diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/_pipeline.py b/src/ocrmypdf/_pipeline.py
index 3285f6c4..cd67eafa 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/_pipeline.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/_pipeline.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from ocrmypdf.exceptions import (
 )
 from ocrmypdf.helpers import IMG2PDF_KWARGS, Resolution, safe_symlink
 from ocrmypdf.hocrtransform import DebugRenderOptions, HocrTransform
-from ocrmypdf.hocrtransform._font import Helvetica
+from ocrmypdf.hocrtransform._font import Courier
 from ocrmypdf.pdfa import generate_pdfa_ps
 from ocrmypdf.pdfinfo import Colorspace, Encoding, PageInfo, PdfInfo
 from ocrmypdf.pluginspec import OrientationConfidence
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ def render_hocr_page(hocr: Path, page_context: PageContext) -> Path:
                 render_paragraph_bbox=False,
                 render_space_bbox=False,
             ),
-            font=Helvetica(),
+            font=Courier(),
         )
     HocrTransform(
         hocr_filename=hocr, dpi=dpi.to_scalar(), **debug_kwargs  # square
diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/hocrtransform/_font.py b/src/ocrmypdf/hocrtransform/_font.py
index 784ef469..9324b71e 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/hocrtransform/_font.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/hocrtransform/_font.py
@@ -120,12 +120,12 @@ class GlyphlessFont(EncodableFont):
         return basefont
 
 
-class Helvetica(EncodableFont):
-    """Helvetica font."""
+class Courier(EncodableFont):
+    """Courier font."""
 
     def text_width(self, text: str, fontsize: float) -> float:
         """Estimate the width of a text string when rendered with the given font."""
-        return len(text) * fontsize / 2.0
+        return len(text) * fontsize
 
     def text_encode(self, text: str) -> bytes:
         return text.encode('pdfdoc', errors='ignore')
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class Helvetica(EncodableFont):
         """Register the font."""
         return pdf.make_indirect(
             Dictionary(
-                BaseFont=Name.Helvetica,
+                BaseFont=Name.Courier,
                 Type=Name.Font,
                 Subtype=Name.Type1,
             )