Wkhtmltopdf is an open-source command-line tool you can use to turn HTML into PDF using the Qt WebKit rendering engine. You either build a binary or download and use a precompiled one. Then, create your HTML document and run it through the tool to convert to PDF.
Likewise, wkhtmltopdf has many additional command-line options including a C library. This HTML to PDF tool is free to use, and being open source increases its functionality.
However, if you find the tool inconvenient to use for your tasks, there are other similar tools you can try.
Here are the 15 best wkhtmltopdf alternatives:
Also Read: Best PDF To Word Converters
Best wkhtmltopdf Alternatives
1. Puppeteer
Puppeteer is a widely used headless Chrome Node.js API. It was developed to provide a canonical and lightweight library with the capabilities of the DevTools Protocol. You can do a lot with it including rendering HTML pages into PDFs.
This API runs headless by default like wkhtmltopdf, but you can configure it as a non-headless API. However, it only supports Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Opera browsers.
When you install Puppeteer, it automatically downloads the latest Chromium version for your PC. You can install Puppeteer-core if you already have an existing browser installation.
The script to convert HTML pages into PDF is available on the Puppeteer GitHub page. You can generate PDFs with CSS or screen media. Also, you can generate PDFs with the exact page colors or modified colors.
Puppeteer supports creating PDF streams, which helps reduce memory usage when generating very large PDFs. Likewise, creating PDFs with this wkhtmltopdf alternative is safe because it is based on Google’s Chromium, which has security as one of its core principles.
While Puppeteer only supports Chromium-based browsers, you can experiment with creating PDFs with Firefox as the platform is currently collaborating with Mozilla.
2. WeasyPrint
Created for web developers and designers, WeasyPrint is described as a “smart solution helping web developers to create PDF files”. Just like wkhtmltopdf, the primary function of WeasyPrint is to create PDFs from simple HTML pages.
WeasyPrint is also free and open source and you can easily integrate it into your websites and web applications. You can render any HTML to PDF including reports, books, tickets, invoices, etc.
Installing WeasyPrint is simple but you need to set up a virtual environment with your preferred Python tool. Once done, you can create PDFs using command line functions like with wkhtmltopdf.
There are many options to create PDFs; you can create PDFs with a simple save PDF command or the more organized make PDF command. WeasyPrint lets you style the PDFs anyhow you want using CSS styling codes.
In addition, it supports media print and media screen. WeasyPrint is an ideal tool if you work with Flask and Django apps. The tool natively integrates with both frameworks.
WeasyPrint is free but to keep the project running, users are urged to support via donation.
Also Read: Best PDF Editors For iPad
3. ILovePDF
ILovePDF is a website with many PDF tools. If you need a wkhtmltopdf replacement that lets you create PDFs from HTML without using command line or coding, ILovePDF is an ideal option to use.
This tool converts HTML to PDF with high accuracy. All you need to do is to enter the webpage URL in the provided space and click add.
The tool first renders a preview for you to confirm that you’re converting the right webpage. If ok, click the Convert To PDF button to start the process.
Converting from HTML to PDF can take anywhere from a few seconds to a minute. It depends on the size of the web page you’re converting. Once done, you’ll be redirected to the download page.
You either download the converted PDF file to your device or save it to cloud storage including Google Drive and Dropbox. Also, you can generate and send a download link to others.
ILovePDF also generates a QR code you can scan to automatically download on your mobile phone. The file is automatically deleted after two hours. However, you can delete it manually anytime before then.
4. Prince XML
Print with CSS (Prince) XML is a freemium wkhtmltopdf alternative. Currently in its 14th version, this tool lets you convert HTML to PDF whilst beautifying the PDF document using CSS.
Converting HTML to PDF with Prince XML is quick and simple. Not only HTML, Prince XML lets you convert XHTML, XML, SVG CSS, and JavaScript among others.
Once converted, you can either download or print the PDF. The tool supports archiving as well. Also, the PDF output comes with webpage attachments including bookmarks, links, metadata encryption, fonts, and more.
Prince XML is an ideal alternative to wkhtmltopdf for integrations. The tool integrates with PHP and Ruby on Rails, Java class for servlets, .NET for C# and ASP, and ActiveX/COM for VB6.
Paying for the premium version of this tool gives you access to advanced HTML to PDF converting features. However, the pricing plans are mainly for enterprise and business users. They include:
- Server License: $3800
- Academic Server License: $1900
- Desktop License: $495
- Commercial Service License: custom pricing
- OEM License: custom pricing
5. PDFBlade
PDFBlade is a developer-friendly HTML to PDF API. With simple API requests, you can convert URLs and plain HTML texts into PDF files. The tool lets you customize the file layout before conversion.
You’ll find this wkhtmltopdf replacement easy to use thanks to the user-friendly dashboard. From the dashboard, you can view your total number of conversions for the day and the past 30 days.
Also, the dashboard features a list of your latest activities, expiring files, and credits remaining. It’s responsive across different devices so you can create PDFs from anywhere.
