The C# PDF Library

HTML to PDF

using IronPdf;

// Disable local disk access or cross-origin requests
Installation.EnableWebSecurity = true;

// Instantiate Renderer
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Create a PDF from a HTML string using C#
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1>");

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

// Advanced Example with HTML Assets
// Load external html assets: Images, CSS and JavaScript.
// An optional BasePath 'C:\site\assets\' is set as the file location to load assets from
var myAdvancedPdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<img src='icons/iron.png'>", @"C:\site\assets\");
myAdvancedPdf.SaveAs("html-with-assets.pdf");

using IronPdf;

// Disable local disk access or cross-origin requests
Installation.EnableWebSecurity = true;

// Instantiate Renderer
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Create a PDF from a HTML string using C#
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1>");

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

// Advanced Example with HTML Assets
// Load external html assets: Images, CSS and JavaScript.
// An optional BasePath 'C:\site\assets\' is set as the file location to load assets from
var myAdvancedPdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<img src='icons/iron.png'>", @"C:\site\assets\");
myAdvancedPdf.SaveAs("html-with-assets.pdf");

PM >Install-Package IronPdf

Install-Package IronPdf

MIGRATION GUIDES

How to Migrate from ExpertPdf to IronPDF in C#

Curtis Chau

Updated: May 18, 2026

ExpertPdf is a commercial HTML-to-PDF converter for .NET published by Outside Software Inc. The latest release on nuget.org is v20.1.0 (April 2025), so the suite is still actively shipping - the friction is in the product shape, not abandonment. ExpertPdf relies on a Trident (IE) engine plus a "WebKit2" engine added in v12.2; modern Chromium is not the default. Public ComponentSource listings have historically shown the HtmlToPdf Converter at roughly $550-$1,200 per tier (verify directly with the vendor). The toolkit is also split across separate NuGet packages - HtmlToPdf, MergePdf, PdfSecurity, SplitPdf, PdfToImage, PdfCreator - each typically licensed separately. This guide provides a step-by-step migration path from ExpertPdf to IronPDF, a .NET PDF library with the latest Chromium rendering, frequent releases, and an all-in-one package.

Why Migrate from ExpertPdf to IronPDF?

ExpertPdf presents several challenges that drive development teams to evaluate modern alternatives. Understanding these issues is essential for planning your migration strategy.

The ExpertPdf Problems

Sparse documentation, slow cadence: Reference docs exist on html-to-pdf.net, but tutorials, feature articles, and changelog entries are infrequent. Release notes for v20.1 (April 2025) list "bug fixes and performance improvements" - no headline features.
Older rendering pipelines: ExpertPdf ships a Trident (IE) engine plus a "WebKit2" engine added in v12.2; modern Chromium is not the default. CSS3 features such as Flexbox, Grid, and CSS variables render best on the WebKit2 engine - verify against your target HTML before migrating large estates.
Premium pricing for an aging stack: Public ComponentSource listings have historically shown the HtmlToPdf Converter at roughly $550-$1,200 per tier (verify directly with the vendor - the order page on expertpdf.net was inaccessible at the time of writing).
Fragmented product suite: ExpertPdf sells separate packages - ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf.NetCore / ExpertPdfHtmlToPdf, ExpertPdf.MergePdf, ExpertPdf.PdfSecurity, ExpertPdf.SplitPdf, ExpertPdf.PdfToImage, ExpertPdf.PdfCreator - each typically licensed separately.
No native modern .NET targets: The .NetCore packages target .NET Standard 2.0 / .NET Framework 4.6.1, so they run on .NET 5/6/7/8/9 - but you do not get native multi-target builds, trimming-friendly assemblies, or async-first APIs.

