PDF generation APIs, compared
Seven services that turn your data into PDF files, side by side: what each one does, where it runs, and when it's the better choice.
Features side by side
| Feature | Typefold | jsreport | DocRaptor | Carbone | CraftMyPDF | APITemplate | PDFMonkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual template editor | ✓ | – | – | Word and Excel files | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Template versions | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | Draft and published |
| Images (PNG, JPEG, WebP) | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Excel workbook templates | ✓ | ✓ | HTML tables | ✓ | – | – | – |
| PDF/A | 2, 3 and 4 | 1b, in beta | 1, 2 and 3 | 1 to 4 | 3, for e-invoices | 3, for e-invoices | – |
| PDF/UA (accessible PDFs) | 1 and 2 | Limited, in beta | 1 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Factur-X and ZUGFeRD | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | Experimental | Experimental | – |
| Signing with your certificate | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – |
| Self-hosted | €990 a year | From $395 a year | – | From €1,500 a year | – | – | – |
| Hosted in the EU | ✓ | Not stated | – | ✓ | Optional | Optional | ✓ |
| Every feature on every plan | ✓ | ✓ | Storage is an add-on | Team, SSO and SLA by plan | – | – | – |
Checked on each vendor's own site, docs and pricing pages in October 2026.
Which one fits
Each of them is the better choice for something.
- TypefoldTemplates kept and versioned outside your code, built in a visual editor or in HTML. PDF, Excel and images from one API, with Factur-X, PDF/UA and signing, hosted in the EU or on your servers.
- jsreportPages that need JavaScript running in headless Chrome, or recipes beyond Chrome PDF and Excel. Self-hosted, and free for up to 5 templates.
- DocRaptorBook-style typography with footnotes and hyphenation, pages from a live URL, CMYK and PDF/X for print, and a SOC 2 report.
- CarboneTemplates written in Word, Excel or LibreOffice, and output as Word, PowerPoint or OpenDocument files.
- CraftMyPDF and APITemplateDrag-and-drop editors with ready-made no-code apps such as Bubble and Airtable. Both are run by the same company.
- PDFMonkeyThe lowest entry price: €5 a month for 300 documents, with HTML templates and a visual builder.
Common questions
What is a good alternative to jsreport?
Typefold imports a jsreport export and renders the same templates by name or shortid, without headless Chrome. It keeps Handlebars, scripts, headers and footers, pdf-utils features and Excel templates, and adds a visual editor, versions and a hosted service in the EU. Move from jsreport
What is a good alternative to DocRaptor?
Typefold, if you want stored templates instead of HTML built in your app, real Excel workbooks, Factur-X e-invoices, signing or self-hosting. DocRaptor stays the better fit for book typography, pages from a URL and print-shop PDF/X files. Typefold vs DocRaptor
Which PDF generation APIs can I self-host?
Typefold (€990 a year, every feature, unlimited documents), jsreport (from $395 a year per server, free for up to 5 templates) and Carbone (from €1,500 a year; a free Community edition lacks its enterprise features). DocRaptor, CraftMyPDF, APITemplate and PDFMonkey are hosted only. Install Typefold
Which PDF APIs create Factur-X and ZUGFeRD e-invoices?
Typefold and Carbone support them. CraftMyPDF and APITemplate offer them as an experimental option. jsreport and DocRaptor don't document them. Factur-X and ZUGFeRD in Typefold
Which PDF APIs make accessible PDF/UA files?
Typefold makes PDF/UA-1 and PDF/UA-2. DocRaptor and Carbone make PDF/UA-1, and jsreport has limited support in beta. PDF/A and PDF/UA in Typefold