PDFBlade features fifteen different options for formatting PDFs. You can add custom headers and CSS scripts to the HTML and disable images and JavaScript. Note that a PDF file cannot be more than 50 MB.
PDFBlade isn’t free; you purchase credits to convert HTML to PDFs. When you create an account, you get 100 credits for free. Afterward, you can buy 50 credits for $2.
The credit price gets cheaper as you purchase more. You can purchase 25,000 credits for $250. The credits don’t expire and are automatically rolled over each month.
Also Read: Best PDF Readers For iPad
6. CloudConvert
CloudConvert is an online file converter website that lets you convert almost anything into anything. However, it features an API so you can integrate it into your website or app; the API integrates with Amazon S3.
CloudConvert makes HTML to PDF conversion very easy. You don’t have to use command lines and codes like with wkhtmltopdf but, you’re 100% in control of how the PDF output will be.
Simply select HTML and PDF respectively from the document options. You must upload a valid HTML file from your computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive to convert. You can also enter the web page URL too.
CloudConvert lets you upload and convert multiple HTML files at a time. When converting HTML, you set the range of webpages you want to convert, zoom level, page width & height, top & bottom margins, left & right margins, and if to render background or not.
Furthermore, you choose to display the header footer or not. Also, CloudConvert lets you upload your own Header and Footer templates. Finally, you set the CSS media type, wait time, and wait for elements.
Also Read: Best Online PDF Summarizer Tools
7. HTML2PDF
The description of this wkhtmltopdf alternative says it all. It’s a free tool to instantly convert HTML to PDF. You don’t even have to create an account to use it.
With HTML2PDF, you don’t work with command lines or need to enter any coding. However, you can only convert .html files to PDF; you can’t convert straight from the web using a URL.
From the homepage, simply click and upload the HTML file you want to convert. You can drag and drop into the provided space too. HTML2PDF automatically converts the HTML to PDF once uploading is complete.
As a result, you should set all options before uploading your file. You can make the PDF grayscale, change the page orientation to landscape, or choose to ignore backgrounds and JavaScript codes.
HTML2PDF lets you upload as many HTML files as you want for conversion. You can download it all at once into a zip file. With one click, you can clear your file queue.
Files you upload and download using the HTML2PDF tool are automatically deleted after an hour.
8. Win2PDF
With Win2PDF, you can convert HTML to PDF for free online. Alternatively, you can purchase the Win2PDF desktop application and convert HTML to PDF using a command-linecommand-linecommand-line interface just like wkhtmltopdf.
If you choose the free online option, you just need the URL of a webpage to convert to PDF. You cannot upload HTML files from your device for security reasons. Likewise, you can’t render pages that require login like emails.
If you choose the premium option, you can download the installer from the Win2PDF website. After installation, you either purchase a license or use the trial version.
You can use the trial version forever, but it has an extra page that features the Win2PDF trademark, which will be added to each document.
Win2PDF has four pricing options and they include:
- Win2PDF: $35
- Win2PDF Pro: $69
- Win2PDF Terminal Server Edition: $500
- Win2PDF Pro Terminal Server Edition: $950.00
Note that the license is perpetual and not recurring. You pay just once and you can use the HTMLtoPDF command-line tool forever. You can contact the sales time if you need a time-limited license.
9. VeryPDF
VeryPDF features an HTML to any converter command line tool. The command line tool lets you convert HTML to different file formats including PDFs.
VeryPDF is different from wkhtmltopdf as it’s not browser-based. The tool has different installation files for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. You can convert both HTML files and web URLs to PDF.
Using this alternative is very simple as you’re to enter a single command line. The code is the same for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Nevertheless, there are still other options for styling the PDF files.
For instance, you can set a page title, page layouts, ignore JavaScript & hyperlinks, add page header, trim margins, and reduce color depth among others.
Unlike wkhtmltopdf, VeryPDF HTML to any converter isn’t a free HTML to PDF command-line tool. You can download and use the free trial version with very limited options or purchase any of the following licenses:
- Single Personal User License: $79.95
- Server License: $399.95
- Developer License: $2499.95
You only pay once and the price is the same for all three OS versions.
10. Sejda
Sejda lets you convert HTML to PDF in three different ways. You either upload an HTML file, enter a web URL, or directly type in your HTML code. The HTML to PDF converter is just one of the many PDF tools the website features.
Sejda is another tool that doesn’t require command line coding. With a free account, you can convert 3 files per hour and each file should be above 50 MB.
If you’re converting a web link, you can enter up to 20 URLs at a time. Sejda lets you set the page size, orientation, viewpoint width, and margins.
After converting, you can download the PDF, share, or print it. An advantage of using Sejda is that it has a browser extension so you can convert HTML to PDFs as you browse.
Sejda Pro lets you convert unlimited files and up to 100 MB. The pricing options include:
- Web Weekly Plan: $5
- Web Monthly Plan: $7.50
- Desktop+web Annual Plan: $63
There are team plans too with higher discounts.
