A Comparison between IronPDF & iText7

IronPDF:

IronPDF Overview of Supported Platforms supports a wide range of platforms and environments, ensuring seamless integration and deployment in various systems:

• .NET versions:

  • .NET Core (8, 7, 6, 5, and 3.1+)
  • .NET Standard (2.0+)
  • .NET Framework (4.6.2+)

• App environments: IronPDF works in app environments including Windows, Linux, Mac, Docker, Azure, and AWS.

• IDEs: Works with IDEs such as Microsoft Visual Studio, JetBrains Rider, and ReSharper.

• OS and Processors: Supports several different OS & processors including Windows, Mac, Linux, x64, x86, ARM.

iText

• .NET versions:

  • .NET Core (2.x, 3.x)
  • .NET Framework (4.6.1+)
  • .NET 5+

• App environments: iText supports a range of app environments, thanks to its support for both Java and .NET (C#), these include Windows, Mac, Linux, and Docker.

• OS: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.

IronPDF

• HTML to PDF Conversion: Supports HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and images.

• PDF File Manipulation: Split and merge documents, change formatting, and edit existing PDF documents.

• Security: PDF encryption and decryption.

• Editing: Add annotations, bookmarks, and outlines.

• Templates: Apply headers, footers, and page numbers.

• Watermarking: Easily apply text and image watermarks to PDF files; gain full control using HTML/CSS.

• PDF Stamping: Stamp images and text onto your PDF documents using IronPDF.

For more information on the extensive set of features IronPDF has to offer, visit the IronPDF features page.

iText

• PDF Creation: Supports creating PDF documents from scratch.

• Forms: Create and edit PDF forms.

• Digital Signatures: Sign PDF documents.

• Compression: Optimize PDF file sizes.

• Content Extraction: Extract text and images from PDFs.

• Open Source: Available under AGPL license.

• Customizability: High level of customization for advanced use cases.

HTML to PDF Conversion

Converting HTML content into PDF using IronPDF is a task performed in many different offices and workspaces. Below are code examples comparing how IronPDF and iText approach this process.

IronPDF

using IronPdf;

// Configure security settings
Installation.EnableWebSecurity = true;

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

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

// Advanced Example with HTML Assets
// Load external HTML assets: images, CSS and JavaScript.
var myAdvancedPdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<img src='icons/iron.png'>", @"C:\site\assets\");
myAdvancedPdf.SaveAs("html-with-assets.pdf");

using IronPdf;

// Configure security settings
Installation.EnableWebSecurity = true;

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

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

// Advanced Example with HTML Assets
// Load external HTML assets: images, CSS and JavaScript.
var myAdvancedPdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<img src='icons/iron.png'>", @"C:\site\assets\");
myAdvancedPdf.SaveAs("html-with-assets.pdf");

iText

using iText.Html2pdf;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    using (FileStream htmlSource = File.Open("input.html", FileMode.Open))
    using (FileStream pdfDest = File.Open("output.pdf", FileMode.Create))
    {
        ConverterProperties converterProperties = new ConverterProperties();
        HtmlConverter.ConvertToPdf(htmlSource, pdfDest, converterProperties);
    }
}

using iText.Html2pdf;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    using (FileStream htmlSource = File.Open("input.html", FileMode.Open))
    using (FileStream pdfDest = File.Open("output.pdf", FileMode.Create))
    {
        ConverterProperties converterProperties = new ConverterProperties();
        HtmlConverter.ConvertToPdf(htmlSource, pdfDest, converterProperties);
    }
}

When converting HTML to PDF, IronPDF offers a concise and convenient tool for this task. Utilizing the ChromePdfRenderer to convert HTML content into PDFs, IronPDF excels in providing users with pixel-perfect PDF documents. Users can create PDFs directly from HTML strings or include external assets like images with an optional base path, as demonstrated in the advanced example. iText, on the other hand, takes a basic approach using its HtmlConverter class to create PDF documents from an HTML file.

Encrypting PDF Files

Encrypting PDF Files with IronPDF and decryption are vital in many workplaces. Below, we will see how iText and IronPDF tackle the encryption of PDFs.