Architecture Comparison

Aspect	ExpertPdf	IronPDF
Vendor	Outside Software Inc.	Iron Software
Latest release (nuget.org)	v20.1.0 (Apr 2025)	Continuously updated
Documentation	Reference docs only, sparse tutorials	Continuously updated
Rendering Engine	Trident (IE) + "WebKit2" (added v12.2)	Latest Chromium
CSS Support	CSS3 best on WebKit2; partial on legacy	Full CSS3 (Flexbox, Grid)
Price	~$550-$1,200 (verify with vendor)	See ironpdf.com/pricing
Product Model	Fragmented (6+ NuGet packages)	All-in-one library
Modern .NET	.NET Standard 2.0 (runs on .NET 5-9)	.NET 6/7/8/9+ multi-targeted
Async Support	Limited	Full async/await

Key Migration Benefits

Modern Rendering: Latest Chromium engine for pixel-perfect output
All-in-One Package: PDF generation, merging, security, extraction in one NuGet
Active Development: Monthly updates with new features and security patches
Better Documentation: Comprehensive tutorials and examples
True Cross-Platform: Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker support

Pre-Migration Preparation

Prerequisites

Ensure your environment meets these requirements:

.NET Framework 4.6.2+ or .NET Core 3.1 / .NET 5-9
Visual Studio 2019+ or VS Code with C# extension
NuGet Package Manager access
IronPDF license key (free trial available at ironpdf.com)

Audit ExpertPdf Usage

Run these commands in your solution directory to identify all ExpertPdf references:

# Find all ExpertPdf references
grep -r "ExpertPdf\|PdfConverter\|PDFMerge\|PdfSecurityManager" --include="*.cs" .

# Check NuGet packages
dotnet list package | grep -i "ExpertPdf"

# Find all ExpertPdf references
grep -r "ExpertPdf\|PdfConverter\|PDFMerge\|PdfSecurityManager" --include="*.cs" .

# Check NuGet packages
dotnet list package | grep -i "ExpertPdf"

SHELL

Common ExpertPdf packages to look for (verify exact name on nuget.org - the suite uses inconsistent casing):

ExpertPdfHtmlToPdf (.NET Framework) / ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf.NetCore (.NET Core / 5-9) - HTML to PDF
ExpertPdf.MergePdf - PDF merging
ExpertPdf.PdfSecurity - encryption and passwords
ExpertPdf.SplitPdf - PDF splitting
ExpertPdf.PdfToImage - PDF to image conversion
ExpertPdf.PdfCreator - full PDF SDK (drawing, forms, signatures)

Understanding the Core Pattern Change

ExpertPdf uses PdfConverter with direct byte-array return methods. IronPDF uses ChromePdfRenderer returning PdfDocument objects that provide additional manipulation capabilities before saving.

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Step 1: Update NuGet Packages

Remove all ExpertPdf packages and install IronPDF:

# Remove all ExpertPdf packages (use whichever variants you have installed)
dotnet remove package ExpertPdfHtmlToPdf
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf.NetCore
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.MergePdf
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.PdfSecurity
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.SplitPdf
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.PdfToImage
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.PdfCreator

# Install IronPDF (includes all features)
dotnet add package IronPdf

# Remove all ExpertPdf packages (use whichever variants you have installed)
dotnet remove package ExpertPdfHtmlToPdf
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf.NetCore
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.MergePdf
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.PdfSecurity
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.SplitPdf
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.PdfToImage
dotnet remove package ExpertPdf.PdfCreator

# Install IronPDF (includes all features)
dotnet add package IronPdf

SHELL

Step 2: Update Namespace References

Replace ExpertPdf namespaces with IronPDF:

// Remove these
using ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf;

// Add this
using IronPdf;

// Remove these
using ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf;

// Add this
using IronPdf;

Imports IronPdf

Imports IronPdf

Step 3: Configure License

ExpertPdf uses per-converter licensing. IronPDF uses a single global license:

// Add at application startup (Program.cs or Startup.cs)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";

// Add at application startup (Program.cs or Startup.cs)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";

' Add at application startup (Program.vb or Startup.vb)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"

' Add at application startup (Program.vb or Startup.vb)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"

Complete API Migration Reference

Core Class Mapping

ExpertPdf Class	IronPDF Equivalent
`PdfConverter`	`ChromePdfRenderer`
`PdfDocumentOptions`	`ChromePdfRenderOptions`
`PdfHeaderOptions`	`TextHeaderFooter` or `HtmlHeaderFooter`
`PdfFooterOptions`	`TextHeaderFooter` or `HtmlHeaderFooter`
`PDFMerge`	`PdfDocument.Merge()`

