IronPDF vs PDFShift: C# HTML to PDF API Comparison

What Features Does IronPDF Offer?

What Features Does PDFShift Offer?

How Do I Use the Visual Studio NuGet Package Manager?

Visual Studio provides NuGet Package Manager for direct installation:

Search for "IronPDF" in the package manager:

Select IronPDF and install the package. For smaller deployments, consider IronPDF Slim. If encountering issues, see failed to deploy NuGet package and deployment exceptions.

How Do I Use the Visual Studio Command-Line?

Go to Tools > NuGet Package Manager > Package Manager Console:

Enter in the console:

Install-Package IronPdf

The package downloads and installs. For platform-specific installations, see Linux, macOS, or Docker deployment. For dependency errors, check Chrome dependencies and Pdfium dependencies.

Can I Download Directly from the NuGet Webpage?

Download the NuGet package directly:

• Navigate to NuGet IronPDF Page
• Select download package
• Double-click for automatic installation
• Reload solution

For package management, see IronPDF runtimes folder guide. If experiencing version conflicts, review assembly version mismatch and ClickOnce compatibility.

Can I Download Directly from the IronPDF Webpage?

Download from the IronPDF Download Page. After download:

• Right-click project in solution window
• Select references and browse to file
• Click OK

For licensing setup, see using license keys and applying licenses. Additional configuration options include setting license in Web.config and managing license extensions.

How Do I Create PDFs from URLs using IronPDF?

Creating PDFs from URLs requires three lines. This code example shows how IronPDF allows developers to implement URL-to-PDF conversion:

using IronPdf;

var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();

// Configure render options for better results
Renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 25;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 25;

// Create a PDF from a URL or local file path
using var pdf = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("___PROTECTED_URL_68___");

// Export to a file or Stream
pdf.SaveAs("url.pdf");

using IronPdf;

var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();

// Configure render options for better results
Renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 25;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 25;

// Create a PDF from a URL or local file path
using var pdf = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("___PROTECTED_URL_68___");

// Export to a file or Stream
pdf.SaveAs("url.pdf");

For authenticated pages, see TLS website logins. For JavaScript sites, use WaitFor delays and custom JavaScript. Advanced options include render delays and JavaScript to PDF conversion. For performance optimization, see initial render slow solutions.

Output:

How Do I Convert HTML to PDF using IronPDF?

Convert HTML to PDF easily:

using IronPdf;

var pdf = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Add custom CSS for better formatting
pdf.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
pdf.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;

// Include web fonts and icons
pdf.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.FontsLoaded();

PdfDocument doc = pdf.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>This is a heading</h1>");
doc.SaveAs("FirstPDFDocument.pdf");

using IronPdf;

var pdf = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Add custom CSS for better formatting
pdf.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
pdf.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;

// Include web fonts and icons
pdf.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.FontsLoaded();

PdfDocument doc = pdf.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>This is a heading</h1>");
doc.SaveAs("FirstPDFDocument.pdf");

For complex HTML, use base URLs for relative paths. Add web fonts and icons for typography. Additional formatting options include custom fonts and international languages. For troubleshooting fonts, see font management and font kerning issues.

How Do I Create PDFs from URLs using PDFShift?

Converting URLs with PDFShift requires POST requests:

using System;
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;
using System.IO;

namespace PDFShiftExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var client = new RestClient("___PROTECTED_URL_69___");
            client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("api", "your_api_key");

            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

            var json = new
            {
                source = "___PROTECTED_URL_70___",
                // Additional options
                landscape = false,
                use_print = false
            };
            request.AddJsonBody(json);

            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if (!response.IsSuccessful)
            {
                // Handle the unsuccessful response
                Console.WriteLine($"Error: {response.StatusCode} - {response.ErrorMessage}");
            }
            else
            {
                File.WriteAllBytes("result.pdf", response.RawBytes);
            }
        }
    }
}

using System;
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;
using System.IO;

namespace PDFShiftExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var client = new RestClient("___PROTECTED_URL_69___");
            client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("api", "your_api_key");

            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

            var json = new
            {
                source = "___PROTECTED_URL_70___",
                // Additional options
                landscape = false,
                use_print = false
            };
            request.AddJsonBody(json);

            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if (!response.IsSuccessful)
            {
                // Handle the unsuccessful response
                Console.WriteLine($"Error: {response.StatusCode} - {response.ErrorMessage}");
            }
            else
            {
                File.WriteAllBytes("result.pdf", response.RawBytes);
            }
        }
    }
}

How Do I Convert HTML to PDF using PDFShift?