IronPDF

using IronPdf;
using System;

// Open an Encrypted File, alternatively create a new PDF from HTML
var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("encrypted.pdf", "password");

// Edit file metadata
pdf.MetaData.Author = "Satoshi Nakamoto";
pdf.MetaData.Keywords = "SEO, Friendly";
pdf.MetaData.ModifiedDate = DateTime.Now;

// Edit file security settings
pdf.SecuritySettings.RemovePasswordsAndEncryption();
pdf.SecuritySettings.MakePdfDocumentReadOnly("secret-key");
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserAnnotations = false;
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserFormData = false;
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights;

// Change or set the document encryption password
pdf.Password = "my-password";
pdf.SaveAs("secured.pdf");

using IronPdf;
using System;

// Open an Encrypted File, alternatively create a new PDF from HTML
var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("encrypted.pdf", "password");

// Edit file metadata
pdf.MetaData.Author = "Satoshi Nakamoto";
pdf.MetaData.Keywords = "SEO, Friendly";
pdf.MetaData.ModifiedDate = DateTime.Now;

// Edit file security settings
pdf.SecuritySettings.RemovePasswordsAndEncryption();
pdf.SecuritySettings.MakePdfDocumentReadOnly("secret-key");
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserAnnotations = false;
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserFormData = false;
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights;

// Change or set the document encryption password
pdf.Password = "my-password";
pdf.SaveAs("secured.pdf");

iText

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Text;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf;

public class EncryptPdf
{
    public static readonly String DEST = "results/sandbox/security/encrypt_pdf.pdf";
    public static readonly String SRC = "../../../resources/pdfs/hello.pdf";

    public static readonly String OWNER_PASSWORD = "World";
    public static readonly String USER_PASSWORD = "Hello";

    public static void Main(String[] args)
    {
        FileInfo file = new FileInfo(DEST);
        file.Directory.Create();

        new EncryptPdf().ManipulatePdf(DEST);
    }

    protected void ManipulatePdf(String dest)
    {
        PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument(new PdfReader(SRC), new PdfWriter(dest,
            new WriterProperties().SetStandardEncryption(
                Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(USER_PASSWORD),
                Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(OWNER_PASSWORD),
                EncryptionConstants.ALLOW_PRINTING,
                EncryptionConstants.ENCRYPTION_AES_128 | EncryptionConstants.DO_NOT_ENCRYPT_METADATA
            )));
        document.Close();
    }
}

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Text;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf;

public class EncryptPdf
{
    public static readonly String DEST = "results/sandbox/security/encrypt_pdf.pdf";
    public static readonly String SRC = "../../../resources/pdfs/hello.pdf";

    public static readonly String OWNER_PASSWORD = "World";
    public static readonly String USER_PASSWORD = "Hello";

    public static void Main(String[] args)
    {
        FileInfo file = new FileInfo(DEST);
        file.Directory.Create();

        new EncryptPdf().ManipulatePdf(DEST);
    }

    protected void ManipulatePdf(String dest)
    {
        PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument(new PdfReader(SRC), new PdfWriter(dest,
            new WriterProperties().SetStandardEncryption(
                Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(USER_PASSWORD),
                Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(OWNER_PASSWORD),
                EncryptionConstants.ALLOW_PRINTING,
                EncryptionConstants.ENCRYPTION_AES_128 | EncryptionConstants.DO_NOT_ENCRYPT_METADATA
            )));
        document.Close();
    }
}

IronPDF offers users a straightforward way to encrypt PDF files while also giving users plenty of control, such as editing metadata and adjusting security settings like making documents read-only or restricting user actions like copy and paste. On the other hand, iText employs a lower-level and longer method where PDF encryption is applied during document creation, specifying owner and user passwords along with permissions like printing rights using encryption standards like AES-128.

Redact PDF Content

Occasionally, while handling confidential or private information, it may be necessary to redact text in PDF with IronPDF portions of a PDF file. The code examples below will demonstrate how you can redact text using IronPDF in comparison with iText.