Method Mapping

ExpertPdf Method	IronPDF Method
`pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlString(html)`	`renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html).BinaryData`
`pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromUrl(url)`	`renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url).BinaryData`
`pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlFile(path)`	`renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf(path).BinaryData`
`pdfConverter.SavePdfFromUrlToFile(url, path)`	`renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url).SaveAs(path)`

Options Mapping

ExpertPdf Option	IronPDF RenderingOptions
`PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageSize = PdfPageSize.A4`	`PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.A4`
`PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageOrientation = Portrait`	`PaperOrientation = PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait`
`PdfDocumentOptions.MarginTop`	`MarginTop`
`PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderText`	`TextHeader.CenterText`
`PdfFooterOptions.FooterText`	`TextFooter.RightText`

Page Numbering Token Conversion

ExpertPdf and IronPDF use different placeholder syntax for page numbers:

ExpertPdf	IronPDF
`&p;`	`{page}`
`&P;`	`{total-pages}`

Code Migration Examples

HTML to PDF Conversion

The fundamental HTML to PDF conversion demonstrates the shift from ExpertPdf's byte-array pattern to IronPDF's document-object approach.

ExpertPdf Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
using ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the PDF converter
        PdfConverter pdfConverter = new PdfConverter();
        
        // Convert HTML string to PDF
        byte[] pdfBytes = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlString("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF document.</p>");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
using ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the PDF converter
        PdfConverter pdfConverter = new PdfConverter();
        
        // Convert HTML string to PDF
        byte[] pdfBytes = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlString("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF document.</p>");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create the PDF converter
        Dim pdfConverter As New PdfConverter()
        
        ' Convert HTML string to PDF
        Dim pdfBytes As Byte() = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlString("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF document.</p>")
        
        ' Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output.pdf", pdfBytes)
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create the PDF converter
        Dim pdfConverter As New PdfConverter()
        
        ' Convert HTML string to PDF
        Dim pdfBytes As Byte() = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlString("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF document.</p>")
        
        ' Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output.pdf", pdfBytes)
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF from HTML string
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF document.</p>");
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF from HTML string
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF document.</p>");
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF from HTML string
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF document.</p>")
        
        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf")
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF from HTML string
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is a PDF document.</p>")
        
        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf")
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF's approach returns a PdfDocument object, enabling additional manipulation (merging, watermarking, security) before saving. For more options, see the HTML to PDF documentation.

URL to PDF with Page Settings

ExpertPdf Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
using ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the PDF converter
        PdfConverter pdfConverter = new PdfConverter();
        
        // Set page size and orientation
        pdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageSize = PdfPageSize.A4;
        pdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageOrientation = PdfPageOrientation.Portrait;
        
        // Convert URL to PDF
        byte[] pdfBytes = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromUrl("https://www.example.com");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("webpage.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully!");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
using ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the PDF converter
        PdfConverter pdfConverter = new PdfConverter();
        
        // Set page size and orientation
        pdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageSize = PdfPageSize.A4;
        pdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageOrientation = PdfPageOrientation.Portrait;
        
        // Convert URL to PDF
        byte[] pdfBytes = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromUrl("https://www.example.com");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("webpage.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully!");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create the PDF converter
        Dim pdfConverter As New PdfConverter()

        ' Set page size and orientation
        pdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageSize = PdfPageSize.A4
        pdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageOrientation = PdfPageOrientation.Portrait

        ' Convert URL to PDF
        Dim pdfBytes As Byte() = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromUrl("https://www.example.com")

        ' Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("webpage.pdf", pdfBytes)

        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create the PDF converter
        Dim pdfConverter As New PdfConverter()

        ' Set page size and orientation
        pdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageSize = PdfPageSize.A4
        pdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.PdfPageOrientation = PdfPageOrientation.Portrait

        ' Convert URL to PDF
        Dim pdfBytes As Byte() = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromUrl("https://www.example.com")

        ' Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("webpage.pdf", pdfBytes)

        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Set page size and orientation
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.A4;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperOrientation = PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait;
        
        // Convert URL to PDF
        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.example.com");
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully!");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Set page size and orientation
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.A4;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperOrientation = PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait;
        
        // Convert URL to PDF
        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.example.com");
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully!");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

        ' Set page size and orientation
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.A4
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperOrientation = PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait

        ' Convert URL to PDF
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.example.com")

        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

        ' Set page size and orientation
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.A4
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperOrientation = PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait

        ' Convert URL to PDF
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.example.com")

        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF's RenderingOptions provides direct property access for page configuration. For more options, see the URL to PDF documentation.

