VeryPDF vs PDFmyURL: Which API Offers More Customisation Options for Webpage to PDF Conversion
Meta Description:
I compared VeryPDF and PDFmyURL for webpage to PDF conversion. Here’s why I switchedand how VeryPDF’s API delivered more control and flexibility.
Every time I updated a landing page or pushed new blog content live, I ran into the same issuehow do I generate a perfect PDF version that looks exactly like the site?
I tried browser printing. Hit and miss. Tried some Chrome extensionsthose broke half the time when the layout used flex or grid.
So I went looking for a proper, code-first solution. Something I could plug into our deployment process and never think about again.
That’s when I stumbled on two contenders: PDFmyURL and VeryPDF Webpage to PDF Converter API.
I used both. And if you’re a dev or run a content-heavy platform and need total control over PDF output from web content, this post will save you a few hours.
How I Ended Up Using VeryPDF’s Webpage to PDF Converter API
My first test was PDFmyURL. It’s a decent servicesimple UI, does the basics well.
But I needed more than basics.
We had dynamic pages with JavaScript charts, custom fonts, Open Graph images, and page elements that took time to load. PDFmyURL either didn’t wait or rendered partial pages.
I needed:
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Reliable CSS and JS rendering
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Control over headers, footers, margins
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A way to batch convert hundreds of pages for archiving
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An option to send HTML directly, not just URLs
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Proper data privacy and encryption
That’s when I started playing with VeryPDF Webpage to PDF Converter API.
It checked every box.
What Makes VeryPDF Different (And Better)?
1. Full control of rendering
VeryPDF uses a Chrome-based engineso what you see in the browser is what you get in the PDF. Period.
That means it handles:
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Complex layouts (CSS Grid, Flexbox)
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Web fonts
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Embedded charts and maps
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Responsive design
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External libraries like Bootstrap, Tailwind, etc.
PDFmyURL struggled with dynamic content. Charts would half-load. Interactive content was flaky.
With VeryPDF, I can wait for custom elements to load before rendering. That alone sold me.
2. Advanced customisation options
I could finally do stuff like:
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Set custom page sizes (A3 for investor decks, A5 for booklets)
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Add headers/footers with dynamic data
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Control margins, image quality, scaling
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Strip out images for text-only PDFs
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Force grayscale mode (great for reports)
Here’s a real example I used to generate a full-length A3 PDF with headers and footers dynamically inserted:
Just having that level of control without writing extra frontend code is gold.
3. Fast + scalable + secure
Speed matters when you’re batch-converting 500+ pages during a site backup.
With VeryPDF’s parallel conversion system, I could queue hundreds of URLs and get PDFs back in seconds using webhook triggers.
Oh, and the HIPAA compliance? That made it a no-brainer for handling our customer invoices and medical partner documents.
They don’t store your documents by default, and if you want to keep them, you get full control via your S3 bucket integration.
PDFmyURL doesn’t come close in this department.
Who Is This For?
This API is made for:
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Developers building CMS, eCommerce, or analytics tools
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Agencies who generate reports or design print-ready mockups
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Enterprise teams needing secure, repeatable PDF workflows
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Legal and healthcare teams that demand high fidelity + privacy
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Bloggers or SaaS teams generating Open Graph images or PDF newsletters
You’re not stuck with just converting URLs. You can send raw HTML. Or automate screenshots and banner previews. I even used it to generate PDF invoices directly from our billing system.
Use Cases I Actually Deployed
Let’s talk real use:
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Sales reports from dashboards: Pull live HTML from our admin panel, generate beautiful branded PDFs, email to stakeholders.
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Blog snapshots for audit: Every time a post is published, our CI pipeline calls the API and stores a timestamped PDF in S3.
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Customer-facing whitepapers: Marketing team writes content in the CMS. The dev team uses the API to generate high-res A4 print versions with dynamic footers.
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Open Graph banners for social sharing: We built a tool that renders images from HTML templates with dynamic text. One API call, ready to post.
Once you set it up, it runs in the background. Zero effort. Zero babysitting.
Where PDFmyURL Fell Short for Me
Not to bash the competition, but here’s why I stopped using PDFmyURL:
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Limited support for JS-heavy pages
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Basic customisation onlyheaders, margins, etc. were static and clunky
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No fine-grain control over page rendering
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Privacy and security not at the level we needed
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No native support for raw HTML input
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Slower conversion speeds when scaling
It’s fine for simple tasks. But if you’re working at scale, or with complex content, it’s like using a screwdriver when you need a power drill.
Final Verdict: Why I’m Sticking With VeryPDF
This tool solved problems I didn’t even know I had.
It made my PDF workflows smoother, more predictable, and way more powerful. The RESTful API is easy to work with, even if you’re not a backend pro.
If you’re looking for more control, better rendering, and enterprise-ready security, this is the API you need.
I’d highly recommend it to any dev, team, or business that works with web content and wants total PDF output control.
Start your free trial now and see it for yourself:
https://www.verypdf.com/online/webpage-to-pdf-converter-cloud-api/try-and-buy.html
Custom Development Services by VeryPDF
Need more than the out-of-the-box features?
VeryPDF offers custom builds tailored to your tech stackwhether it’s Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, or Android.
They develop tools in:
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Python, PHP, C/C++, .NET, JavaScript, C#, HTML5
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Virtual printer drivers (PDF, EMF, image formats)
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Print monitoring and job interception tools
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System-level hook technologies for file access and API tracking
VeryPDF also supports advanced document processing for:
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PCL, PRN, Postscript, EPS, TIFF, PDF, Office docs
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OCR, table extraction, layout analysis
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Document form generation and report engines
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PDF security, DRM, digital signatures
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Barcode reading + generation
Got a specific project in mind? Reach out at:
FAQs
1. Can I batch convert hundreds of URLs at once?
Yes. Use VeryPDF’s webhook and parallel processing features to convert thousands of URLs in seconds.
2. Is raw HTML input supported or just URLs?
Both are supported. You can send raw HTML directly for conversion.
3. What if I need to strip out images or convert only text?
VeryPDF lets you remove images, disable scripts, or convert in grayscale using simple API parameters.
4. How secure is the conversion process?
VeryPDF is HIPAA compliant and doesn’t store documents unless you explicitly enable storage. Ideal for sensitive data.
5. Do I need SDKs to use this?
No SDK needed. The API is REST-based and works with any languagePython, PHP, Java, Node.js, you name it.
Tags / Keywords
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webpage to PDF converter API
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HTML to PDF automation
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dynamic webpage to PDF
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secure document conversion API
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generate PDF from URL Python