IronPDF

using IronPdf;

PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("novel.pdf");

// Redact 'are' phrase from all pages
pdf.RedactTextOnAllPages("are");

pdf.SaveAs("redacted.pdf");

using IronPdf;

PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("novel.pdf");

// Redact 'are' phrase from all pages
pdf.RedactTextOnAllPages("are");

pdf.SaveAs("redacted.pdf");

iText

using System;
using System.IO;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;
using iText.Layout.Properties;
using iText.Kernel.Colors;

string src = "input.pdf";
string dest = "output_redacted.pdf";

using (PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(src))
using (PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter(dest))
using (PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(reader, writer))
{
    // Iterate through each page
    for (int pageNum = 1; pageNum <= pdfDoc.GetNumberOfPages(); pageNum++)
    {
        PdfPage page = pdfDoc.GetPage(pageNum);
        PdfCanvas canvas = new PdfCanvas(page);
        Rectangle[] rectanglesToRedact = { new Rectangle(100, 100, 200, 50) }; // Define rectangles to redact

        // Overlay black rectangles to simulate redaction
        foreach (Rectangle rect in rectanglesToRedact)
        {
            canvas.SetFillColor(ColorConstants.BLACK)
                .Rectangle(rect.GetX(), rect.GetY(), rect.GetWidth(), rect.GetHeight())
                .Fill();
        }
    }
}

using System;
using System.IO;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;
using iText.Layout.Properties;
using iText.Kernel.Colors;

string src = "input.pdf";
string dest = "output_redacted.pdf";

using (PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(src))
using (PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter(dest))
using (PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(reader, writer))
{
    // Iterate through each page
    for (int pageNum = 1; pageNum <= pdfDoc.GetNumberOfPages(); pageNum++)
    {
        PdfPage page = pdfDoc.GetPage(pageNum);
        PdfCanvas canvas = new PdfCanvas(page);
        Rectangle[] rectanglesToRedact = { new Rectangle(100, 100, 200, 50) }; // Define rectangles to redact

        // Overlay black rectangles to simulate redaction
        foreach (Rectangle rect in rectanglesToRedact)
        {
            canvas.SetFillColor(ColorConstants.BLACK)
                .Rectangle(rect.GetX(), rect.GetY(), rect.GetWidth(), rect.GetHeight())
                .Fill();
        }
    }
}

IronPDF's redaction tool is concise and easy to use, needing only a few lines of code to streamline the redaction process. This helps increase efficiency around PDF redaction tasks and gives users an easy way to keep their sensitive and private data safe. iText, on the other hand, doesn't offer a built-in redaction tool in the same sense as IronPDF. However, it can still cover sensitive data using the method shown above to draw over content users wish to redact. This can lead to potential issues, as these rectangles don't actually remove or properly redact the text, meaning other people could potentially copy and paste the data being redacted.

Signing PDF Documents

Being able to digitally sign PDF documents with IronPDF can be time-saving, especially when making it an automated process. Here are some pieces of code comparing how IronPDF differs from iText in terms of carrying out digital signing of documents.

IronPDF

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Signing;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;

// Create X509Certificate2 object with X509KeyStorageFlags set to Exportable
X509Certificate2 cert = new X509Certificate2("IronSoftware.pfx", "123456", X509KeyStorageFlags.Exportable);

// Create PdfSignature object
var sig = new PdfSignature(cert);

// Sign PDF document
PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("document.pdf");
pdf.Sign(sig);
pdf.SaveAs("signed.pdf");

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Signing;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;

// Create X509Certificate2 object with X509KeyStorageFlags set to Exportable
X509Certificate2 cert = new X509Certificate2("IronSoftware.pfx", "123456", X509KeyStorageFlags.Exportable);

// Create PdfSignature object
var sig = new PdfSignature(cert);

// Sign PDF document
PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("document.pdf");
pdf.Sign(sig);
pdf.SaveAs("signed.pdf");

iText

using System;
using System.IO;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Signatures;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Crypto;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Pkcs;
using Org.BouncyCastle.X509;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        string src = "input.pdf";
        string dest = "output_signed.pdf";
        string pfxFile = "your_certificate.pfx";
        string pfxPassword = "your_password";

        try
        {
            // Load your certificate
            Pkcs12Store ks = new Pkcs12Store(new FileStream(pfxFile, FileMode.Open), pfxPassword.ToCharArray());
            string alias = null;
            foreach (string al in ks.Aliases)
            {
                if (ks.IsKeyEntry(al))
                {
                    alias = al;
                    break;
                }
            }
            ICipherParameters pk = ks.GetKey(alias).Key;
            X509CertificateEntry[] chain = ks.GetCertificateChain(alias);
            X509Certificate2 cert = new X509Certificate2(chain[0].Certificate.GetEncoded());

