An agile, athletic, and acrobatic shot-stopper, Ospina is also known for his reflexes and his technical ability with his feet, as well as his distribution and ability to produce accurate throws, which allows him to play the ball out from the back and start attacks. Considered by pundits to be a promising goalkeeper in his youth, his former Nice manager, Frédéric Antonetti, once described him as an "international-standard goalkeeper," also stating: "He has everything you need to be a top goalkeeper. He's good in the air and he's good on the ground. He has that little extra something to be a champion. Hugo Lloris was an international-standard goalkeeper; so is David." He is also known for his reserved character and calm demeanour on the pitch. Although he was criticised in the media during his earlier career for being prone to rash errors, while his ability to command his area and decision-making about when to come off his line also came into question, he was able to improve in these areas as his career progressed due to his work-rate, in particular in his speed when rushing off his line and getting to ground to smother the ball – which makes him effective in one on one situations –, or when dealing with crosses; as such, he has been described by journalists as a "sweeper keeper," due to his playing style and ability to rush out of goal. However, despite his all-round improvement as he entered his prime, his tendency to commit errors has persisted, which has been a source of scrutiny from pundits. Standing at 1.83 m (6 ft), Ospina is not particularly tall for a goalkeeper; as such, his lack of height has occasionally limited him in the air at times, despite his bravery. He has also been accused of being inconsistent and unreliable in the media, despite his excellent and consistent performances at international level. Consequently, critical reception of Ospina has been divided; while his former Arsenal manager Wenger labelled him as the "best goalkeeper in the Premier League" in 2015, and as "a world-class goalkeeper" in 2016, Michael Cummings of Bleacher Report instead stated in 2015 that "Ospina is not a top-class goalkeeper," despite performing well for Arsenal since earning the starting role over Szczęsny earlier that year. Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson instead described him as a "solid keeper" in 2018.