browsers and operating systems after conversion
• →Always keep a backup of your original files before converting
• →Choose the appropriate quality settings for your specific use case

Troubleshooting PFA to TTC Conversion

• !The converted TTC font has incorrect metrics → advance width and kerning values may differ between formats despite identical glyphs
• !TTC file looks heavier or lighter than PFA → font rendering engines handle weight and anti-aliasing differently per format
• !OpenType features (ligatures, swashes) lost after conversion to TTC → verify the target format supports advanced typographic features
• !Variable font axes missing from the converted TTC → variable font support varies significantly between formats

Related Font Converters

All Font Formats

More Font tools