            // Create output PDF with signed content
            using (PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(src))
            using (PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter(dest))
            using (PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(reader, writer))
            {
                // Create the signer
                PdfSigner signer = new PdfSigner(pdfDoc, writer, new StampingProperties().UseAppendMode());

                // Configure signature appearance
                PdfSignatureAppearance appearance = signer.GetSignatureAppearance();
                appearance.SetReason("Digital Signature");
                appearance.SetLocation("Your Location");
                appearance.SetContact("Your Contact");

                // Create signature
                IExternalSignature pks = new PrivateKeySignature(pk, "SHA-256");
                signer.SignDetached(pks, chain, null, null, null, 0, PdfSigner.CryptoStandard.CMS);
            }

            Console.WriteLine($"PDF digitally signed successfully: {dest}");
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Error signing PDF: {ex.Message}");
        }
    }
}

using System;
using System.IO;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Signatures;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Crypto;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Pkcs;
using Org.BouncyCastle.X509;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        string src = "input.pdf";
        string dest = "output_signed.pdf";
        string pfxFile = "your_certificate.pfx";
        string pfxPassword = "your_password";

        try
        {
            // Load your certificate
            Pkcs12Store ks = new Pkcs12Store(new FileStream(pfxFile, FileMode.Open), pfxPassword.ToCharArray());
            string alias = null;
            foreach (string al in ks.Aliases)
            {
                if (ks.IsKeyEntry(al))
                {
                    alias = al;
                    break;
                }
            }
            ICipherParameters pk = ks.GetKey(alias).Key;
            X509CertificateEntry[] chain = ks.GetCertificateChain(alias);
            X509Certificate2 cert = new X509Certificate2(chain[0].Certificate.GetEncoded());

            // Create output PDF with signed content
            using (PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(src))
            using (PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter(dest))
            using (PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(reader, writer))
            {
                // Create the signer
                PdfSigner signer = new PdfSigner(pdfDoc, writer, new StampingProperties().UseAppendMode());

                // Configure signature appearance
                PdfSignatureAppearance appearance = signer.GetSignatureAppearance();
                appearance.SetReason("Digital Signature");
                appearance.SetLocation("Your Location");
                appearance.SetContact("Your Contact");

                // Create signature
                IExternalSignature pks = new PrivateKeySignature(pk, "SHA-256");
                signer.SignDetached(pks, chain, null, null, null, 0, PdfSigner.CryptoStandard.CMS);
            }

            Console.WriteLine($"PDF digitally signed successfully: {dest}");
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Error signing PDF: {ex.Message}");
        }
    }
}

When applying signatures to PDF files digitally, IronPDF presents a concise yet powerful tool for completing this process. Its simplicity allows the process to be carried out quickly, saving time for any developer who implements it for their signing needs. iText requires a longer, more complex process to apply digital signatures to PDF files. While their ability to use different interface options and keys offers more control to the user, the complexity of how this tool carries out this task could impede its use.

Applying Watermarks to PDF Documents

The ability to add and personalize watermarks on PDFs with IronPDF can greatly assist with confidentiality, copyright protection, branding, or any task involving sensitive information. The following is a comparison of how IronPDF and iText apply watermarks to PDF files.

IronPDF

using IronPdf;

// Stamps a Watermark onto a new or existing PDF
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.nuget.org/packages/IronPdf");
pdf.ApplyWatermark("<h2 style='color:red'>SAMPLE</h2>", 30, IronPdf.Editing.VerticalAlignment.Middle, IronPdf.Editing.HorizontalAlignment.Center);
pdf.SaveAs(@"C:\Path\To\Watermarked.pdf");

using IronPdf;