Headers and Footers with Page Numbers

This example demonstrates the critical difference in header/footer configuration - ExpertPdf uses separate PdfHeaderOptions and PdfFooterOptions classes with &p;/&P; tokens, while IronPDF uses TextHeaderFooter with {page}/{total-pages} placeholders.

ExpertPdf Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
using ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the PDF converter
        PdfConverter pdfConverter = new PdfConverter();
        
        // Enable header
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.ShowHeader = true;
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderText = "Document Header";
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderTextAlignment = HorizontalTextAlign.Center;
        
        // Enable footer with page numbers
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.ShowFooter = true;
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterText = "Page &p; of &P;";
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterTextAlignment = HorizontalTextAlign.Right;
        
        // Convert HTML file to PDF
        byte[] pdfBytes = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlFile("input.html");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output-with-header-footer.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF with headers and footers created successfully!");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
using ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the PDF converter
        PdfConverter pdfConverter = new PdfConverter();
        
        // Enable header
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.ShowHeader = true;
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderText = "Document Header";
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderTextAlignment = HorizontalTextAlign.Center;
        
        // Enable footer with page numbers
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.ShowFooter = true;
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterText = "Page &p; of &P;";
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterTextAlignment = HorizontalTextAlign.Right;
        
        // Convert HTML file to PDF
        byte[] pdfBytes = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlFile("input.html");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output-with-header-footer.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF with headers and footers created successfully!");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create the PDF converter
        Dim pdfConverter As New PdfConverter()

        ' Enable header
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.ShowHeader = True
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderText = "Document Header"
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderTextAlignment = HorizontalTextAlign.Center

        ' Enable footer with page numbers
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.ShowFooter = True
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterText = "Page &p; of &P;"
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterTextAlignment = HorizontalTextAlign.Right

        ' Convert HTML file to PDF
        Dim pdfBytes As Byte() = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlFile("input.html")

        ' Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output-with-header-footer.pdf", pdfBytes)

        Console.WriteLine("PDF with headers and footers created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports ExpertPdf.HtmlToPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create the PDF converter
        Dim pdfConverter As New PdfConverter()

        ' Enable header
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.ShowHeader = True
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderText = "Document Header"
        pdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderTextAlignment = HorizontalTextAlign.Center

        ' Enable footer with page numbers
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.ShowFooter = True
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterText = "Page &p; of &P;"
        pdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterTextAlignment = HorizontalTextAlign.Right

        ' Convert HTML file to PDF
        Dim pdfBytes As Byte() = pdfConverter.GetPdfBytesFromHtmlFile("input.html")

        ' Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output-with-header-footer.pdf", pdfBytes)

        Console.WriteLine("PDF with headers and footers created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Configure header
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Document Header",
            DrawDividerLine = true
        };
        
        // Configure footer with page numbers
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
            DrawDividerLine = true
        };
        
        // Convert HTML file to PDF
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf("input.html");
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output-with-header-footer.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF with headers and footers created successfully!");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Configure header
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Document Header",
            DrawDividerLine = true
        };
        
        // Configure footer with page numbers
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
            DrawDividerLine = true
        };
        
        // Convert HTML file to PDF
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf("input.html");
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output-with-header-footer.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF with headers and footers created successfully!");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

        ' Configure header
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
            .CenterText = "Document Header",
            .DrawDividerLine = True
        }

        ' Configure footer with page numbers
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
            .RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
            .DrawDividerLine = True
        }

        ' Convert HTML file to PDF
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf("input.html")

        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output-with-header-footer.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("PDF with headers and footers created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

        ' Configure header
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
            .CenterText = "Document Header",
            .DrawDividerLine = True
        }

        ' Configure footer with page numbers
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
            .RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
            .DrawDividerLine = True
        }

        ' Convert HTML file to PDF
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf("input.html")

        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output-with-header-footer.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("PDF with headers and footers created successfully!")
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF's TextHeaderFooter provides LeftText, CenterText, and RightText properties with optional divider lines. For HTML-based headers, use HtmlHeaderFooter. For more options, see the headers and footers documentation.

