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Send a multipart POST request to PDFCrowd’s versioned endpoint, authenticate with your PDFCrowd username and API key, and put the page address in the url field. On success, the response body is PDF data: save or stream it as bytes, not as JSON or text.
Make a URL-to-PDF request
PDFCrowd documents the endpoint https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/24.04/. The version is part of the URL, so use the documented endpoint rather than silently changing its version. This cURL example follows the vendor’s HTTP API guide:
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curl -f -s -S
-u 'YOUR_USERNAME:YOUR_API_KEY'
-o example.pdf
-F url=https://example.com/
https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/24.04/Replace the username, API key, and example address with your credentials and target page. The request uses HTTP Basic authentication: the PDFCrowd username is the username and the API key is the password. Its body is form data; PDFCrowd says JSON request bodies are not supported. The -F option sends multipart form data, while -o writes the returned bytes to a file. PDFCrowd’s HTTP API guide documents the request and response.
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Make sure PDFCrowd can access the source
The url field is for an http:// or https:// page reachable from PDFCrowd’s servers. A URL on your computer’s localhost is not reachable by the hosted converter. If the page is private or protected, your API credentials authenticate your request to PDFCrowd; they do not automatically sign PDFCrowd in to the source website. Configure the source website’s required credentials, cookies, or custom HTTP header separately. Check the parameter reference for the supported fields and accepted values.
Choose the right input for your page
A URL is convenient when the source page is publicly reachable and its remote resources load correctly. If your application already has the rendered markup, or the page depends on local assets, choose an HTML input instead:
- HTML string: Send the markup in the
textfield. Use absolute URLs for remote resources, or provide an HTML<base>element so relative paths resolve correctly. - HTML file or archive: Upload with the
filefield. Package local images, stylesheets, and scripts with the HTML in a supported archive, preserving relative paths. If the archive contains multiple HTML files, setzip_main_filenameto identify the entry point.
File uploads use multipart form data. These input choices and their fields are described in the parameter reference.
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Control rendering and page layout
Pass rendering settings as additional form fields alongside url, text, or file. PDFCrowd documents controls for page size and margins, orientation and page breaks, headers and footers, viewport behavior, custom CSS and JavaScript, watermarks, password protection, PDF/A, and tagged PDF output. Read the parameter reference for each setting’s accepted values, availability, and default; do not assume a sample value is the service default.
For pages that populate content with JavaScript, the API includes readiness controls such as javascript_delay and wait_for_element. To export just a portion of a page, consider element_to_convert. These options can change what appears in the PDF and how long rendering takes, so start with the smallest set that solves the layout problem. The API’s feature categories are also summarized on the PDFCrowd developer overview.
PDFCrowd’s guide explicitly sets content_viewport_width=balanced in an example and clarifies that it is an explicit option, not the API default. If you add it, do so because you want that behavior, not because the example implies it is automatic.
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Handle the response as binary data
- Check the HTTP status before treating the response body as a document.
- On success, save or stream the response bytes as a PDF. Do not parse them as JSON or text.
- On failure, retain the HTTP status, response body, and PDFCrowd reason code. Errors are plain text by default; add
?errfmt=jsonto the endpoint URL when you want JSON-formatted errors. This option affects error formatting, not the successful PDF response. - Use the returned status and reason code to distinguish bad input or settings from authentication, license, or credit issues before deciding whether to retry.
In an application, check that the response is successful before writing the body to a file or returning it to a user. Keep error handling separate from the PDF download path so a failed conversion cannot be mistaken for a valid document.
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PDFCrowd’s current HTTP API guide states a maximum upload size of 300 MB and says conversions exceeding 60 seconds of processing time are stopped. Rate and concurrency limits depend on the license. These are vendor-published operational limits accessed in 2026; recheck the current guide before designing around them. A longer client-side timeout does not extend the service’s processing limit.
For temporary failures, PDFCrowd recommends bounded retries with increasing delays. Do not repeatedly retry invalid input, incorrect credentials, or account and license problems; correct the cause first. PDFCrowd’s current plans page states that the trial includes 100 test API credits valid for one month and that credit use is based on output size at one credit per 0.5 MB. Check the live plan selector for current paid prices.
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For sensitive pages or uploaded content, review PDFCrowd’s current Data Security and Privacy page and applicable agreement. PDFCrowd states that submitted HTML, uploaded files, and generated files are deleted from active processing systems within 30 minutes after they are no longer needed for conversion and result availability, with no backup copies of those files. It also says converted URLs can appear in conversion logs under the account retention setting, whose stated default is 14 days, and that customers can choose no storage. These are the vendor’s stated practices, not independent verification; business customers can review the data processing agreement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Connection or fetch failure for the source | The URL is inaccessible to PDFCrowd, points to localhost, or needs source-site authentication. | Use a publicly reachable URL or supply the needed source-site credentials, cookies, or header. If you have the markup locally, send it using text or file. |
| Unauthorized or account-related error | The Basic authentication username/API key is wrong, or the account’s license or credits need attention. | Verify that the PDFCrowd username is the Basic-auth username and the API key is the password. Use the returned status and reason code to check account conditions. |
| PDF has missing images or styles | Remote resources are unavailable to the converter, or relative links do not resolve from submitted HTML. | Use absolute resource URLs or an HTML <base> element for HTML strings. For local assets, upload a supported archive with relative paths preserved. |
| Dynamic content is absent | The page had not finished rendering when conversion proceeded. | Use an appropriate readiness control such as javascript_delay or wait_for_element, and check the accepted settings in the parameter reference. |
| Conversion times out or stops | The conversion may exceed the vendor’s stated processing-time limit or encounter a temporary failure. | Reduce the page’s rendering work or adjust readiness and layout settings. Retry only temporary errors, with bounded attempts and increasing delays; a longer client timeout cannot override the server-side limit. |
| Saved “PDF” is unreadable or contains an error message | An error body was saved without checking the HTTP status. | Check status first, preserve error details for diagnosis, and write the body as a PDF only on a successful response. |
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a screenshot or PDF capture without operating a browser, ScreenshotNeo offers a website screenshot API with a single GET request. For example, this saves a WebP screenshot:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the request options. It accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, with response headers indicating the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides screenshot and PDF capture tools for AI agents. ScreenshotNeo’s free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan.
FAQ
Can I get a JSON response instead of a PDF?
Successful conversions return PDF bytes. The errfmt=json option requests JSON formatting for errors only.
Can I use this endpoint from any programming language?
Yes. It is an HTTP API, so a client that can send authenticated multipart form data and handle a binary response can use it. PDFCrowd also provides language-specific client libraries; consult its developer overview for available examples.
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