PDFShift provides HTML-to-PDF conversion:

using System;
using System.IO;
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;

namespace PDFShiftExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var client = new RestClient("___PROTECTED_URL_71___");
            client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("api", "your_api_key");

            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

            string documentContent = File.ReadAllText("document.html");
            var json = new
            {
                source = documentContent,
                // Additional formatting options
                margin = "20px",
                format = "A4"
            };
            request.AddJsonBody(json);

            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if (!response.IsSuccessful)
            {
                // Handle the unsuccessful response
                Console.WriteLine($"Error: {response.StatusCode}");
            }
            else
            {
                File.WriteAllBytes("result.pdf", response.RawBytes);
            }
        }
    }
}

using System;
using System.IO;
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;

namespace PDFShiftExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var client = new RestClient("___PROTECTED_URL_71___");
            client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("api", "your_api_key");

            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

            string documentContent = File.ReadAllText("document.html");
            var json = new
            {
                source = documentContent,
                // Additional formatting options
                margin = "20px",
                format = "A4"
            };
            request.AddJsonBody(json);

            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if (!response.IsSuccessful)
            {
                // Handle the unsuccessful response
                Console.WriteLine($"Error: {response.StatusCode}");
            }
            else
            {
                File.WriteAllBytes("result.pdf", response.RawBytes);
            }
        }
    }
}

How Do I Add Headers and Footers using IronPDF?

IronPDF offers two methods for implementing headers and footers:

TextHeaderFooter: This method uses text-based headers with dynamic data.

HtmlHeaderFooter: This approach allows HTML-rendered headers and footers using templates.

using IronPdf;

var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();

// Configure text header with merge fields
Renderer.RenderingOptions.FirstPageNumber = 1; // use 2 if a cover page will be appended
Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.DrawDividerLine = true;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.CenterText = "{url}";
Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.Font = IronPdf.Font.FontTypes.Helvetica;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.FontSize = 12;

// Add HTML footer with page numbers
Renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlFooter = new IronPdf.HtmlHeaderFooter()
{
    HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:center'>Page {page} of {total-pages}</div>",
    Height = 25,
    DrawDividerLine = true
};

// Apply custom margins
Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 40;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 40;

var pdf = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Document with Headers</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("headers-footers.pdf");

using IronPdf;

var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();

// Configure text header with merge fields
Renderer.RenderingOptions.FirstPageNumber = 1; // use 2 if a cover page will be appended
Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.DrawDividerLine = true;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.CenterText = "{url}";
Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.Font = IronPdf.Font.FontTypes.Helvetica;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.FontSize = 12;

// Add HTML footer with page numbers
Renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlFooter = new IronPdf.HtmlHeaderFooter()
{
    HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:center'>Page {page} of {total-pages}</div>",
    Height = 25,
    DrawDividerLine = true
};

// Apply custom margins
Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 40;
Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 40;

var pdf = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Document with Headers</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("headers-footers.pdf");

For complex layouts, consider using table of contents and bookmarks. The outlines and bookmarks example provides navigation structure. For precise positioning, use custom margins example and transform PDF pages.

How Do I Add Headers and Footers using PDFShift?

