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Which ASP.NET PDF Library Offers the Best Value for .NET Core Development?

Curtis Chau
Curtis Chau
Updated:

IronPDF offers complete ASP.NET Core PDF generation using Chrome-based rendering with 98% HTML accuracy, a straightforward API design, and full feature coverage at $749 for perpetual licensing. This provides better value than competitors' annual subscriptions while delivering superior HTML-to-PDF conversion capabilities.

Key Differences Between ASP.NET PDF Libraries

FeatureIronPDFAspose.PDFSyncfusion PDF
HTML to PDF RenderingChrome engine (98% accuracy)Custom parser (limited CSS)WebKit-based (good CSS support)
Learning CurveSimple, intuitive APIComplex, verboseModerate complexity
JavaScript SupportFull supportLimitedPartial support
Forms ProcessingHTML forms to PDF formsComplete form handlingInteractive form fields
Platform SupportWindows, Linux, macOS, DockerAll major platformsWindows Forms, .NET Core, Web
Pricing Model$799 perpetual$1,199+ per year$995/year (free community)
DocumentationExtensive with examplesDetailed but complexGood with tutorials
Free Trial30 days full featuresLimited evaluationCommunity edition available

Essential Requirements for ASP.NET PDF Libraries

Your .NET applications need complete PDF functionality beyond basic generation. Libraries should convert HTML pages smoothly, handle existing documents, and generate precise output. Understanding PDF functionality types - creation, manipulation, and conversion - helps you make informed decisions. Your ideal .NET library should support CSS styling, manage multiple PDF files, and integrate smoothly with ASP.NET Core projects without external dependencies.

Key considerations include creating digitally signed documents, merging existing PDFs, and handling file attachments. Efficient output management capabilities are essential. Performance in server environments is crucial when processing documents at scale. According to Microsoft's documentation on PDF generation, your library choice significantly impacts development efficiency. Your chosen solution should also support async operations for optimal web application performance.

Why Choose IronPDF for .NET PDF Generation?

IronPDF stands out with its Chrome rendering engine, providing exceptional HTML to PDF conversion accuracy. This .NET component maintains CSS fidelity and executes JavaScript, making it ideal for converting complex HTML pages. The library supports WebGL rendering and handles responsive CSS effectively.

The library efficiently manages external links and embedded resources during conversion. You can import data and templates from external sources and add images from various locations, including Azure Blob Storage.

Learn about IronPDF's HTML to PDF capabilities and rendering options for improved control.

Generating Invoices with IronPDF

using IronPdf;
string invoiceHtml = @"
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <style>
        body { font-family: Arial; margin: 40px; }
        .header { background: #2c3e50; color: white; padding: 20px; }
        table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 20px; }
        th { background: #34495e; color: white; padding: 10px; }
        td { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; }
        .total { font-weight: bold; background: #ecf0f1; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class='header'>
        <h1>Invoice #2024-001</h1>
    </div>
    <table>
        <tr><th>Item</th><th>Quantity</th><th>Price</th></tr>
        <tr><td>Software License</td><td>1</td><td>$799</td></tr>
        <tr class='total'><td colspan='2'>Total</td><td>$799</td></tr>
    </table>
</body>
</html>";
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
// Configure rendering options
renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 25;
renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 25;
renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
// Convert HTML string to PDF
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(invoiceHtml);
// Save the document with the specific filename
pdf.SaveAs("invoice.pdf");
using IronPdf;
string invoiceHtml = @"
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <style>
        body { font-family: Arial; margin: 40px; }
        .header { background: #2c3e50; color: white; padding: 20px; }
        table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 20px; }
        th { background: #34495e; color: white; padding: 10px; }
        td { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; }
        .total { font-weight: bold; background: #ecf0f1; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class='header'>
        <h1>Invoice #2024-001</h1>
    </div>
    <table>
        <tr><th>Item</th><th>Quantity</th><th>Price</th></tr>
        <tr><td>Software License</td><td>1</td><td>$799</td></tr>
        <tr class='total'><td colspan='2'>Total</td><td>$799</td></tr>
    </table>
</body>
</html>";
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
// Configure rendering options
renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 25;
renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 25;
renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
// Convert HTML string to PDF
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(invoiceHtml);
// Save the document with the specific filename
pdf.SaveAs("invoice.pdf");
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

This code demonstrates IronPDF's handling of complex HTML with CSS styling. The Chrome engine ensures your PDF output matches browser rendering, maintaining all formatting and styles. You should verify version compatibility with your .NET Core environment. The library's straightforward API requires minimal code to create professional PDFs. You can also set custom margins, add headers and footers, and configure paper sizes for your documents.

