Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

wkhtmltopdf VS HTML PDF API

Compare wkhtmltopdf VS HTML PDF API and see what are their differences

wkhtmltopdf logo wkhtmltopdf

wkhtmltopdf is an open source (LGPL) command line tools to render HTML into PDF and various image...

HTML PDF API logo HTML PDF API

Easily generate PDF documents from HTML code with our powerful API
  • wkhtmltopdf Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-21
  • HTML PDF API Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-12-13

wkhtmltopdf features and specs

  • HTML to PDF Conversion
    wkhtmltopdf allows for the conversion of HTML and CSS content into PDF documents, making it easier to generate reports, invoices, and other necessary documentation from web content.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, wkhtmltopdf is free to use, modify, and distribute, making it accessible to developers with varying budgets.
  • Cross-Platform
    wkhtmltopdf is available on multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, offering flexibility for developers working in different environments.
  • High Quality PDFs
    It utilizes the WebKit rendering engine, which ensures that the PDFs generated maintain high fidelity to the original HTML content.
  • Command Line Interface
    The tool provides a robust command-line interface that allows for scripting and automation, which can greatly enhance productivity.
  • Supports Complex Layouts
    wkhtmltopdf can handle complex layouts including CSS, JavaScript, and media queries, making it suitable for intricate designs.

Possible disadvantages of wkhtmltopdf

  • Large Files
    Generated PDF files can be quite large, especially if the HTML content includes heavy use of images and other media.
  • Resource Intensive
    wkhtmltopdf can be resource-intensive, requiring significant CPU and memory, which might be a concern for high-volume or real-time generation needs.
  • Limited Support for New Web Standards
    As an older tool, it sometimes struggles to keep up with the latest web standards and features, which may lead to partial rendering of more modern web content.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    The tool has many options and configurations, which can be overwhelming for beginners or those not familiar with command-line operations.
  • Dependency on System Libraries
    Installation and operation can be complex due to dependencies on specific system libraries, which can complicate deployment and maintenance.
  • Lack of Official Support
    Being an open-source project, it lacks professional support, which means that users may need to rely on community forums and resources for troubleshooting.

HTML PDF API features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    HTML PDF API provides a straightforward interface for converting HTML content to PDFs, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels.
  • High-Quality Output
    The service generates high-fidelity PDF documents that accurately capture the design and functionality of the original HTML.
  • Customization
    Offers extensive customization options, including the ability to set page size, margins, headers, footers, and custom CSS.
  • API Integration
    Easily integrates with various programming languages and environments through RESTful API calls, enhancing its versatility in different projects.
  • Cloud-Based Service
    Being a cloud-based service, it eliminates the need for local installations and maintenance, reducing the burden on local resources.
  • Security
    Supports HTTPS, ensuring that data transmitted to and from the service is encrypted and secure.

Possible disadvantages of HTML PDF API

  • Cost
    Depending on your usage, HTML PDF API can become expensive, particularly for large-scale operations requiring high volume or premium features.
  • Dependency on Internet Connectivity
    Being a cloud-based service, it requires a stable internet connection, which can be a limitation in environments with poor connectivity.
  • Latency
    Network latency can affect the speed of PDF generation, which may impact time-sensitive applications.
  • Rate Limiting
    Usage may be subject to rate limiting, potentially hindering the performance of high-demand applications or requiring additional cost to increase limits.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Sensitive data needs to be transmitted to a third-party server for processing, which could raise privacy and compliance concerns depending on jurisdiction and data sensitivity.
  • Potential Downtime
    As with any cloud-based service, there is a risk of downtime or service disruptions due to server issues or maintenance.

wkhtmltopdf videos

✔️ Como instalar wkhtmltopdf ubuntu (compatible con cualquier odoo 11) Facil y rapido 2018

HTML PDF API videos

No HTML PDF API videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to wkhtmltopdf and HTML PDF API)
HTML To PDF
43 43%
57% 57
PDF Conversion API
44 44%
56% 56
PDF Tools
40 40%
60% 60
PDF Creator
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, wkhtmltopdf seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 36 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

wkhtmltopdf mentions (36)

  • PDF Generation, Bloat and Optimization
    WKHTMLTOPDF (LGPLv3; portable) tends to be faster and generate smaller PDFs. It can also run concurrently and generate PDFs in the background without using a ColdFusion thread or impacting the Java heap memory. Download. - Source: dev.to / 30 days ago
  • Hack WKHTMLTOPDF PDF to enable Adobe Acrobat Field Editing
    I recently integrated the auto-generation of survey results into a downloadable PDF using ColdFusion and WKHTMLTOPDF 0.12.6. Our client provided a pre-generated PDF cover page with some editable fields that we prepended to the PDF using PDFtk. Unfortunately, all auto-generated bookmarks became unusable after cover page is prepended. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Embed a Full HTML Document Inline Using Shadow DOM
    We use ColdFusion/CFML to generate valid HTML documents for PDF generation using jsoup & WKHTMLTOPDF. If the generated HTML content is simply outputted onto an existing webpage, the webpage becomes invalid (due to double DOCTYPE "inception") and the website's global CSS styles will polluting the preview. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Htmldocs: Typeset and Generate PDFs with HTML/CSS
    Wkhtmltopdf[1] uses the QT WebKit renderer. I used it as part of my job hut work-flow with pandoc to get pdf resumes from markdown. It got me a job, so there's that. [1] https://wkhtmltopdf.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • HexaPDF: Versatile PDF creation and manipulation library in Ruby
    I've been using WkhtmlToPdf all this while, so this seems a better option to try since it's pure Ruby. https://wkhtmltopdf.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

HTML PDF API mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of HTML PDF API yet. Tracking of HTML PDF API recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing wkhtmltopdf and HTML PDF API, you can also consider the following products

WeasyPrint - WeasyPrint is a visual rendering engine for HTML and CSS that can export to PDF.

PDFShift - Convert any HTML documents to high-fidelity PDF using a single POST request

PDF my URL - PDFmyURL turns any webpage or even complete website into PDF. Use our rest API in PHP, .NET, Ruby, Perl or any other programming language. Or convert webpages or even full websites directly in the browser!

pdflayer - Free, powerful HTML to PDF API supporting both URL and raw HTML conversion. Unlimited document size, lightning-fast and compatible PHP, Python, Ruby, etc.

DocRaptor - As the only API powered by the Prince HTML-to-PDF engine, DocRaptor provides the best support for complex PDFs with powerful support for headers, page breaks, page numbers, flexbox, watermarks, accessible PDFs, and much more

PDFCrowd - Pdfcrowd is a Web/HTML to PDF online service. Convert HTML to PDF online in the browser or in your PHP, Python, Ruby, .NET, Java apps via the REST API.