Side by side
HTMLPDF.dev vs PDF.ai API
Both stand on pdf api software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIWeb
HTMLPDF.dev pairs a browser playground with API-based PDF generation and detailed rendering controls. Check the plan quotas and hourly limits against expected usage; paid plans start at $19 a month.
Visit HTMLPDF.dev Free plan API
PDF.ai API combines PDF parsing, structured extraction, section finding, and Q&A in one HTTP API. Review the operation-specific credit charges and key handling before building it into a workflow.
Visit PDF.ai APIThe facts
| HTMLPDF.dev | PDF.ai API | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Web | API |
| Lowest paid plan | Starter: $19 a month | Paid: $599 a month |
| Plans published | 6 | 3 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | htmlpdf.dev | api.pdf.ai |
| On pdf api software | #15 of 35 | #19 of 35 |
HTMLPDF.dev: what it does well
- Converts HTML and public URLs into PDFs.
- Browser playground supports preview and download without code.
- Offers controls for layout, pages, headers, and footers.
- Supports dynamic pages with selector waits or timeouts.
- Free plan includes 100 PDFs monthly.
What to know first
- Free plan allows 10 requests per hour.
- Free plan is limited to 100 PDFs per month.
- API requests require an Authorization Bearer token.
- No security certification or compliance standard is stated.
PDF.ai API: what it does well
- Parse supports OCR, tables, and image extraction
- Extract returns citations linked to PDF segments
- Free plan includes 200 credits/month
- Examples cover cURL, Python, Node.js, and PHP
- Cached Parse results can cost zero credits
What to know first
- Ask requires documents to be parsed first
- Parse and other operations consume credits
- Generated API key is shown only once
Alternatives to HTMLPDF.dev Alternatives to PDF.ai API The whole list