What Does the Generated PDF Look Like?

PDF invoice document showing Invoice #2024-001 with a Software License item priced at $749, displayed in a PDF viewer interface

IronPDF excels at handling existing PDFs, enabling you to edit, merge, and manipulate files effortlessly. Support for Windows, Linux, and cloud platforms ensures deployment flexibility. The library includes a free trial with full features for thorough evaluation. The rendering engine maintains efficient memory usage throughout processing. You can also use PDF compression to reduce file sizes.

For advanced features like adding pages, stamping images, adding bookmarks, and managing forms, complete documentation guides your implementation. You can add watermarks, work with annotations, and create table of contents for improved navigation.

How Does Aspose.PDF Handle Enterprise PDF Requirements?

Aspose.PDF provides granular control over PDFs through its complete object model. This library suits your needs when creating PDFs programmatically with precise element control. The component integrates directly into your application architecture. While IronPDF offers superior HTML rendering, Aspose excels in low-level PDF manipulation tasks.

Creating PDFs Programmatically with Aspose

using Aspose.Pdf;
using Aspose.Pdf.Text;
// Create new document
Document document = new Document();
Page page = document.Pages.Add();
// Add formatted text
TextFragment title = new TextFragment("Invoice #INV-2024-001");
title.TextState.FontSize = 18;
title.TextState.Font = FontRepository.FindFont("Arial");
page.Paragraphs.Add(title);
// Create table
Table table = new Table();
table.ColumnWidths = "200 100 100";
// Add header row
Row headerRow = table.Rows.Add();
headerRow.Cells.Add("Item");
headerRow.Cells.Add("Quantity");
headerRow.Cells.Add("Price");
// Add data row
Row dataRow = table.Rows.Add();
dataRow.Cells.Add("Professional Services");
dataRow.Cells.Add("10");
dataRow.Cells.Add("$1,000");
page.Paragraphs.Add(table);
document.Save("invoice.pdf");
using Aspose.Pdf;
using Aspose.Pdf.Text;
// Create new document
Document document = new Document();
Page page = document.Pages.Add();
// Add formatted text
TextFragment title = new TextFragment("Invoice #INV-2024-001");
title.TextState.FontSize = 18;
title.TextState.Font = FontRepository.FindFont("Arial");
page.Paragraphs.Add(title);
// Create table
Table table = new Table();
table.ColumnWidths = "200 100 100";
// Add header row
Row headerRow = table.Rows.Add();
headerRow.Cells.Add("Item");
headerRow.Cells.Add("Quantity");
headerRow.Cells.Add("Price");
// Add data row
Row dataRow = table.Rows.Add();
dataRow.Cells.Add("Professional Services");
dataRow.Cells.Add("10");
dataRow.Cells.Add("$1,000");
page.Paragraphs.Add(table);
document.Save("invoice.pdf");
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

This example shows Aspose's detailed but effective approach. While requiring more code for similar results, you gain complete document structure control. The library produces encrypted documents and handles complex annotations, though learning requirements increase. You must manually construct each element rather than use existing HTML. For detailed comparisons, see our Aspose vs IronPDF analysis.

Aspose Output Example

PDF invoice document showing Invoice #INV-2024-001 for Professional Services with quantity 10 and price $1,000, created with Aspose.PDF library

Aspose provides PDF/A compliance and advanced metadata management, though complexity increases. The library handles linearized PDFs for fast web viewing and supports various PDF versions.

When to Consider Syncfusion PDF for Your Project

Syncfusion's PDF library integrates seamlessly with their broader component suite, offering solid PDF functionality within a complete toolkit. The library provides reliable PDF creation and editing capabilities while maintaining reasonable performance. For detailed comparison, see our Syncfusion vs IronPDF analysis.