PDFShift allows customization of documents with headers and footers for identification or branding:

using System;
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;
using System.IO;

namespace PDFShiftExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var client = new RestClient("___PROTECTED_URL_72___");
            client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("api", "your_api_key");

            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

            var json = new
            {
                source = "___PROTECTED_URL_73___",
                footer = new { 
                    source = "<div style=\"font-size: 12px\">Page {{page}} of {{total}}</div>", 
                    spacing = "50px" 
                },
                header = new {
                    source = "<div>Company Name</div>",
                    spacing = "30px"
                }
            };
            request.AddJsonBody(json);

            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if (!response.IsSuccessful)
            {
                // Handle the unsuccessful response
            }
            else
            {
                File.WriteAllBytes("result.pdf", response.RawBytes);
            }
        }
    }
}

using System;
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;
using System.IO;

namespace PDFShiftExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var client = new RestClient("___PROTECTED_URL_72___");
            client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("api", "your_api_key");

            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

            var json = new
            {
                source = "___PROTECTED_URL_73___",
                footer = new { 
                    source = "<div style=\"font-size: 12px\">Page {{page}} of {{total}}</div>", 
                    spacing = "50px" 
                },
                header = new {
                    source = "<div>Company Name</div>",
                    spacing = "30px"
                }
            };
            request.AddJsonBody(json);

            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if (!response.IsSuccessful)
            {
                // Handle the unsuccessful response
            }
            else
            {
                File.WriteAllBytes("result.pdf", response.RawBytes);
            }
        }
    }
}

How Do I Add Watermarks using IronPDF?

IronPDF enables watermarking of PDFs using HTML. Watermarks can include opacity, rotation, and hyperlinks. For examples, see PDF watermarking examples. For multiple stamps, consider efficient HTML stamping. Additional options include backgrounds and foregrounds example and draw text and bitmap.

using IronPdf;

var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
using var Pdf = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("___PROTECTED_URL_74___");

// Add text watermark with opacity and rotation
Pdf.WatermarkAllPages("<h2 style='color:red'>SAMPLE</h2>", 
    IronPdf.Editing.WaterMarkLocation.MiddleCenter, 
    50, // opacity
    -45, // rotation
    "___PROTECTED_URL_75___");

// Add image watermark
Pdf.ApplyWatermark("<img src='logo.png' style='width:200px'>", 
    30, // opacity
    IronPdf.Editing.VerticalAlignment.Top,
    IronPdf.Editing.HorizontalAlignment.Right);

Pdf.SaveAs(@"C:\Path\To\Watermarked.pdf");

using IronPdf;

var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
using var Pdf = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("___PROTECTED_URL_74___");

// Add text watermark with opacity and rotation
Pdf.WatermarkAllPages("<h2 style='color:red'>SAMPLE</h2>", 
    IronPdf.Editing.WaterMarkLocation.MiddleCenter, 
    50, // opacity
    -45, // rotation
    "___PROTECTED_URL_75___");

// Add image watermark
Pdf.ApplyWatermark("<img src='logo.png' style='width:200px'>", 
    30, // opacity
    IronPdf.Editing.VerticalAlignment.Top,
    IronPdf.Editing.HorizontalAlignment.Right);

Pdf.SaveAs(@"C:\Path\To\Watermarked.pdf");

For advanced watermarking, combine with backgrounds and foregrounds or custom stamping. The attach cover page example shows document branding. For precise control, use rotating text and scale PDF objects.

How Do I Add Watermarks using PDFShift?

PDFShift allows for the addition of watermarks to documents for identification purposes:

using System;
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;
using System.IO;

namespace PDFShiftExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var client = new RestClient("___PROTECTED_URL_76___");
            client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("api", "your_api_key");

            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

            var json = new
            {
                source = "___PROTECTED_URL_77___",
                watermark = new { 
                    image = "___PROTECTED_URL_78___", 
                    offset_x = 50, 
                    offset_y = "100px", 
                    rotate = 45,
                    opacity = 0.5
                }
            };
            request.AddJsonBody(json);

            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if (!response.IsSuccessful)
            {
                // Handle the unsuccessful response
            }
            else
            {
                File.WriteAllBytes("result.pdf", response.RawBytes);
            }
        }
    }
}

using System;
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;
using System.IO;

namespace PDFShiftExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var client = new RestClient("___PROTECTED_URL_76___");
            client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("api", "your_api_key");

            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

            var json = new
            {
                source = "___PROTECTED_URL_77___",
                watermark = new { 
                    image = "___PROTECTED_URL_78___", 
                    offset_x = 50, 
                    offset_y = "100px", 
                    rotate = 45,
                    opacity = 0.5
                }
            };
            request.AddJsonBody(json);

            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if (!response.IsSuccessful)
            {
                // Handle the unsuccessful response
            }
            else
            {
                File.WriteAllBytes("result.pdf", response.RawBytes);
            }
        }
    }
}

Does IronPDF Support Bootstrap and Modern CSS Frameworks?

