HTML2PDFAPI vs PDFShift: Complete Comparison [2026]
Looking for a PDFShift alternative? This guide compares HTML2PDFAPI and PDFShift across pricing, features, performance, and developer experience to help you choose the right HTML to PDF API.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | HTML2PDFAPI | PDFShift |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | 50 conversions/month | 50 conversions/month |
| Starting Price | $17/month (5,000 conv.) | $9/month (500 conv.) |
| Video Recording | Yes | No |
| S3 Integration | Built-in | Webhook only |
| Self-Hosting Option | Open source | No |
| Screenshot API | Yes | Limited |
| Cookie Blocking | Yes | No |
| Custom Headers | Yes | Yes |
| JavaScript Execution | Full Chromium | Chromium |
| Async Processing | Yes | Yes |
Pricing Comparison
Both services offer a similar free tier, but HTML2PDFAPI provides better value at scale:
HTML2PDFAPI
- Free: 50 conversions/month
- Pro: $17/month for 5,000 conversions
- Cost per conversion: ~$0.003
- Open source self-hosting available
PDFShift
- Free: 50 conversions/month
- Starter: $9/month for 500 conversions
- Cost per conversion: ~$0.018
- No self-hosting option
At the Pro level, HTML2PDFAPI offers 10x more conversions than PDFShift's Starter plan for less than 2x the price.
Feature Comparison
Video Recording
HTML2PDFAPI can record videos of web pages, perfect for creating tutorials, demos, or documentation. PDFShift focuses solely on PDF generation and doesn't offer video recording.
S3 Integration
HTML2PDFAPI offers built-in S3 bucket integration, allowing you to store generated PDFs directly in your own AWS S3 bucket. PDFShift offers webhooks but no direct S3 integration.
Self-Hosting
HTML2PDFAPI's core rendering engine is open source and available for self-hosting. This gives you complete control over your data and eliminates per-conversion costs for high-volume use cases.
When to Choose HTML2PDFAPI
- You need high-volume conversion at better prices
- You want video recording capabilities
- You require direct S3 integration
- You want the option to self-host
- You need screenshot functionality
- You want to block cookies and trackers
When to Choose PDFShift
- You have very low volume needs (<500/month)
- You prefer a simpler pricing structure
- You only need PDF generation without screenshots or video
Conclusion
For developers who need more than basic PDF generation, HTML2PDFAPI offers significantly better value with video recording, direct S3 integration, and a self-hosting option. The 10x better conversion-to-price ratio makes it the clear choice for growing applications.
Other Comparisons
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