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Comparison

PDF4.dev vs PDFShift

Both are HTML-to-PDF APIs powered by Chromium, but PDF4.dev is a complete platform with template editing, variable injection, and generation logs. PDFShift is a lightweight conversion pipe.

Updated March 2026

This comparison is published by PDF4.dev. We aim for accuracy but acknowledge our perspective.

TL;DR

Choose PDF4.dev if you want

  • A template editor + visual editor your whole team can use
  • Handlebars variables with auto-detection and preview
  • A dashboard with generation logs and usage stats
  • Generous included usage
  • AI agent support via built-in MCP server

Choose PDFShift if you want

  • A simple API-only approach with no platform overhead
  • URL-to-PDF support (convert any public URL)
  • Pay-per-conversion pricing for low volumes
  • Lightweight integration with minimal setup
  • Webhooks for async workflows

Feature-by-feature comparison

FeaturePDF4.devPDFShift
Template editorCode + visual editorNone
Live previewReal-time with accurate dimensionsNone
Template variablesHandlebars with auto-detectionNone (send raw HTML)
URL to PDFNot supportedSupported
PDF engineChromium (Playwright)Chromium
API authenticationBearer token (SHA-256 hashed)API key
API documentationInteractive OpenAPI 3.1 (Scalar)Static docs
Template storageBuilt-in CRUD APINone
Generation logsFull history with filters and cursor paginationBasic
Visual editingBuilt-in GrapesJS editorNone
Free PDF tools24 browser-based tools (compress, merge, split...)None
Batch generationCSV upload, variable mapping, ZIP downloadBasic
Reusable componentsHeaders, footers, blocks: shared across templatesNone
AI agent support (MCP)Built-in MCP server (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor...)None
WebhooksComing soonAvailable

Pricing at scale

PDFShift charges per conversion with tiered plans. PDF4.dev offers generous included usage with a simpler pricing model.

Conversions / monthPDF4.devPDFShift
250/moIncluded$5/mo
500/moIncluded$9/mo
2,500/moIncluded$24/mo ($288/yr)
5,000/moIncluded$49/mo ($588/yr)
25,000/moIncluded$199/mo ($2,388/yr)

At 5,000 conversions/month, PDFShift costs $588/year.

Beyond a conversion API

PDF4.dev is not just a conversion API. It includes template management with CRUD operations, Handlebars variable injection with auto-detection, a live preview with accurate PDF dimensions, a visual editor for non-technical team members, and full generation logs with filters.

PDFShift is a pipe: HTML in, PDF out. You send raw HTML or a URL, and you get a PDF back. There is no template storage, no variable system, no editor, no logs.

If you just need that pipe, PDFShift works. If you need the platform around it, PDF4.dev saves you weeks of building template management, preview infrastructure, and logging from scratch.

When PDFShift makes sense

PDFShift is a good fit for specific use cases where its simplicity is an advantage:

  • URL-to-PDF capture: converting public web pages to PDF without building the HTML yourself
  • Simple conversion without templates: you already generate the full HTML on your side and just need a rendering endpoint
  • Lightweight integration: minimal setup with no dashboard, no editor, no extra features to learn
  • Existing template management: you already have your own template system and just need the HTML-to-PDF step

Frequently asked questions

Useful resources

Free tools

HTML to PDF converterProtect PDF

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