IronPDF's Chrome rendering engine provides extensive support for CSS frameworks:

• Bootstrap 5: Full flexbox and CSS Grid with responsive utilities
• Bootstrap 4: Complete card systems, navigation, form components
• Tailwind CSS: All utility classes and responsive modifiers
• Foundation: Complete grid and component systems
• Modern CSS3: Flexbox, Grid, custom properties, animations, transforms

Validation: The Bootstrap homepage and templates convert accurately. See the rendering options guide. IronPDF supports Angular to PDF and other frameworks. Additional framework support includes JavaScript charts and WebGL rendering. For optimization, use HTML rendering settings and pixel-perfect formatting.

Code Example: Contact Form with Bootstrap

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Configure for improve Bootstrap rendering
renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Screen;
renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 500; // Allow JS to execute
renderer.RenderingOptions.ViewPortWidth = 1200; // Desktop viewport

string bootstrapContact = @"
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <link href='___PROTECTED_URL_79___ rel='stylesheet'>
    <style>
        @media print {
            .no-print { display: none; }
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class='container my-5'>
        <div class='row justify-content-center'>
            <div class='col-lg-8'>
                <div class='card shadow'>
                    <div class='card-header bg-primary text-white'>
                        <h2 class='mb-0'>Contact Us</h2>
                    </div>
                    <div class='card-body'>
                        <form>
                            <div class='row g-3'>
                                <div class='col-md-6'>
                                    <label class='form-label'>First Name</label>
                                    <input type='text' class='form-control' placeholder='John'>
                                </div>
                                <div class='col-md-6'>
                                    <label class='form-label'>Last Name</label>
                                    <input type='text' class='form-control' placeholder='Doe'>
                                </div>
                            </div>

                            <div class='mt-3'>
                                <label class='form-label'>Email Address</label>
                                <div class='input-group'>
                                    <span class='input-group-text'>@</span>
                                    <input type='email' class='form-control' placeholder='john.doe@example.com'>
                                </div>
                            </div>

                            <div class='mt-3'>
                                <label class='form-label'>Subject</label>
                                <select class='form-select'>
                                    <option>General Inquiry</option>
                                    <option>Technical Support</option>
                                    <option>Sales Question</option>
                                    <option>Partnership Opportunity</option>
                                </select>
                            </div>

                            <div class='mt-3'>
                                <label class='form-label'>Message</label>
                                <textarea class='form-control' rows='5' placeholder='Your message here...'></textarea>
                            </div>

                            <div class='d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center mt-4'>
                                <div class='form-check'>
                                    <input class='form-check-input' type='checkbox' id='newsletter'>
                                    <label class='form-check-label' for='newsletter'>
                                        Subscribe to newsletter
                                    </label>
                                </div>
                                <button type='submit' class='btn btn-primary px-4'>Submit</button>
                            </div>
                        </form>
                    </div>
                </div>

                <div class='alert alert-info mt-4 d-flex align-items-center' role='alert'>
                    <svg class='bi flex-shrink-0 me-2' width='24' height='24'></svg>
                    <div>We typically respond within 24 hours during business days.</div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</body>
</html>";

var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(bootstrapContact);
pdf.SaveAs("contact-form.pdf");

