PDFGate vs PDFShift: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for PDFGate and PDFShift side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, PDFShift leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
PDFGate
Generate PDFs, collect signatures, and manage documents through a simple dashboard or flexible API.
Best for you if:
- • Developers and small to mid sized businesses that need to generate PDFs and collect signatures from their own software through an API
PDFShift
Fast, easy API for converting HTML to PDF, generating website screenshots, and Open Graph images.
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (PDFGate requires payment)
| At a Glance | PDFGate | PDFShift |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $9/mo, billed monthly Personal plan | Free 100% free |
Category | API Tools E-Signature | API Tools Screenshot Tools |
Rating | n/a | 4.7/5 Capterra 4.8 · G2 4.6 95 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | $0.05 per extra conversion beyond 500 on Personal | n/a |
Choose PDFGate or PDFShift?
Choose PDFGate if
- Developers and small to mid sized businesses that need to generate PDFs and collect signatures from their own software through an API
- You want generate PDFs, collect signatures, and manage documents through a simple dashboard or flexible API
Choose PDFShift if
- You want a fully free tool (PDFGate requires payment)
- You want fast conversion speeds (under 2 seconds for HTML to PDF)
- You want high-quality rendering powered by Chromium
In-Depth Analysis
PDFGate
Generate PDFs, collect signatures, and manage documents through a simple dashboard or flexible API.
PDFGate's pricing is fair for individuals and small teams but becomes pricey for high-volume users.
Watch out
$0.05 per extra conversion beyond 500 on Personal
Key features
PDFShift
Fast, easy API for converting HTML to PDF, generating website screenshots, and Open Graph images.
Strengths
- Pro: Fast conversion speeds (under 2 seconds for HTML to PDF)
- Pro: High-quality rendering powered by Chromium
- Pro: HIPAA compliant for secure data handling
- Pro: Flexible customization options for output documents
- Pro: Supports a wide range of CSS features and third-party libraries
Weaknesses
- Con: Credit-based system might be complex for very large documents (1 credit per 5Mb)
- Con: Reliance on API for all functionalities, requiring development effort
- Con: Max file size of 2MB and timeout of 30s on the free plan
Key features
Plans and prices: PDFGate vs PDFShift
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PDFGate |
| pdfgate.com/pricing read Oct 21, 2026 |
| PDFShift |
| pdfshift.io/pricing read Oct 2, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on PDFGate pricing and PDFShift pricing.
Key Takeaways
PDFGate
- Choose if you want generate PDFs, collect signatures, and manage documents through a simple dashboard or flexible API
PDFShift
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, PDFShift leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Only PDFShift has a published user rating (4.7/5 from 95 reviews); PDFGate has none we can show.
- PDFGate starts at $9/mo, billed monthly; PDFShift has no public paid plan price on file.
- Only PDFShift has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do PDFGate and PDFShift compare in 2026?
On the data below, PDFShift leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only PDFShift has a published user rating (4.7/5 from 95 reviews); PDFGate has none we can show. PDFGate starts at $9/mo, billed monthly; PDFShift has no public paid plan price on file. Only PDFShift has a free plan.
What are PDFGate and PDFShift used for?
PDFGate: Generate PDFs, collect signatures, and manage documents through a simple dashboard or flexible API. PDFShift: Fast, easy API for converting HTML to PDF, generating website screenshots, and Open Graph images.
What does PDFGate cost vs PDFShift?
PDFGate's cheapest paid plan is Personal at $9/mo, billed monthly. PDFShift is free. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 21, 2026.
What's the main difference between PDFGate and PDFShift?
PDFGate focuses on generate PDFs, collect signatures, and manage documents through a simple dashboard or flexible API. PDFShift's main strength: fast conversion speeds (under 2 seconds for HTML to PDF).