Foxit Document Generation API vs PDFCreator
Foxit Document Generation API
foxit.com
PDFCreator
pdfforge.orgSide by side
| Figure | Foxit Document Generation API | PDFCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $145.83/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · PDF Creation Software | 8.2 (#8) | 7.4 (#26) |
| Automation | It generates polished PDFs and Word files at scale from data-driven templates to reduce manual document creation. | PDFCreator supports automated actions such as adding cover pages, uploading via FTP, emailing files, and running custom scripts. |
| Headquarters | Fremont, California, United States | Hamburg, Germany |
| Integrations | The product page says the cloud API integrates into business systems and can use ERP, CRM, or HR data; it does not name specific DocGen connectors. | The product offers a COM interface, C# scripts, FTP uploads, and email actions; its Terminal Server edition is designed for Citrix and Windows RDS. |
| Intended users | Foxit presents the APIs for developers and enterprise teams automating document workflows, including teams in regulated industries. | The Free edition is for personal use, while Professional targets business and professional users and the Server editions target shared or centralized environments. |
| Security | Foxit states API traffic is encrypted with TLS 1.2 or higher and documents at rest use AES-256 encryption. | The Free edition includes 128-bit AES encryption; Professional includes 256-bit AES encryption, digital signatures, and user restrictions. |
| Support | Foxit’s API pricing page directs developers to submit a support case for technical guidance from first call through production. | Business editions include priority support, while the support site also provides a user guide, knowledge base, and community forum. |
Plans
Foxit Document Generation API
- DeveloperFree
- Startup$1,750 a year
- Business$4,500 a year
- VolumePriced on request
PDFCreator
- PDFCreator FreeFree
- PDFCreator ProfessionalPrice not published
- PDFCreator ServerPrice not published
- PDFCreator Terminal ServerPrice not published
In their own words
Foxit Document Generation API
Foxit Document Generation API creates PDFs and Word documents from DOCX templates and structured data through a cloud API. It is designed to automate document workflows, including producing invoices, contracts, and compliance reports using ERP, CRM, or HR data. The Analyze Document API can inspect a DOCX template and return its embedded tokens and types. The service can integrate into business systems, although Foxit does not name specific Document Generation connectors. Each generation operation uses one credit, shared across Foxit APIs; credit-based calls stop when the balance runs out until credits renew or the plan is upgraded, and unused credits do not roll over. The Developer plan is free and includes 500 shared credits per year; Startup costs $1,750 a year and includes 5,000 shared credits. Foxit states that API traffic uses TLS 1.2 or higher and stored documents use AES-256 encryption. It also says its cloud-hosted PDF APIs have SOC 2 Type II coverage and support HIPAA-related BAAs and features.
PDFCreator
PDFCreator converts printable documents to PDF and other formats, including PDF/A, PDF/X, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, and TXT. Its Free edition installs as a virtual printer, creating PDFs from programs with a print option; batch conversion is also supported. Users can merge documents, rearrange pages, add watermarks, and save files automatically. Automated actions include adding cover pages, sending files by email, FTP uploads, and custom scripts. Integration options include a COM interface, C# scripts, FTP, and email actions. Free includes 128-bit AES encryption; Professional adds 256-bit AES encryption, digital signatures, and user restrictions. PDFCreator Server runs as a Windows service and processes jobs through shared virtual printers and queues, while Terminal Server is designed for Citrix and Windows RDS. The open-source code can be downloaded and modified under the stated license terms. Free is for personal use; commercial use requires a business edition. Paid editions have a 30-day trial without a credit card. Starting with version 6.0, the software supports only 64-bit operating systems, and Free does not include an MSI installer.