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Configure for improve Bootstrap rendering
renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Screen;
renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 500; // Allow JS to execute
renderer.RenderingOptions.ViewPortWidth = 1200; // Desktop viewport

string bootstrapContact = @"
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <link href='___PROTECTED_URL_79___ rel='stylesheet'>
    <style>
        @media print {
            .no-print { display: none; }
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class='container my-5'>
        <div class='row justify-content-center'>
            <div class='col-lg-8'>
                <div class='card shadow'>
                    <div class='card-header bg-primary text-white'>
                        <h2 class='mb-0'>Contact Us</h2>
                    </div>
                    <div class='card-body'>
                        <form>
                            <div class='row g-3'>
                                <div class='col-md-6'>
                                    <label class='form-label'>First Name</label>
                                    <input type='text' class='form-control' placeholder='John'>
                                </div>
                                <div class='col-md-6'>
                                    <label class='form-label'>Last Name</label>
                                    <input type='text' class='form-control' placeholder='Doe'>
                                </div>
                            </div>

                            <div class='mt-3'>
                                <label class='form-label'>Email Address</label>
                                <div class='input-group'>
                                    <span class='input-group-text'>@</span>
                                    <input type='email' class='form-control' placeholder='john.doe@example.com'>
                                </div>
                            </div>

                            <div class='mt-3'>
                                <label class='form-label'>Subject</label>
                                <select class='form-select'>
                                    <option>General Inquiry</option>
                                    <option>Technical Support</option>
                                    <option>Sales Question</option>
                                    <option>Partnership Opportunity</option>
                                </select>
                            </div>

                            <div class='mt-3'>
                                <label class='form-label'>Message</label>
                                <textarea class='form-control' rows='5' placeholder='Your message here...'></textarea>
                            </div>

                            <div class='d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center mt-4'>
                                <div class='form-check'>
                                    <input class='form-check-input' type='checkbox' id='newsletter'>
                                    <label class='form-check-label' for='newsletter'>
                                        Subscribe to newsletter
                                    </label>
                                </div>
                                <button type='submit' class='btn btn-primary px-4'>Submit</button>
                            </div>
                        </form>
                    </div>
                </div>

                <div class='alert alert-info mt-4 d-flex align-items-center' role='alert'>
                    <svg class='bi flex-shrink-0 me-2' width='24' height='24'></svg>
                    <div>We typically respond within 24 hours during business days.</div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</body>
</html>";

var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(bootstrapContact);
pdf.SaveAs("contact-form.pdf");

Output: A professional contact form with Bootstrap's form controls, grid layout, card styling, and input groups—all accurately rendered in PDF.

For more examples, see rendering charts and WebGL sites. The add barcodes in HTML example shows additional HTML elements. For performance optimization, use PDF assets and performance guide and package size management.

Does PDFShift Support Bootstrap and Modern CSS?

• Cloud API: All conversions via HTTP API calls to PDFShift servers
• Bootstrap Support: Generally handles Bootstrap 4/5 layouts well
• CSS3 Support: Good flexbox and modern CSS rendering
• Internet Required: Cannot generate PDFs offline
• Per-Document Pricing: Charges per conversion, not per-developer license

Key considerations for PDFShift:

• External Dependency: All PDF generation requires internet and external API availability
• Data Privacy: HTML content sent to third-party servers for processing
• Volume Costs: Per-document pricing can become expensive at scale
• Latency: Network round-trips add delay to each conversion
• No Offline Capability: Cannot work in air-gapped or offline environments

Development impact: While PDFShift handles Bootstrap well, the cloud architecture introduces operational trade-offs:

1. Ongoing per-document costs vs IronPDF's one-time per-developer license
2. External service dependency vs local on-premises processing
3. Data handling considerations for sensitive content
4. Internet connectivity requirement vs offline capability

Development impact: Cloud architecture introduces operational considerations:

1. Ongoing per-document costs versus one-time licensing
2. External dependency versus local processing control
3. Data handling requirements for sensitive content
4. Internet connectivity prerequisites

For high-volume applications or sensitive data, IronPDF's local processing offers better control and value. Consider parallel generation and multi-threading for performance. The multi-threaded example shows concurrent processing. For cloud alternatives, see Azure deployment and AWS Lambda integration.

See the Bootstrap & Flexbox CSS Guide and HTML rendering settings. For modern CSS support, review international languages and CMYK and metadata visibility.