Implementing PDF Generation with Syncfusion

using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Grid;
// Create document
PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument();
PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();
PdfGraphics graphics = page.Graphics;
// Draw text
PdfFont font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 18);
graphics.DrawString("Invoice #INV-2024-001", font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(10, 10));
// Create grid for items
PdfGrid grid = new PdfGrid();
grid.Columns.Add(3);
grid.Headers.Add(1);
PdfGridRow header = grid.Headers[0];
header.Cells[0].Value = "Item";
header.Cells[1].Value = "Quantity";
header.Cells[2].Value = "Price";
PdfGridRow row = grid.Rows.Add();
row.Cells[0].Value = "Professional Services";
row.Cells[1].Value = "10";
row.Cells[2].Value = "$1,000";
grid.Draw(page, new PointF(10, 50));
// Save document
using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("invoice.pdf", FileMode.Create))
{
    document.Save(stream);
}
document.Close(true);
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Grid;
// Create document
PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument();
PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();
PdfGraphics graphics = page.Graphics;
// Draw text
PdfFont font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 18);
graphics.DrawString("Invoice #INV-2024-001", font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(10, 10));
// Create grid for items
PdfGrid grid = new PdfGrid();
grid.Columns.Add(3);
grid.Headers.Add(1);
PdfGridRow header = grid.Headers[0];
header.Cells[0].Value = "Item";
header.Cells[1].Value = "Quantity";
header.Cells[2].Value = "Price";
PdfGridRow row = grid.Rows.Add();
row.Cells[0].Value = "Professional Services";
row.Cells[1].Value = "10";
row.Cells[2].Value = "$1,000";
grid.Draw(page, new PointF(10, 50));
// Save document
using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("invoice.pdf", FileMode.Create))
{
    document.Save(stream);
}
document.Close(true);
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Syncfusion requires building PDFs element by element, similar to Aspose but with a cleaner API. The library handles fonts effectively and includes support for various features including grayscale conversion. Their community edition provides free access for small teams with limitations. When users download files from browsers, Syncfusion handles server-side generation efficiently. The library integrates into Windows Forms applications alongside ASP.NET Core, offering project versatility.

Syncfusion Output Example

PDF invoice generated with Syncfusion library showing trial version watermark and basic table formatting

Syncfusion supports PDF form creation and digital signatures, though with less flexibility than IronPDF's HTML-based approach. The library also handles PDF compression and page manipulation.

Working with Complex Documents

For complex document scenarios, consider these additional capabilities:

// IronPDF - Adding watermarks and backgrounds
using IronPdf;

var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("invoice.pdf");

// Add watermark
pdf.ApplyWatermark("<h2 style='color:red;opacity:0.5;'>CONFIDENTIAL</h2>", 
    30, VerticalAlignment.Middle, HorizontalAlignment.Center);

// Add background
var backgroundPdf = new ChromePdfRenderer()
    .RenderHtmlAsPdf("<div style='background:#f0f0f0;height:100vh'></div>");
pdf.AddBackgroundPdf(backgroundPdf);

// Add page numbers
pdf.AddTextFooters("Page {page} of {total-pages}", 
    IronPdf.Editing.TextAlignment.Center, new IronSoftware.Drawing.FontTypes.Font("Arial", 10));

pdf.SaveAs("invoice-improve.pdf");
// IronPDF - Adding watermarks and backgrounds
using IronPdf;

var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("invoice.pdf");

// Add watermark
pdf.ApplyWatermark("<h2 style='color:red;opacity:0.5;'>CONFIDENTIAL</h2>", 
    30, VerticalAlignment.Middle, HorizontalAlignment.Center);

// Add background
var backgroundPdf = new ChromePdfRenderer()
    .RenderHtmlAsPdf("<div style='background:#f0f0f0;height:100vh'></div>");
pdf.AddBackgroundPdf(backgroundPdf);

// Add page numbers
pdf.AddTextFooters("Page {page} of {total-pages}", 
    IronPdf.Editing.TextAlignment.Center, new IronSoftware.Drawing.FontTypes.Font("Arial", 10));

pdf.SaveAs("invoice-improve.pdf");
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Open-Source PDF Options for .NET

While commercial libraries dominate enterprise scenarios, open-source alternatives exist. QuestPDF offers a modern fluent API for PDF creation, though lacking HTML conversion capabilities. PDFsharp provides basic PDF generation but struggles with complex layouts. As discussed in recent .NET community forums, these options work for simple requirements but lack the complete features and support of commercial solutions. Form handling in open-source libraries often requires additional development effort compared to commercial alternatives.

For production environments requiring PDF/A compliance, PDF/UA accessibility, or barcode generation, commercial solutions provide better reliability and support. Open-source libraries may struggle with international language support or SVG rendering.