// Stamps a Watermark onto a new or existing PDF
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.nuget.org/packages/IronPdf");
pdf.ApplyWatermark("<h2 style='color:red'>SAMPLE</h2>", 30, IronPdf.Editing.VerticalAlignment.Middle, IronPdf.Editing.HorizontalAlignment.Center);
pdf.SaveAs(@"C:\Path\To\Watermarked.pdf");

iText

using iText.IO.Font;
using iText.IO.Font.Constants;
using iText.Kernel.Colors;
using iText.Kernel.Font;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf.Canvas;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf.Extgstate;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;
using iText.Layout.Properties;

public class TransparentWatermark 
{
    public static readonly String DEST = "results/sandbox/stamper/transparent_watermark.pdf";
    public static readonly String SRC = "../../../resources/pdfs/hero.pdf";

    public static void Main(String[] args) 
    {
        FileInfo file = new FileInfo(DEST);
        file.Directory.Create();

        new TransparentWatermark().ManipulatePdf(DEST);
    }

    protected void ManipulatePdf(String dest) 
    {
        PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(new PdfReader(SRC), new PdfWriter(dest));
        PdfCanvas under = new PdfCanvas(pdfDoc.GetFirstPage().NewContentStreamBefore(), new PdfResources(), pdfDoc);
        PdfFont font = PdfFontFactory.CreateFont(FontProgramFactory.CreateFont(StandardFonts.HELVETICA));
        Paragraph paragraph = new Paragraph("This watermark is added UNDER the existing content")
                .SetFont(font)
                .SetFontSize(15);

        Canvas canvasWatermark1 = new Canvas(under, pdfDoc.GetDefaultPageSize())
                .ShowTextAligned(paragraph, 297, 550, 1, TextAlignment.CENTER, VerticalAlignment.TOP, 0);
        canvasWatermark1.Close();
        PdfCanvas over = new PdfCanvas(pdfDoc.GetFirstPage());
        over.SetFillColor(ColorConstants.BLACK);
        paragraph = new Paragraph("This watermark is added ON TOP OF the existing content")
                .SetFont(font)
                .SetFontSize(15);

        Canvas canvasWatermark2 = new Canvas(over, pdfDoc.GetDefaultPageSize())
                .ShowTextAligned(paragraph, 297, 500, 1, TextAlignment.CENTER, VerticalAlignment.TOP, 0);
        canvasWatermark2.Close();
        paragraph = new Paragraph("This TRANSPARENT watermark is added ON TOP OF the existing content")
                .SetFont(font)
                .SetFontSize(15);
        over.SaveState();

        PdfExtGState gs1 = new PdfExtGState();
        gs1.SetFillOpacity(0.5f);
        over.SetExtGState(gs1);
        Canvas canvasWatermark3 = new Canvas(over, pdfDoc.GetDefaultPageSize())
                .ShowTextAligned(paragraph, 297, 450, 1, TextAlignment.CENTER, VerticalAlignment.TOP, 0);
        canvasWatermark3.Close();
        over.RestoreState();

        pdfDoc.Close();
    }
}

using iText.IO.Font;
using iText.IO.Font.Constants;
using iText.Kernel.Colors;
using iText.Kernel.Font;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf.Canvas;
using iText.Kernel.Pdf.Extgstate;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;
using iText.Layout.Properties;

public class TransparentWatermark 
{
    public static readonly String DEST = "results/sandbox/stamper/transparent_watermark.pdf";
    public static readonly String SRC = "../../../resources/pdfs/hero.pdf";

    public static void Main(String[] args) 
    {
        FileInfo file = new FileInfo(DEST);
        file.Directory.Create();

        new TransparentWatermark().ManipulatePdf(DEST);
    }

    protected void ManipulatePdf(String dest) 
    {
        PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(new PdfReader(SRC), new PdfWriter(dest));
        PdfCanvas under = new PdfCanvas(pdfDoc.GetFirstPage().NewContentStreamBefore(), new PdfResources(), pdfDoc);
        PdfFont font = PdfFontFactory.CreateFont(FontProgramFactory.CreateFont(StandardFonts.HELVETICA));
        Paragraph paragraph = new Paragraph("This watermark is added UNDER the existing content")
                .SetFont(font)
                .SetFontSize(15);

        Canvas canvasWatermark1 = new Canvas(under, pdfDoc.GetDefaultPageSize())
                .ShowTextAligned(paragraph, 297, 550, 1, TextAlignment.CENTER, VerticalAlignment.TOP, 0);
        canvasWatermark1.Close();
        PdfCanvas over = new PdfCanvas(pdfDoc.GetFirstPage());
        over.SetFillColor(ColorConstants.BLACK);
        paragraph = new Paragraph("This watermark is added ON TOP OF the existing content")
                .SetFont(font)
                .SetFontSize(15);

