pdfmill vs PDFShift
Looking for a PDFShift alternative for generating PDFs in n8n? Both are hosted HTML-to-PDF APIs — no Chrome to run — and their entry prices are, in fact, identical ($9/mo for 500). The real difference is the shape: pdfmill ships a dedicated n8n node and one-document-one-count; PDFShift is a focused, code-first API you wire in through n8n’s HTTP Request node.
We build pdfmill, so treat this as our honest case — not a neutral review. pdfmill is newly launched. Every PDFShift fact below is linked to its public source and dated (checked August 5, 2026); pricing changes, so verify anything load-bearing on PDFShift's own site, and tell us if something here is out of date.
| pdfmill | PDFShift | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing unit | Flat monthly plan; one document = one count, any size. | Credit-based: one credit per document, counted per 5 MB of output, so a large document can cost more than one; credits don’t roll over[pdfshift.io/pricing · August 5, 2026]. |
| Entry price | $9/mo for 500 docs; $19/mo for 2,000. | Same entry — Starter $9/mo for 500 credits; Boost $24 (2,500), Growth $39 (5,000), up to 1,000,000/mo[pdfshift.io/pricing · August 5, 2026]. |
| Free tier | Permanent Free: 75 documents/month. | Free: 50 credits/month, no card required[pdfshift.io/pricing · August 5, 2026]. |
| At the limit | Hard cap: a clear 402 upgrade prompt — never a surprise charge. | Also stops at the cap by default — overage is off unless you enable it, and only then bills per credit ($0.04→$0.001)[help.pdfshift.io/enabling-the-overage-credits · August 5, 2026]. |
| n8n node | Dedicated community node (install once); template + raw-HTML operations. | No dedicated node — you call it through n8n’s HTTP Request node per PDFShift’s own guide[help.pdfshift.io/integrate-pdfshift-into-your-n8n-workflow · August 5, 2026]. |
| Templates & rendering | Built-in invoice/certificate/report starters + your own HTML; binary return. | Raw HTML or URL in (no stored templates), with advanced options — JS injection, custom headers/footers, encryption, watermark, S3 delivery[pdfshift.io/pricing · August 5, 2026]. |
Where pdfmill fits better
- A real n8n node, not raw HTTP. Install once and pick a template or send HTML — no hand-building an HTTP Request node against API docs[help.pdfshift.io/integrate-pdfshift-into-your-n8n-workflow · August 5, 2026].
- A larger free tier. 75 documents a month versus PDFShift’s 50 — and both stop at the cap by default (PDFShift’s overage is opt-in)[help.pdfshift.io/enabling-the-overage-credits · August 5, 2026].
- Predictable counting + templates. One document = one count regardless of size (PDFShift meters per 5 MB), and pdfmill keeps stored, branded starters.
Where PDFShift fits better
Being fair: PDFShift is a mature, focused HTML-to-PDF API and does things pdfmill doesn’t. Its rendering options are richer — JavaScript injection, encryption, watermarks, custom headers/footers, and direct S3 delivery; its volume ceilings run far higher (to 1,000,000 documents/month at a fraction of a cent each); and if you’re calling from your own code rather than n8n, its established API is a proven choice[pdfshift.io/pricing · August 5, 2026]. If you need those rendering controls or very high volume, it’s the stronger raw API.
Sources
- https://pdfshift.io/pricing — accessed August 5, 2026Credit-based (1 credit/doc, per 5MB, no rollover); Free 50/mo (no card); Starter $9 (500), Boost $24 (2,500), Growth $39 (5,000) … Shift 1M $999 (1,000,000); annual = 10 months for 12; JS injection, encryption, watermark, S3 delivery.
- https://help.pdfshift.io/enabling-the-overage-credits — accessed August 5, 2026PDFShift overage credits are OFF by default (opt-in); when enabled they bill per credit ($0.04→$0.001). So by default PDFShift stops at the plan cap.
- https://help.pdfshift.io/integrate-pdfshift-into-your-n8n-workflow — accessed August 5, 2026PDFShift has no dedicated n8n node; its own guide integrates via the HTTP Request node (source = required param; add filename to get a JSON link instead of binary).
See for yourself
Render your first PDF from an n8n workflow in about five minutes — the Free plan is 75 documents a month, no card required.