CraftMyPDF vs IronPDF: Technical Comparison Guide

HTML to PDF Conversion

Converting HTML content to PDF demonstrates the fundamental architectural differences.

CraftMyPDF:

// NuGet: Install-Package RestSharp
using System;
using RestSharp;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var client = new RestClient("https://api.craftmypdf.com/v1/create");
        var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
        request.AddHeader("X-API-KEY", "your-api-key");
        request.AddJsonBody(new
        {
            template_id = "your-template-id",
            data = new
            {
                html = "<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF from HTML</p>"
            }
        });

        var response = client.Execute(request);
        File.WriteAllBytes("output.pdf", response.RawBytes);
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package RestSharp
using System;
using RestSharp;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var client = new RestClient("https://api.craftmypdf.com/v1/create");
        var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
        request.AddHeader("X-API-KEY", "your-api-key");
        request.AddJsonBody(new
        {
            template_id = "your-template-id",
            data = new
            {
                html = "<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF from HTML</p>"
            }
        });

        var response = client.Execute(request);
        File.WriteAllBytes("output.pdf", response.RawBytes);
    }
}

IronPDF:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using System;
using IronPdf;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF from HTML</p>");
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using System;
using IronPdf;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF from HTML</p>");
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
    }
}

CraftMyPDF requires configuring a REST client, adding API key headers, constructing JSON bodies with template IDs, executing HTTP requests, handling responses, and writing raw bytes to files. IronPDF creates a ChromePdfRenderer, calls RenderHtmlAsPdf(), and saves—no network calls, no API keys, no template IDs required.

For advanced HTML rendering options, explore the HTML to PDF conversion guide.

URL to PDF Conversion

Capturing web pages as PDF documents shows similar complexity differences.

CraftMyPDF:

// NuGet: Install-Package RestSharp
using System;
using RestSharp;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var client = new RestClient("https://api.craftmypdf.com/v1/create");
        var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
        request.AddHeader("X-API-KEY", "your-api-key");
        request.AddJsonBody(new
        {
            template_id = "your-template-id",
            data = new
            {
                url = "https://example.com"
            },
            export_type = "pdf"
        });

        var response = client.Execute(request);
        File.WriteAllBytes("webpage.pdf", response.RawBytes);
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package RestSharp
using System;
using RestSharp;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var client = new RestClient("https://api.craftmypdf.com/v1/create");
        var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
        request.AddHeader("X-API-KEY", "your-api-key");
        request.AddJsonBody(new
        {
            template_id = "your-template-id",
            data = new
            {
                url = "https://example.com"
            },
            export_type = "pdf"
        });

        var response = client.Execute(request);
        File.WriteAllBytes("webpage.pdf", response.RawBytes);
    }
}

IronPDF:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using System;
using IronPdf;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://example.com");
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using System;
using IronPdf;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://example.com");
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf");
    }
}

CraftMyPDF requires the same REST client setup with a different JSON payload structure. IronPDF's RenderUrlAsPdf() directly renders the URL locally using Chromium.

Learn more about URL rendering in the URL to PDF documentation.

Adding Headers and Footers

Document headers and footers demonstrate API design differences.

CraftMyPDF:

// NuGet: Install-Package RestSharp
using System;
using RestSharp;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var client = new RestClient("https://api.craftmypdf.com/v1/create");
        var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
        request.AddHeader("X-API-KEY", "your-api-key");
        request.AddJsonBody(new
        {
            template_id = "your-template-id",
            data = new
            {
                html = "<h1>Document Content</h1>",
                header = "<div>Page Header</div>",
                footer = "<div>Page {page} of {total_pages}</div>"
            }
        });

        var response = client.Execute(request);
        File.WriteAllBytes("document.pdf", response.RawBytes);
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package RestSharp
using System;
using RestSharp;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var client = new RestClient("https://api.craftmypdf.com/v1/create");
        var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
        request.AddHeader("X-API-KEY", "your-api-key");
        request.AddJsonBody(new
        {
            template_id = "your-template-id",
            data = new
            {
                html = "<h1>Document Content</h1>",
                header = "<div>Page Header</div>",
                footer = "<div>Page {page} of {total_pages}</div>"
            }
        });

        var response = client.Execute(request);
        File.WriteAllBytes("document.pdf", response.RawBytes);
    }
}

IronPDF:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using System;
using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Rendering;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Page Header"
        };
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}"
        };

        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Document Content</h1>");
        pdf.SaveAs("document.pdf");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using System;
using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Rendering;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Page Header"
        };
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}"
        };

        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Document Content</h1>");
        pdf.SaveAs("document.pdf");
    }
}

CraftMyPDF embeds header/footer content within the JSON data payload sent to the API. IronPDF uses RenderingOptions.TextHeader and RenderingOptions.TextFooter properties with TextHeaderFooter objects, providing typed configuration without network transmission.

Configuration Mapping

CraftMyPDF Strengths

• User-Friendly Interface: Web-based drag-and-drop editor simplifies template creation for non-developers
• No Infrastructure Management: Cloud hosting eliminates server maintenance
• Cross-Platform API: REST API accessible from any programming language

CraftMyPDF Considerations

• Template Lock-In: Must use proprietary template designer
• Cloud-Only: No on-premise deployment option
• Data Transmission: All documents processed on external servers
• Latency: 1.5-30 seconds per PDF generation
• Ongoing Costs: Per-PDF subscription pricing
• Internet Dependency: Requires network connectivity

IronPDF Strengths

• Template Flexibility: Any HTML/CSS/JavaScript becomes a template
• On-Premise Deployment: Data never leaves organizational infrastructure
• Performance: Millisecond PDF generation without network latency
• Cost-Effective: One-time perpetual licensing
• Offline Operation: No internet required
• Chromium Rendering: Pixel-perfect output matching browser display
• Extensive Resources: Comprehensive tutorials and documentation

IronPDF Considerations

• Development Skills: Requires C# knowledge for template creation
• Initial Setup: More setup compared to cloud API subscriptions