SelectPdf is a capable Windows-only library, with Linux, macOS, and Docker routed through its cloud API. IronPDF renders HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in-process with Chromium on every platform, with a full trial and no page cap. Three lines of C#.
// SelectPdf: clean API, but the in-process library is Windows-only.
// Linux / macOS / Docker must call SelectPdf's cloud REST API instead.
using SelectPdf;
HtmlToPdf converter = new HtmlToPdf();
PdfDocument doc = converter.ConvertHtmlString("<h1>Hello World</h1>");
doc.Save("output.pdf");
doc.Close();
// Free Community Edition caps output at 5 pages per PDF.
// IronPDF: same clean API, in-process on every platform, no cap
using IronPdf;
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");' SelectPdf: clean API, but the in-process library is Windows-only.
' Linux / macOS / Docker must call SelectPdf's cloud REST API instead.
Imports SelectPdf
Dim converter As New HtmlToPdf()
Dim doc As PdfDocument = converter.ConvertHtmlString("<h1>Hello World</h1>")
doc.Save("output.pdf")
doc.Close()
' Free Community Edition caps output at 5 pages per PDF.
' IronPDF: same clean API, in-process on every platform, no cap
Imports IronPdf
Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
Dim pdf As PdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1>")
pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf")
PM >
Install-Package IronPdf
Render in-process on Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker, Azure, and AWS from one package, with no cloud API call required for non-Windows platforms.
Designed for C#, F#, & VB.NET running on .NET 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, Core, Standard, or Framework
Available for .NET, Java, Node.js, and Python.
SelectPdf is a mature commercial converter with WebKit, Blink, and Chromium engines and a clean API. The practical differences are deployment and trial model: SelectPdf's in-process library runs on Windows only, so Linux, macOS, and Docker go through its cloud REST API, and its free Community Edition is capped at five pages with no loading of existing PDFs, PDF-to-text, or form filling. IronPDF renders in-process with Chromium on every platform, keeps your HTML on your server, and ships a fully functional trial.
| SelectPdf | IronPDF | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML5 / CSS3 / JS | Supported | Supported |
| Rendering engines | WebKit, Blink, Chromium (choose, deploy) | Chromium, one bundled engine |
| In-process platforms | Windows only | Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker |
| Linux / macOS / Docker | Via SelectPdf cloud REST API | In-process, local, no data offsite |
| Free option | Community Edition, 5-page cap | 30-day full trial, no cap, no watermark |
| Community gaps | No load existing PDF, PDF-to-text, forms | Full feature set in trial |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained since 2014 | Actively maintained |
| PDF editing | Full SDK; Community Edition limited | Edit, merge, sign, forms, extract |
| Library pricing | From $499 perpetual | From $749 perpetual, 24/5 support |
Built for developers who want in-process HTML to PDF on every platform, with a trial that has no cap.
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Install-Package IronPdf
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Where in the past we might have to go out and use one plug-in or one package for OCR, and another one for PDF, having them all integrated into one low-cost package was really great for us.
David JonesLead Software EngineerRead the case study
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Can IronPDF render HTML to PDF in-process on Linux, macOS, and Docker, not only Windows?YES!
Can I avoid sending my HTML to a cloud API for non-Windows deployments?YES!
Is the trial fully functional with no 5-page cap and no watermark?YES!
Does IronPDF render HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript with a Chromium engine?YES!
Can I edit, merge, sign, extract text, and fill forms in one library?YES!
Does it run on Azure, AWS, and containers without a separate cloud service?YES!
Can I render pixel-perfect PDFs from complex HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript?YES!
Can I convert an HTML string to PDF in one line of C# code?YES!
Can I convert a URL to PDF with authentication, cookies, and custom headers?YES!
Can I generate a PDF from Razor, CSHTML, or ASPX views?YES!
Can I add custom headers, footers, page numbers, and watermarks during conversion?YES!
Can I run HTML to PDF conversion in Docker, Azure Functions, or AWS Lambda?YES!
Can I deploy my application using the library to Linux, macOS, or Windows, including Docker containers?YES!
Is the library thread-safe for use in highly concurrent, multi-threaded server applications and APIs?YES!
Can I set custom viewport dimensions and print media CSS to control responsive layouts?YES!
Is IronPDF compatible with Azure Functions?YES!
Can I permanently redact sensitive text and images from PDF documents?YES!
Can I generate a PDF from a URL that requires authentication via custom headers, cookies, or form logins?YES!
Can I access PDF DOM through ObjectModel property?YES!
Can I programmatically fill, read, and flatten interactive AcroForm?YES!
Does it support generating PDF/A and PDF/UA compliant documents for archiving and accessibility standards?YES!
Can I secure a document with 256-bit AES password encryption and set user permissions?YES!
Can I apply and verify digital signatures on a PDF using X.509 certificates?YES!
Can I test IronPDF in my live project for free now?YES! 
Click here to start your 30-day free trial
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