Telerik Reporting vs IronPDF: Technical Comparison Guide

Telerik Reporting Approach

Telerik Reporting uses its own rendering engine optimized for structured report layouts. Content is defined through report items like TextBox, Table, and HtmlTextBox, with positioning specified in physical units:

// NuGet: Install-Package Telerik.Reporting
using Telerik.Reporting;
using Telerik.Reporting.Processing;
using System.Collections.Specialized;

class TelerikExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var reportSource = new Telerik.Reporting.TypeReportSource();
        var instanceReportSource = new Telerik.Reporting.InstanceReportSource();
        instanceReportSource.ReportDocument = new Telerik.Reporting.Report()
        {
            Items = { new Telerik.Reporting.HtmlTextBox() { Value = "<h1>Hello World</h1><p>Sample HTML content</p>" } }
        };

        var reportProcessor = new ReportProcessor();
        var result = reportProcessor.RenderReport("PDF", instanceReportSource, null);

        using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream("output.pdf", System.IO.FileMode.Create))
        {
            fs.Write(result.DocumentBytes, 0, result.DocumentBytes.Length);
        }
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package Telerik.Reporting
using Telerik.Reporting;
using Telerik.Reporting.Processing;
using System.Collections.Specialized;

class TelerikExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var reportSource = new Telerik.Reporting.TypeReportSource();
        var instanceReportSource = new Telerik.Reporting.InstanceReportSource();
        instanceReportSource.ReportDocument = new Telerik.Reporting.Report()
        {
            Items = { new Telerik.Reporting.HtmlTextBox() { Value = "<h1>Hello World</h1><p>Sample HTML content</p>" } }
        };

        var reportProcessor = new ReportProcessor();
        var result = reportProcessor.RenderReport("PDF", instanceReportSource, null);

        using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream("output.pdf", System.IO.FileMode.Create))
        {
            fs.Write(result.DocumentBytes, 0, result.DocumentBytes.Length);
        }
    }
}

This approach requires understanding Telerik-specific classes, report sources, and the report processing pipeline.

IronPDF Approach

IronPDF leverages a Chromium-based rendering engine, treating HTML as a first-class citizen for PDF generation. The same HTML that renders in a browser produces identical output in the PDF:

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

class IronPdfExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>Sample HTML content</p>");
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
    }
}

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

class IronPdfExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>Sample HTML content</p>");
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
    }
}

The ChromePdfRenderer class provides a streamlined API that developers familiar with web technologies can adopt immediately. For detailed guidance on HTML conversion, see the HTML to PDF tutorial.

Telerik Reporting Implementation

Telerik Reporting does not natively support URL-to-PDF conversion. Developers must manually download HTML content and embed it in a report:

// NuGet: Install-Package Telerik.Reporting
using Telerik.Reporting;
using Telerik.Reporting.Processing;
using System.Net;

class TelerikExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string htmlContent;
        using (var client = new WebClient())
        {
            htmlContent = client.DownloadString("https://example.com");
        }

        var report = new Telerik.Reporting.Report();
        var htmlTextBox = new Telerik.Reporting.HtmlTextBox()
        {
            Value = htmlContent
        };
        report.Items.Add(htmlTextBox);

        var instanceReportSource = new Telerik.Reporting.InstanceReportSource();
        instanceReportSource.ReportDocument = report;

        var reportProcessor = new ReportProcessor();
        var result = reportProcessor.RenderReport("PDF", instanceReportSource, null);

        using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream("webpage.pdf", System.IO.FileMode.Create))
        {
            fs.Write(result.DocumentBytes, 0, result.DocumentBytes.Length);
        }
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package Telerik.Reporting
using Telerik.Reporting;
using Telerik.Reporting.Processing;
using System.Net;

class TelerikExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string htmlContent;
        using (var client = new WebClient())
        {
            htmlContent = client.DownloadString("https://example.com");
        }

        var report = new Telerik.Reporting.Report();
        var htmlTextBox = new Telerik.Reporting.HtmlTextBox()
        {
            Value = htmlContent
        };
        report.Items.Add(htmlTextBox);

        var instanceReportSource = new Telerik.Reporting.InstanceReportSource();
        instanceReportSource.ReportDocument = report;

        var reportProcessor = new ReportProcessor();
        var result = reportProcessor.RenderReport("PDF", instanceReportSource, null);

        using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream("webpage.pdf", System.IO.FileMode.Create))
        {
            fs.Write(result.DocumentBytes, 0, result.DocumentBytes.Length);
        }
    }
}

This approach loses CSS styling, external resources, and JavaScript-rendered content since only raw HTML is captured.

IronPDF Implementation

IronPDF provides native URL rendering that loads the page in a headless Chromium browser, executing JavaScript and applying all styles:

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

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

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

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

The RenderUrlAsPdf method captures the complete rendered page, including dynamically generated content. This capability proves essential for modern web applications built with frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js.