        Canvas canvasWatermark2 = new Canvas(over, pdfDoc.GetDefaultPageSize())
                .ShowTextAligned(paragraph, 297, 500, 1, TextAlignment.CENTER, VerticalAlignment.TOP, 0);
        canvasWatermark2.Close();
        paragraph = new Paragraph("This TRANSPARENT watermark is added ON TOP OF the existing content")
                .SetFont(font)
                .SetFontSize(15);
        over.SaveState();

        PdfExtGState gs1 = new PdfExtGState();
        gs1.SetFillOpacity(0.5f);
        over.SetExtGState(gs1);
        Canvas canvasWatermark3 = new Canvas(over, pdfDoc.GetDefaultPageSize())
                .ShowTextAligned(paragraph, 297, 450, 1, TextAlignment.CENTER, VerticalAlignment.TOP, 0);
        canvasWatermark3.Close();
        over.RestoreState();

        pdfDoc.Close();
    }
}

IronPDF's easy and intuitive API lets users apply custom watermarks to their PDF files quickly, granting full control over the process. Its use of HTML/CSS further simplifies the process without losing any customization control. iText's approach to adding watermarks to PDFs requires more manual work, potentially slowing the process down.

Stamping Images and Text onto a PDF

There are times when PDF pages need to be stamped with text or images on a PDF, similar to how one might need to apply watermarks to their PDF files. We will now compare how IronPDF and iText perform stamping content on a PDF document.

IronPDF

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Editing;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Example HTML Document!</h1>");

// Create text stamper
TextStamper textStamper = new TextStamper()
{
    Text = "Text Stamper!",
    FontFamily = "Bungee Spice",
    UseGoogleFont = true,
    FontSize = 30,
    IsBold = true,
    IsItalic = true,
    VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top,
};

// Stamp the text stamper
pdf.ApplyStamp(textStamper);
pdf.SaveAs("stampText.pdf");

// Create image stamper
ImageStamper imageStamper = new ImageStamper(new Uri("https://ironpdf.com/img/svgs/iron-pdf-logo.svg"))
{
    VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top,
};

// Stamp the image stamper
pdf.ApplyStamp(imageStamper, 0);
pdf.SaveAs("stampImage.pdf");

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Editing;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Example HTML Document!</h1>");

// Create text stamper
TextStamper textStamper = new TextStamper()
{
    Text = "Text Stamper!",
    FontFamily = "Bungee Spice",
    UseGoogleFont = true,
    FontSize = 30,
    IsBold = true,
    IsItalic = true,
    VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top,
};

// Stamp the text stamper
pdf.ApplyStamp(textStamper);
pdf.SaveAs("stampText.pdf");

// Create image stamper
ImageStamper imageStamper = new ImageStamper(new Uri("https://ironpdf.com/img/svgs/iron-pdf-logo.svg"))
{
    VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top,
};

// Stamp the image stamper
pdf.ApplyStamp(imageStamper, 0);
pdf.SaveAs("stampImage.pdf");

iText

using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;

public void StampPDF(string inputPdfPath, string outputPdfPath, string stampText)
{
    PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(new PdfReader(inputPdfPath), new PdfWriter(outputPdfPath));

    Document doc = new Document(pdfDoc);

    // Add stamp (text) to each page
    int numPages = pdfDoc.GetNumberOfPages();
    for (int i = 1; i <= numPages; i++)
    {
        doc.ShowTextAligned(new Paragraph(stampText),
                            36, 36, i, iText.Layout.Properties.TextAlignment.LEFT,
                            iText.Layout.Properties.VerticalAlignment.TOP, 0);
    }

    doc.Close();
}

using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;

public void StampPDF(string inputPdfPath, string outputPdfPath, string stampText)
{
    PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(new PdfReader(inputPdfPath), new PdfWriter(outputPdfPath));

    Document doc = new Document(pdfDoc);

    // Add stamp (text) to each page
    int numPages = pdfDoc.GetNumberOfPages();
    for (int i = 1; i <= numPages; i++)
    {
        doc.ShowTextAligned(new Paragraph(stampText),
                            36, 36, i, iText.Layout.Properties.TextAlignment.LEFT,
                            iText.Layout.Properties.VerticalAlignment.TOP, 0);
    }

    doc.Close();
}

IronPDF can help you add text or images onto PDFs in a versatile and customizable way, offering full control. Its API is easy to understand and work with, especially for developers familiar with HTML/CSS. iText uses its image and text stamping tools to give users more control over the content displayed on their PDF files, although the process can end up being more manual.

