Almost every PDF generation API comes down to one of two approaches.
- HTML/CSS → PDF: you write the markup, the API renders it through a browser or print engine and hands you a PDF. Maximum control, but you own every pixel and there's no UI for non-developers.
- Template-based: you design a document once in a visual editor, then hit an endpoint with data (
{ "invoice_no": "1042", "total": "$49" }) and get a pixel-perfect PDF back. Less raw control, far less maintenance, and a marketer or ops person can edit the template without touching code.
Neither is "better" — they fit different teams. This list covers both, ranked for how most developers actually ship invoices, certificates, reports, and contracts at scale in 2026.
I build Orshot, one of the tools below, so weight my ranking accordingly — but I've tried to be fair about where each one genuinely wins.
The shortlist at a glance
| Tool | Free tier | Starting price | Visual editor | Images too | HTML/CSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DocRaptor | 5 docs/mo | $15/mo | |||
| Orshot | 60 renders | $30/mo · 3,000 | |||
| APITemplate.io | 50/mo | ~$29/mo · 1,500 | |||
| PDFMonkey | 20 docs/mo | €5/mo · 300 docs | |||
| PDFShift | 50/mo | Credit-based | |||
| CraftMyPDF | 20 docs/mo | $29/mo · 1,200 | |||
| PDF Generator API | Sandbox | Volume-based | |||
| Api2Pdf | $1 credit | ~$0.005/PDF |
Prices verified at time of writing; always check each vendor's pricing page, since tiers move.
1. DocRaptor — best HTML/CSS fidelity
DocRaptor is the one to beat for print-grade output. It renders through the Prince engine, which gives you the most faithful CSS support of anything here — page breaks, headers and footers, footnotes, and proper print styling that browser-based renderers fumble. It also produces accessible (tagged) PDFs and is SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliant, so it shows up a lot in regulated industries.
Pricing starts free for 5 documents a month, then $15/mo, with unlimited watermarked test documents so you can develop without burning quota.
Where it fits: complex, paginated documents where layout fidelity and compliance matter more than having a visual editor. It's PDF (and Excel) only — no images or video.
2. Orshot — best if you need more than PDFs
I'll keep my own pitch short. Orshot turns a template into an API endpoint — design once in the Studio editor, then POST your data and get a PDF back. Multi-page documents and carousels render in a single call, which matters for invoices and reports that run long.
Here's a live-preview of Orshot Studio with a design-rich document template (you can also play with the design):
Where it pulls ahead is a designer-friendly Canva like editor which can be used to create rich PDF and document designs, and the same plan also generates images and video — no separate products or add-ons. So if you need invoice PDFs and social images and the occasional video clip, it's one API key and one bill instead of three vendors.
You also get SDKs for Node, Python, Ruby, and PHP, native automation via n8n, Make, Zapier, an MCP server for AI agents, a CLI, and Dynamic URLs. Output formats cover PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF, PDF, MP4, WebM, and GIF, and you can import templates straight from Canva or Figma.
A render is one POST — pass a templateId plus your modifications and ask for a PDF:
curl -X POST https://api.orshot.com/v1/studio/render \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $ORSHOT_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"templateId": "3211",
"modifications": { "invoice_no": "1042", "total": "$49" },
"response": { "type": "url", "format": "pdf" }
}'The response hands back a hosted URL to the finished PDF ({ type: "base64" } returns the bytes inline instead). The same call swaps "format": "png" or "mp4" for an image or video.
Where it fits: you want one predictable bill for PDF, image, and video, with an editor a non-developer can actually use. If you only ever need raw HTML-to-PDF, a dedicated HTML-to-PDF tool may suit you better.
3. APITemplate.io — editor meets HTML
APITemplate.io straddles both worlds: a drag-and-drop template editor and the option to render raw HTML/CSS. It does PDFs and images, gives you 50 free API calls a month with 3 templates, and starts around $29/mo for 1,500 renders.
Where it fits: teams that want HTML flexibility without giving up a visual editor, and that need image generation alongside PDFs but not video.
4. PDFMonkey — lean and transparent
PDFMonkey is built on the idea that PDF generation should be a thin, predictable layer over your HTML templates — nothing more. It's a favorite for side projects and small teams. The free tier is 20 documents a month, paid starts at €5/mo for 300 docs, and every account gets a 30-day Pro trial.
The catch to plan around is document retention: generated PDFs are kept only briefly (a day on Starter, a week on Pro), so store your own copies if you need them long-term.
Where it fits: developers who like writing HTML templates, have modest volume, and want simple, transparent pricing.
5. PDFShift — minimal API-first HTML to PDF
PDFShift is the most stripped-down option: send HTML, get a PDF, done. No template editor, just a clean credit-based API with 50 free conversions a month. Worth knowing before you commit: there's a file-size cap (~5 MB per PDF even on paid plans), so very heavy documents can hit a wall.
Where it fits: developers who already have their HTML and want a no-nonsense conversion endpoint, not a platform.
6. CraftMyPDF — drag-drop templates
CraftMyPDF leans into the visual side: a solid drag-and-drop editor for PDFs and images, aimed at people who'd rather not hand-write layout. The free plan covers 20 documents a month, and paid starts at $29/mo for 1,200 PDFs across 6 templates.
Where it fits: teams that want a polished template editor for documents and don't need video.
7. PDF Generator API — built for embedding
PDF Generator API is aimed at SaaS products that want to let their own users design and edit PDF templates. It ships an embeddable, end-user-facing editor and prices on volume rather than locking features behind tiers, with a free sandbox to start.
Where it fits: you're building a product and want customers to customize their own document templates without leaving your app.
8. Api2Pdf — pay only for what you render
Api2Pdf is a thin, serverless wrapper over engines like headless Chrome, wkhtmltopdf, and LibreOffice, plus PDF merging. Pricing is pure pay-per-use — roughly $0.005 per PDF — with no monthly minimum beyond a small balance charge. It's the cheapest path at unpredictable or very high volume, but there's no editor and no template management; it's plumbing.
Where it fits: high or spiky volume where usage-based billing wins and you don't need any UI.
How to choose
The honest decision tree: pick DocRaptor if you need the best CSS fidelity and compliance for complex print documents. Pick PDFMonkey or PDFShift if you're a developer who just wants HTML in, PDF out, at small scale. Pick APITemplate.io or CraftMyPDF if you want a visual editor for documents and images. Pick PDF Generator API if you're embedding template editing into your own product. Pick Api2Pdf if pure usage-based pricing fits your volume. And pick Orshot if you'd rather not run three separate vendors for PDFs, images, and video — and want an editor anyone on the team can use.
Whatever you choose, the test is the same: can you go from template to a clean API call in an afternoon? Browse real setups in our use-cases library to see what's possible before you commit.
Try Orshot Free → (60 renders, no card needed)
Bottom line: Every tool here will turn data into a PDF over an API. The split is approach — DocRaptor and the HTML-first tools give you raw control; APITemplate, CraftMyPDF, and Orshot give you a visual editor. Orshot's edge is doing PDF, image, and video under one predictable price.