Telerik Reporting Implementation

Telerik Reporting requires programmatic construction of header and footer sections with explicit sizing and positioning:

// NuGet: Install-Package Telerik.Reporting
using Telerik.Reporting;
using Telerik.Reporting.Processing;
using Telerik.Reporting.Drawing;

class TelerikExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var report = new Telerik.Reporting.Report();

        // Add page header
        var pageHeader = new Telerik.Reporting.PageHeaderSection();
        pageHeader.Height = new Unit(0.5, UnitType.Inch);
        pageHeader.Items.Add(new Telerik.Reporting.TextBox()
        {
            Value = "Document Header",
            Location = new PointU(0, 0),
            Size = new SizeU(new Unit(6, UnitType.Inch), new Unit(0.3, UnitType.Inch))
        });
        report.PageHeaderSection = pageHeader;

        // Add page footer
        var pageFooter = new Telerik.Reporting.PageFooterSection();
        pageFooter.Height = new Unit(0.5, UnitType.Inch);
        pageFooter.Items.Add(new Telerik.Reporting.TextBox()
        {
            Value = "Page {PageNumber} of {PageCount}",
            Location = new PointU(0, 0),
            Size = new SizeU(new Unit(6, UnitType.Inch), new Unit(0.3, UnitType.Inch))
        });
        report.PageFooterSection = pageFooter;

        // Add content
        var htmlTextBox = new Telerik.Reporting.HtmlTextBox()
        {
            Value = "<h1>Report Content</h1><p>This is the main content.</p>"
        };
        report.Items.Add(htmlTextBox);

        var instanceReportSource = new Telerik.Reporting.InstanceReportSource();
        instanceReportSource.ReportDocument = report;

        var reportProcessor = new ReportProcessor();
        var result = reportProcessor.RenderReport("PDF", instanceReportSource, null);

        using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream("report_with_headers.pdf", System.IO.FileMode.Create))
        {
            fs.Write(result.DocumentBytes, 0, result.DocumentBytes.Length);
        }
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package Telerik.Reporting
using Telerik.Reporting;
using Telerik.Reporting.Processing;
using Telerik.Reporting.Drawing;

class TelerikExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var report = new Telerik.Reporting.Report();

        // Add page header
        var pageHeader = new Telerik.Reporting.PageHeaderSection();
        pageHeader.Height = new Unit(0.5, UnitType.Inch);
        pageHeader.Items.Add(new Telerik.Reporting.TextBox()
        {
            Value = "Document Header",
            Location = new PointU(0, 0),
            Size = new SizeU(new Unit(6, UnitType.Inch), new Unit(0.3, UnitType.Inch))
        });
        report.PageHeaderSection = pageHeader;

        // Add page footer
        var pageFooter = new Telerik.Reporting.PageFooterSection();
        pageFooter.Height = new Unit(0.5, UnitType.Inch);
        pageFooter.Items.Add(new Telerik.Reporting.TextBox()
        {
            Value = "Page {PageNumber} of {PageCount}",
            Location = new PointU(0, 0),
            Size = new SizeU(new Unit(6, UnitType.Inch), new Unit(0.3, UnitType.Inch))
        });
        report.PageFooterSection = pageFooter;

        // Add content
        var htmlTextBox = new Telerik.Reporting.HtmlTextBox()
        {
            Value = "<h1>Report Content</h1><p>This is the main content.</p>"
        };
        report.Items.Add(htmlTextBox);

        var instanceReportSource = new Telerik.Reporting.InstanceReportSource();
        instanceReportSource.ReportDocument = report;

        var reportProcessor = new ReportProcessor();
        var result = reportProcessor.RenderReport("PDF", instanceReportSource, null);

        using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream("report_with_headers.pdf", System.IO.FileMode.Create))
        {
            fs.Write(result.DocumentBytes, 0, result.DocumentBytes.Length);
        }
    }
}

IronPDF Implementation

IronPDF uses HTML fragments for headers and footers, with built-in placeholders for page information:

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

class IronPdfExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

        // Configure header and footer
        renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
        {
            HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:center'>Document Header</div>"
        };

        renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlFooter = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
        {
            HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:center'>Page {page} of {total-pages}</div>"
        };

        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Report Content</h1><p>This is the main content.</p>");
        pdf.SaveAs("report_with_headers.pdf");
    }
}

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

class IronPdfExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

        // Configure header and footer
        renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
        {
            HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:center'>Document Header</div>"
        };

        renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlFooter = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
        {
            HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:center'>Page {page} of {total-pages}</div>"
        };

        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Report Content</h1><p>This is the main content.</p>");
        pdf.SaveAs("report_with_headers.pdf");
    }
}

The HtmlHeaderFooter class accepts standard HTML and CSS, enabling complex header designs using familiar web development techniques. For comprehensive header and footer documentation, visit the headers and footers guide.

Licensing Cost Optimization

When PDF generation is the primary requirement, the DevCraft bundle represents significant overhead. IronPDF's focused licensing model provides PDF capabilities without paying for unused reporting features.

Simplified Infrastructure

Telerik Reporting's infrastructure requirements—report designers, service hosting, and proprietary file formats—add complexity to development and deployment pipelines. IronPDF operates as a self-contained NuGet package without external dependencies.

Modern Web Technology Integration

Applications built with contemporary frontend frameworks benefit from IronPDF's HTML-first approach. Developers can reuse existing CSS stylesheets and JavaScript libraries rather than learning proprietary report markup.

Ecosystem Flexibility

Proprietary .trdp and .trdx formats create vendor lock-in. HTML templates used with IronPDF remain portable and editable with standard web development tools.

Runtime Efficiency

For applications generating high volumes of PDFs, IronPDF's focused codebase typically offers a smaller deployment footprint compared to the full Telerik Reporting runtime.