Convert DOCX to PDF

Sometimes, you might have to convert PDFs from one format to another. In this case, we're looking at DOCX to PDF conversion with IronPDF and how IronPDF and iText handle this process differently.

IronPDF

using IronPdf;

// Instantiate Renderer
DocxToPdfRenderer renderer = new DocxToPdfRenderer();

// Render from DOCX file
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderDocxAsPdf("Modern-chronological-resume.docx");

// Save the PDF
pdf.SaveAs("pdfFromDocx.pdf");

using IronPdf;

// Instantiate Renderer
DocxToPdfRenderer renderer = new DocxToPdfRenderer();

// Render from DOCX file
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderDocxAsPdf("Modern-chronological-resume.docx");

// Save the PDF
pdf.SaveAs("pdfFromDocx.pdf");

iText

iText, on its own, cannot handle DOCX to PDF conversion; instead, it relies on external libraries such as DocX or Aspose.Words.

IronPDF provides developers with a straightforward and concise tool for handling DOCX to PDF conversion tasks, making it easy to convert DOCX files to PDF format without the need for external libraries. iText, on the other hand, relies on external libraries to carry out this task.

IronPDF: Full Modern Framework Support

IronPDF's Chrome rendering engine provides complete, production-ready support for all modern CSS frameworks:

• Bootstrap 5: Native flexbox and CSS Grid support for all layouts
• Tailwind CSS: Complete utility-first framework support
• Modern CSS3: Transforms, animations, custom properties, and advanced selectors
• Framework validation: Successfully renders the Bootstrap homepage and Bootstrap templates

Code Example: Bootstrap Progress Indicators

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

string bootstrap ProgressBars = @"
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <link href='https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/bootstrap@5.3.0/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css' rel='stylesheet'>
</head>
<body>
    <div class='container my-5'>
        <h2>Project Progress Dashboard</h2>

        <div class='mb-4'>
            <div class='d-flex justify-content-between mb-1'>
                <span>Backend Development</span>
                <span class='text-success fw-bold'>85%</span>
            </div>
            <div class='progress' style='height: 25px;'>
                <div class='progress-bar progress-bar-striped bg-success' role='progressbar'
                     style='width: 85%' aria-valuenow='85' aria-valuemin='0' aria-valuemax='100'>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class='mb-4'>
            <div class='d-flex justify-content-between mb-1'>
                <span>Frontend UI</span>
                <span class='text-warning fw-bold'>60%</span>
            </div>
            <div class='progress' style='height: 25px;'>
                <div class='progress-bar progress-bar-animated bg-warning' role='progressbar'
                     style='width: 60%' aria-valuenow='60' aria-valuemin='0' aria-valuemax='100'>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class='mb-4'>
            <div class='d-flex justify-content-between mb-1'>
                <span>Testing & QA</span>
                <span class='text-info fw-bold'>40%</span>
            </div>
            <div class='progress' style='height: 25px;'>
                <div class='progress-bar bg-info' role='progressbar'
                     style='width: 40%' aria-valuenow='40' aria-valuemin='0' aria-valuemax='100'>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</body>
</html>";

var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(bootstrapProgressBars);
pdf.SaveAs("project-progress.pdf");

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

string bootstrap ProgressBars = @"
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <link href='https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/bootstrap@5.3.0/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css' rel='stylesheet'>
</head>
<body>
    <div class='container my-5'>
        <h2>Project Progress Dashboard</h2>