11. Pdfcrowd
This is another tool with an easy-to-use API and support for SDK libraries. You can convert HTML files, web pages, or HTML code into PDF.
Notably, you can integrate Pdfcrowd with any framework of your choice. The API supports cURL, Java, PHP, Python, Node.js, Ruby, Go, .NET, and Cmd line. This gives you more options to explore than wkhtmltopdf.
In addition, you get the code sample for each of these frameworks. Aside from the API, Pdfcrowd also features browser and WordPress plugins. Also, you can embed a Save To PDF link on any website using an HTML shortcode.
While you can use wkhtmltopdf for free, you must pay to use Pdfcrowd. The Standard pricing plans include:
- Micro Plan: $11 per month
- Small Plan: $23 per month
- Medium Plan: $35 per month
- Large Plan: $61 per month
- Ultimate Plan: $106 per month
The Enterprise pricing plans include:
- Enterprise 50: $221 per month
- Enterprise 100: $331 per month
- Enterprise 175: $455 per month
- Enterprise 250: $559 per month
- Enterprise 500: $838 per month
12. SodaPDF
Need a free and simple tool like wkhtmltopdf? You can try SodaPDF. All it takes is one click to convert HTML files into PDFs.
Simply enter a webpage URL and click the Get PDF button. After processing, the tool will generate a PDF you can download to your PC. The tool lets you preview the document before downloading it.
Like a few other web-based wkhtmltopdf alternatives, SodaPDF doesn’t support uploading HTML files. Also, the tool has no customization options; it renders the web page as it is.
As a result, the PDF you generate will contain all overlays featured on the webpage. Nevertheless, SodaPDF has its pros; the tool features a Google Chrome extension and also a desktop application.
SodaPDF is free but the premium account gives you access to advanced converting features. For example, you can customize your PDFs and store files for longer. The pricing plans include:
- Standard Plan: $5 per month ($4.15 per month with annual payment)
- Pro Plan: $9 per month ($7.50 per month with annual payment)
13. Document Online
The Document Online Converter is another unique tool worth mentioning.
You can click to select, drag and drop, or import HTML files from web pages, Dropbox, and GoogleDrive to convert.
What makes this tool unique is that you can convert the HTML file into PDFs as images or as OCR. In other words, you can make your PDF look like scanned work or as a Word document converted into PDF.
When using the OCR convert option, you get to set all languages in the HTML file for the best result. There’s an option to enable or disable Diskrew. Enabling Diskrew helps fix crooked images.
If you’re entering a URL, you need to specify that you’re rendering the entire webpage. Also, you can add multiple URLs. Once done, click on start and click wait for a few seconds.
You can either download the converted file or upload it to cloud storage. Supported cloud storages include Dropbox and Google Drive. If you uploaded more than one HTML file or URL, you can download the batch as a ZIP file.
14. Convertio
Convertio is an all-around file converter tool. It supports more than 300 file formats and it’s fast and easy to use. Furthermore, it’s a cloud-based tool that you can use on any device.
Convertio makes a good alternative to wkhtmltopdf as it features a Developer API. However, unlike wkhtmltopdf, the API is PHP-based with CURL support.
The OCR QuickStart API function works for converting HTML files into PDF with native support for English and Spanish languages among others. You can find the API client library on GitHub.
With the website, it’s a lot easier as you just click to upload your HTML file. You can upload a maximum of 100 MB file size and upload from Dropbox and Google Drive is supported.
Its conversion process is cloud-based on encrypted servers so no one can access your files. Also, files are automatically deleted from the servers after 24 hours.
You can use the Convertio website to convert HTML to PDF for free. However, you have to pay to use the API.
15. PhantomJSCloud
PhantomJSCloud is an integration of Puppeteer and PhantomJS. Hence, it’s a very powerful API, a lot more powerful than wkhtmltopdf as it processes up to a million requests per hour.
Described as a Headless Browser Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), you don’t have to install PhantomJSCloud; it’s completely web-based.
One of PhantomJSCloud’s main use cases is generating PDFs from HTML. It’s a headless browser tool like wkhtmltopdf and based on Chromium.
Since PhantomJSCloud works just like normal Chromium browsers, it renders web pages to PDF exactly as they are. You can still control the output by allowing, denying, or replacing some of the HTML resources.
PhantomJSCloud is a relatively advanced wkhtmltopdf alternative hence it’s not entirely free. The available plans include:
- Free Plan: $0 per month
- Small Plan: $10 per month
- Medium Plan: $50 per month
- Large Plan: $250 per month
With the free plan, you can render up to 500 PDF pages per day which should be more than enough.
Bottom Line
Many online tools can convert HTML into PDF.
In other words, there are many alternatives to wkhtmltopdf; they are just different in how they work. The 15 tools and websites listed above are the best wkhtmltopdf alternatives you can use right now.
