As most developers and IT professionals know, manually coding tasks can be tedious. To counteract the tedium, standardizing access to documents is useful. This is also true for records coming from browsers, different servers, and devices. Simply put, converting HTML documents to PDF files can significantly boost productivity and efficiency for many individuals and businesses.
For those who are seeking to standardize, this is where two of the stronger process automation competitors in the market come into play – pdflayer.com and pdfmatrix.com.
Both claim to seamlessly convert URLs and raw HTML code to PDFs that are customizable and configurable. Both also feature HTML to PDF engines based on real browsers running robust operating systems. But, which better suits your needs?
Table of Contents
Feature Comparison
In choosing which one is an excellent fit for your needs, here are some noteworthy features between pdflayer and pdfmatrix: 1) their limitations on API functionalities, 2) whether the API is supported using HTTP GET and/or HTTP POST, 3) the number of API requests that can be made depending on the subscription plan selected, and 4) the range of customization functionalities, among others.
| Main Features | pdflayer | pdfmatrix |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Conversion | Generate customized PDFs from any URL or raw HTML within seconds simply using GET or POST. | Generate customized PDFs from any URL or raw HTML within seconds simply using GET or POST. |
| PDF Engine | The pdflayer HTML to PDF engine is based on real browsers running powerful operating systems. | The HTML to PDF engine is based on real browsers running powerful operating systems. |
| FAQ | Available | Not available (?) |
| Price Table | Free Plan / Trial – without time limit -100 monthly API requests – Limited Tech Support – Full Customization – Document Config – Parameters – Security & Authentication – 256-bit HTTPS (secure data streams) – HTTPS encryption Basic / Standard ($9.99/mo or at 20% discount if annual paid) – 1000 API requests – Unlimited Tech Support Pro Plan ($39.99/mo) – 10,000 API requests Enterprise Plan / All-Inclusive – 100,000 API Requests |
Free Plan – 20 API Requests – Full Customization – Security & Authentication – 256-bit HTTPS Basic Plan – 2000 API Requests – Full Customization – Security & Authentication – 256-bit HTTPS Pro Plan – 20000 API Requests – Full Customization – Security & Authentication – 256-bit HTTPS |
| Plug-in and Integration | Whatever works in the browser, works with pdflayer | Zapier – integrate your favorite eCommerce, CRM or other SaaS platforms without dropping a single line of code Google Chrome Plugin – generate PDFs from the pages you are browsing with one click |
| Documentation | Interactive. Once signed up, you will be able to try out the API’s features as you go through their Documentation. | Once signed up, you will be able to try out the API’s features as you go through their Documentation. |
Can both convert URLs and raw HTML code?
To convert raw HTML code to a PDF document, developers can request the pdflayer API using the document_html parameter. It is, however, unclear whether pdfmatrix allows this as well. The site has its API documentation available online.
Full Customization
Pdflayer has a CSS Injection feature where you can append an HTTP URL containing valid CSS code to the API’s css_url parameter custom styles into the target URL/HTML before performing a PDF conversion.
HTTP GET and HTTP POST
Users looking to make API requests via HTTP GET will get better results with pdflayer. This is because it can handle GET API requests. Both pdflayer and pdfmatrix use a straightforward URL structure. Both APIs use HTTP POST.
API Request Volume
When the API request volume is exceeded, users will be automatically notified via e-mail. On the user’s Account Dashboard, they will also be notified when 75%, 90%, and 100% of their monthly API Request allowance have been reached. Pdflayer is aware that requirements may be variable, so a maximum of 20% may exceed a subscription plan’s request volume. This accounts for the actual hard limit of the plan (for example, pdflayer’s Professional Plan is 12,000 API requests instead of 10,000).
Usage Statistics
Tracking API usage in both APIs comes with extended usage statistics recorded and monitored daily or monthly. However, when running low, users can get notified in pdflayer, which many businesses want. In pdfmatrix, there is no notification, so pdflayer may be a better fit for you in such cases.
Subscription Plans and Value for Money
Pdflayer’s free tier is available for an unlimited time with 100 monthly API requests. If you expect to have significantly higher API requests, getting the pdflayer paid subscription with secure datastreams via 256-bit HTTPS encryption is a much better way to go. This is because it comes with unlimited, world-class technical support.
pdflayer
Pros:
- Pdflayer uses the API’s document_url parameter where the API generates a PDF document from a standard HTTP
- Developers can take advantage of pdflayer’s document configuration to create, manage, and analyze digital files with a series of layout adjustment options, authentication, security, design, and branding tweaks. Anything that works in the browser essentially works with pdflayer.
- Users looking to make API requests via HTTP GET will get better results with pdflayer as it can handle GET API requests.
- Exceeding monthly API Request allowance will not cause any additional charges for pdflayer.
- User notifications for high Usage Statistics is available.
- Pdflayer provides various choices from basic to standard to all-inclusive subscription plans, especially for enterprises who can benefit with more than the usual 20,000 API requests that pdfmatrix’s Pro plan offers.
Cons:
- Converting raw HTML code is only available via HTTP POST for pdflayer.
- In some instances, developers may see “HTTP POST only” tags in pdflayer which can be found in the documentation. The tags mean that the API feature or parameter is only supported via HTTP POST.
- There are no public statistics offered in pdflayer, but the support team can provide developers with recent uptime reports as needed.
pdfmatrix
Pros:
- pdfmatrix’s site has its API documentation available online.
- The API allows set dimensions, margins, page numbers, custom CSS, viewport, and delay, among others.
- pdfmatrix uses a straightforward URL structure. HTTP POST is where this API (and their functionalities), just like pdflayer, are primarily configured to.
- Like pdflayer, when the API request volume is exceeded in pdfmatrix, users will be automatically notified via e-mail.
Cons:
- pdfmatrix users looking to make API requests via HTTP GET get only fair results because it can not handle GET API requests as well as pdflayer does.
- Generated PDF documents for API request volume will stay cached in pdfmatrix, but further HTML to PDF conversion requests will fail.
- No Enterprise subscription plan offered.
Now, who wins the battle?
In addition to all the winning features of pdflayer above, its powerful CDN is a great-to-have compared to pdfmatrix. PDF documents are stored using a lightning-fast CDN in pdflayer and can be retrieved within milliseconds.
HTML is prone to error because different operating systems, software, and browsers can cause incompatibilities while PDF is universal. Anyone with a PDF reader can open the file and find a reliable copy of the original. Ultimately, use cases and business needs will lead your decision on which API to use.
Which HTML to PDF API should I choose?
pdflayer – 5 stars! ★★★★★
pdfmatrix – 3 stars! ★★★
If you’re looking for more streamlined internal documentation, pdflayer API rises to the top. The API makes it easier to convert HTML and URLs to customized PDFs so developers and businesses can better serve clients’ needs.
With quick and simple access to the software, you can boost building and developing applications for businesses and enjoy the convenience you get with this API on the back-end.
Head over and get started generating high quality PDFs from HTML with pdflayer today!