Choosing the Right PDF Library for Your Needs

For most ASP.NET Core projects requiring HTML to PDF conversion, IronPDF provides the best solution. Its Chrome-based rendering ensures accurate web content conversion, while the intuitive API reduces your development time. The ability to handle existing documents, create forms, and add bookmarks makes it versatile for your various use cases. According to Stack Overflow discussions on PDF generation, developers consistently value libraries with simple APIs and reliable HTML rendering.

Aspose.PDF suits projects requiring extensive programmatic control and complex document manipulation when HTML conversion isn't your primary need. Organizations already invested in Syncfusion's ecosystem benefit from choosing their PDF component for consistency. For comparisons with other popular libraries, see our analyses of iText vs IronPDF and Apryse vs IronPDF.

Consider these factors when selecting your PDF library:

  • HTML rendering needs: IronPDF excels with Chrome engine and JavaScript support
  • API simplicity: IronPDF offers the cleanest code
  • Budget constraints: Syncfusion's community edition helps small teams
  • Enterprise requirements: All three provide security features
  • Deployment scenarios: Consider Docker, Azure, and AWS support
  • Performance needs: Evaluate async support and multi-threading

Start your free trial to experience IronPDF's capabilities in your development environment.

Which PDF Library Offers the Best Value for .NET Core?

Choosing an ASP.NET PDF library impacts your development speed, output quality, and maintenance requirements. IronPDF's combination of effective HTML rendering, straightforward API, and complete features makes it ideal for most .NET Core applications. While Aspose.PDF and Syncfusion PDF offer valuable capabilities, IronPDF's balance of simplicity and functionality, supported by excellent documentation and support, positions it as the leading solution for your modern ASP.NET PDF generation needs.

Key capabilities include creating digitally signed documents, merging PDFs, and handling file attachments. Efficient output management remains essential. Performance in server environments matters when you process documents at scale. Your library choice significantly impacts development efficiency according to Microsoft's documentation. Strong search functionality within PDFs benefits your end-users through IronPDF's text extraction capabilities.

IronPDF also excels in specialized scenarios like Blazor integration, MAUI support, and F# development. The library's VB.NET support ensures compatibility across .NET languages.

Ready to transform your PDF generation workflow? Purchase a license to access IronPDF's full capabilities in production environments.

Please noteAspose and Syncfusion are registered trademarks of their respective owners. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Aspose or Syncfusion. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. Comparisons are for informational purposes only and reflect publicly available information at the time of writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main advantage of using IronPDF for ASP.NET Core applications?

IronPDF offers a powerful Chrome rendering engine that ensures high-quality PDF generation and compatibility with modern web standards.

How does IronPDF compare to Aspose in terms of performance?

IronPDF provides faster PDF generation and rendering speeds compared to Aspose, especially when dealing with complex HTML to PDF conversions.

What are the key features of IronPDF's Chrome engine?

IronPDF's Chrome engine supports advanced CSS, JavaScript, and HTML5 elements, providing superior rendering and styling capabilities for PDFs.

Is IronPDF compatible with ASP.NET Core?

Yes, IronPDF is fully compatible with ASP.NET Core and can be easily integrated into your .NET Core applications.

How does IronPDF handle PDF security compared to Syncfusion?

IronPDF offers robust security features, including password protection and encryption, to ensure your PDF documents are secure, similar to Syncfusion's offerings.

Can IronPDF be used for converting HTML to PDF?

Absolutely, IronPDF excels at converting HTML to PDF, maintaining the original layout and design with high fidelity.

What makes IronPDF a better choice than Syncfusion for PDF generation?

IronPDF is often preferred for its ease of use, comprehensive documentation, and support for the latest web technologies, offering a better user experience.

Does IronPDF support PDF manipulation and editing?

Yes, IronPDF supports a wide range of PDF manipulations, including merging, splitting, and editing PDFs, providing flexibility for document handling.

What are the licensing options available for IronPDF?

IronPDF offers flexible licensing options, including perpetual licenses and subscriptions, catering to different project needs and budgets.

How easy is it to integrate IronPDF with existing ASP.NET projects?

IronPDF is designed for easy integration with existing ASP.NET projects, with comprehensive guides and support to streamline the process.

Curtis Chau
Curtis Chau
  Chat with engineering team now
Technical Writer

Curtis Chau holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (Carleton University) and specializes in front-end development with expertise in Node.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, and React. Passionate about crafting intuitive and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces, Curtis enjoys working with modern frameworks and creating well-structured, visually appealing manuals.

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