Side by side
Carbone vs CUPS-PDF
Both stand on pdf creation software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3
Carbone covers template-based document generation, conversion and multiple deployment models. Review how its data-size document counting and overage billing fit your expected workload.
Visit Carbone Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted
CUPS-PDF offers a central print-to-PDF setup with configurable output and broad package listings. Check filesystem compatibility and the required root-level backend settings before deployment.
Visit CUPS-PDFThe facts
| Carbone | CUPS-PDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | See the plans | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 18 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | carbone.io | cups-pdf.de |
| On pdf creation software | #1 of 46 | #3 of 46 |
Carbone: what it does well
- Generates PDF, DOCX, XLSX and PPTX files
- Conversion API supports more than 100 formats
- API access and bulk generation are available
- Cloud and self-hosted free options are listed
What to know first
- Extra documents beyond plan allowance are invoiced separately
- Documents are counted per 1 MB of injected data
- Cloud Essential is listed at $29.00 per month
CUPS-PDF: what it does well
- Provides a virtual PDF printer for a central fileserver.
- Organizes output by print-job owner.
- Offers configuration for page size and PDF version.
- Packages or ports are listed for several systems.
- Free under GPL version 2 or later.
What to know first
- Requires root privileges.
- Windows and NetWare shares are unsupported.
- Requires a fully featured UNIX filesystem.
- The software is provided without warranty.
Alternatives to Carbone Alternatives to CUPS-PDF The whole list