        <div class='mb-4'>
            <div class='d-flex justify-content-between mb-1'>
                <span>Backend Development</span>
                <span class='text-success fw-bold'>85%</span>
            </div>
            <div class='progress' style='height: 25px;'>
                <div class='progress-bar progress-bar-striped bg-success' role='progressbar'
                     style='width: 85%' aria-valuenow='85' aria-valuemin='0' aria-valuemax='100'>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class='mb-4'>
            <div class='d-flex justify-content-between mb-1'>
                <span>Frontend UI</span>
                <span class='text-warning fw-bold'>60%</span>
            </div>
            <div class='progress' style='height: 25px;'>
                <div class='progress-bar progress-bar-animated bg-warning' role='progressbar'
                     style='width: 60%' aria-valuenow='60' aria-valuemin='0' aria-valuemax='100'>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class='mb-4'>
            <div class='d-flex justify-content-between mb-1'>
                <span>Testing & QA</span>
                <span class='text-info fw-bold'>40%</span>
            </div>
            <div class='progress' style='height: 25px;'>
                <div class='progress-bar bg-info' role='progressbar'
                     style='width: 40%' aria-valuenow='40' aria-valuemin='0' aria-valuemax='100'>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</body>
</html>";

var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(bootstrapProgressBars);
pdf.SaveAs("project-progress.pdf");

iText7: Limited Framework Support

iText7 uses a custom HTML to PDF converter (pdfHTML) with significant limitations for modern CSS frameworks:

• No JavaScript execution: Cannot handle dynamic Bootstrap components
• Limited flexbox support: Bootstrap 4+ layouts often fail to render correctly (v7.1.15 has partial support)
• CSS Grid unsupported: Modern grid-based layouts won't work
• Manual preprocessing required: Complex layouts need external tools like Selenium or Puppeteer

According to the official iText documentation, developers are advised to:

1. Avoid complex CSS layouts including flexbox
2. Use table-based layouts instead of modern grid systems
3. Simplify Bootstrap components to basic HTML
4. Test thoroughly as framework compatibility is limited

Real-World Impact: If your application uses Bootstrap for its user interface and you need PDF exports that match your web design, iText7 requires either significant HTML/CSS redesign for PDF generation or integration with external browser automation tools, substantially increasing complexity and development time.

For comprehensive CSS framework compatibility information, see the Bootstrap & Flexbox CSS Guide.

IronPDF Pricing and Licensing

IronPDF Licensing Options offer various levels and additional features for purchasing a license. Developers can also buy Iron Suite, giving access to all of Iron Software’s products at the price of two. If you’re not ready to buy a license, IronPDF provides a free trial version that lasts 30 days.

• Perpetual licenses: Offers a range of perpetual licenses depending on your team size, project needs, and the number of locations. Each license type comes with email support.

• Lite License: This license supports one developer, one location, and one project.

• Plus License: Supporting three developers, three locations, and three projects, this costs $1,199. The Plus license offers chat, phone, and email support.

• Professional License: Suitable for larger teams, supporting ten developers, ten locations, and ten projects for $2,399. It offers the same contact support channels as the previous tiers but also offers screen-sharing support.

• Royalty-free redistribution: IronPDF's licensing also offers royalty-free redistribution coverage for an extra $2,399.

• Uninterrupted product support: Access ongoing product updates, security feature upgrades, and support from their engineering team for $1,199/year or a one-time purchase of $2,399 for 5-year coverage.

• Iron Suite: For $1,498, you get access to all Iron Software products including IronPDF, IronOCR, IronWord, IronXL, IronBarcode, IronQR, IronZIP, IronPrint, and IronWebScraper.

iText Licensing

• AGPL License: The iText Core library is open-sourced and available to users for free. To use iText under this licensing model, users must comply with its terms, and any modifications made to iText under this license must also be released under the AGPL licensing model.

• Commercial License: iText offers a commercial licensing model for developers whose projects don't comply with the AGPL terms, and pricing is based on quotes.

IronPDF

• Comprehensive Documentation: Extensive and user-friendly documentation covering all features.

• 24/5 Support: Active engineer support is available.

• Video Tutorials: Step-by-step video guides are available on YouTube.

• Community Forum: Engaged community for additional support.

• Regular Updates: Monthly product updates with the latest features and security patches.

iText

• Documentation: In-depth documentation covering iText software features.

• Examples and Tutorials: Tutorials and code examples for various features.

• GitHub: Developers can submit any issues or bugs to the iText GitHub repository and communicate with the iText group.

• Updates: iText offers regular updates and improvements.

For more details on IronPDF documentation and support, visit IronPDF Documentation and the Iron Software YouTube Channel.