Critical Migration Notes

License Key Location

ExpertPdf uses per-converter licensing. IronPDF uses a single global license set once at startup:

// ExpertPdf - per converter
pdfConverter.LicenseKey = "EXPERTPDF-LICENSE";

// IronPDF - global, set once
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";

// ExpertPdf - per converter
pdfConverter.LicenseKey = "EXPERTPDF-LICENSE";

// IronPDF - global, set once
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";

' ExpertPdf - per converter
pdfConverter.LicenseKey = "EXPERTPDF-LICENSE"

' IronPDF - global, set once
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"

' ExpertPdf - per converter
pdfConverter.LicenseKey = "EXPERTPDF-LICENSE"

' IronPDF - global, set once
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"

Page Numbering Token Conversion

Replace ExpertPdf tokens with IronPDF placeholders:

// ExpertPdf
"Page &p; of &P;"

// IronPDF
"Page {page} of {total-pages}"

// ExpertPdf
"Page &p; of &P;"

// IronPDF
"Page {page} of {total-pages}"

net

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Fragmented Packages Consolidated

ExpertPdf's separate packages (PDFMerge, PDFSecurity, PDFSplit, PdfToImage) are all included in IronPDF's single package:

// ExpertPdf - requires separate ExpertPdf.MergePdf package
PDFMerge merger = new PDFMerge();
merger.AppendPDFFile("file1.pdf");
merger.AppendPDFFile("file2.pdf");
merger.SaveMergedPDFToFile("merged.pdf");

// IronPDF - included in main package
var pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("file1.pdf");
var pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("file2.pdf");
var merged = PdfDocument.Merge(pdf1, pdf2);
merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf");

// ExpertPdf - requires separate ExpertPdf.MergePdf package
PDFMerge merger = new PDFMerge();
merger.AppendPDFFile("file1.pdf");
merger.AppendPDFFile("file2.pdf");
merger.SaveMergedPDFToFile("merged.pdf");

// IronPDF - included in main package
var pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("file1.pdf");
var pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("file2.pdf");
var merged = PdfDocument.Merge(pdf1, pdf2);
merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf");

' ExpertPdf - requires separate ExpertPdf.MergePdf package
Dim merger As New PDFMerge()
merger.AppendPDFFile("file1.pdf")
merger.AppendPDFFile("file2.pdf")
merger.SaveMergedPDFToFile("merged.pdf")

' IronPDF - included in main package
Dim pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("file1.pdf")
Dim pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("file2.pdf")
Dim merged = PdfDocument.Merge(pdf1, pdf2)
merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf")

' ExpertPdf - requires separate ExpertPdf.MergePdf package
Dim merger As New PDFMerge()
merger.AppendPDFFile("file1.pdf")
merger.AppendPDFFile("file2.pdf")
merger.SaveMergedPDFToFile("merged.pdf")

' IronPDF - included in main package
Dim pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("file1.pdf")
Dim pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("file2.pdf")
Dim merged = PdfDocument.Merge(pdf1, pdf2)
merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf")

For more merging options, see the PDF merging documentation.

Custom Page Sizes

ExpertPdf uses points. IronPDF uses millimeters. Convert: points / 72 * 25.4 = mm

Post-Migration Checklist

After completing the code migration, verify the following:

Visual comparison of generated PDFs
Verify headers/footers and page numbers
Test security/encryption settings
Validate merging operations
Check custom page sizes
Performance benchmarking
Cross-platform testing
Remove ExpertPdf license files
Update documentation

Additional Resources

Migrating from ExpertPdf to IronPDF replaces sparse documentation, legacy rendering pipelines, and fragmented product licensing with an actively maintained library on the latest Chromium engine - keeping your PDF generation aligned with current web standards and modern .NET targets.

Please note: ExpertPDF is a registered trademark of its respective owner (Outside Software Inc.). This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Outside Software Inc. 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.

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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