If your business uses any kind of web service, you will need to convert generated HTML to PDF. Such rendering is necessary to create secure archives of emails, automate document delivery, simplify regulatory compliance, and optimize other processes.

Although PDF conversion seems easy, it entails many traps and pitfalls. When it’s a single document, you can handle it with an HTML code converter online. Everything gets more complicated when you need to process heaps of HTML files continuously. Since it’s impossible to convert them manually, you must have a practical HTML into PDF converter to automate the process.

At this point, businesses face a critical choice between using open-source software or investing in premium services.

If you also don’t know whether to choose proprietary software or open-source, we are ready to guide you.

Find out the differences between these two options and when to choose each.

Open-Source Software and Paid Services

Open-source code software started with Richard Stallman, Donald Knuth, and other free software movement supporters back in the 1980s. Nowadays, open-source technologies remain a powerful trend allowing software engineers to share their code.

Generally, open-source software is any computer software released under the license that allows anyone to use, modify, or study the code. Although it may have limited capabilities, it’s a great way to exchange knowledge and speed up the software development process with readily available code.

Unlike open-source programs, paid or proprietary software is provided under the license that limits some licensees’ rights. This means that such tools cannot be modified or shared. Paid software solutions usually have more advanced functionality and security than open-source software. They are a preferred choice of enterprises and companies that process personal information and store confidential data.

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Open-Source and Proprietary HTML Code Converter Online: What are the Options?

There are various kinds of HTML code converter online tools. If you are about to choose one, learn what options you have below.

Open-source software

If you are looking for open-source software to convert HTML, you will choose between two types. Open-source HTML into PDF converters are either web browser-based or non-browser-based libraries:

• Browser-based libraries are popular open-source software among developers who write in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can submit HTML or PDF to get it converted to PDF. The most popular browser-based libraries include Puppeteer, electron-pdf, wkhtmltopdf, and Athena.
• Non-browser-based libraries execute HTML to PDF conversion outside of web browsers. Usually, engineers must plug them into existing applications and websites to run rendering. These open-source solutions have limited functionality and a low level of automation.

Proprietary HTML into PDF converters

These HTML code converter online tools are designed to manage large volumes of HTML to PDF conversion. Apart from generating PDFs, they store files, encrypt data, offer professional support, and other benefits. Besides, paid services can fully automate document generation, making them a perfect choice if you process tons of HTML.

Even though proprietary HTML into PDF converters are offered in many formats, API integration is the most convenient option. Your development team can add automated rendering functionality to any existing software with a few lines of code. This enables you to build comprehensive systems that include HTML to PDF conversion as one of the features.

Easy and fast integration makes proprietary HTML to PDF converters more effective than open-source programs. Learn other valid reasons to opt for paid HTML code converter online tools in the next section.

6 Reasons to Choose Paid HTML into PDF Converter over Open-Source Software

When it comes to an HTML code converter online, most companies want open-source software to save time and money. Custom software development of HTML into PDF converters is a real hassle. Paid services--despite being more robust and secure--require regular investment.

Yet good intentions and open-source software may lead to poor results. 

The thing is, a web page to PDF conversion is more demanding than it might seem. More often than not, scalability, security, and technical capabilities are critical. Here’s why you may need to opt for a paid HTML into PDF converter instead of an open-source HTML code converter online.

#1. Data security

Providers of paid HTML editors and HTML code converter online tools employ the latest data encryption and security measures. That’s one of the things you pay for. Since HTML files often include personal and confidential information, your HTML into PDF converter must handle them securely.

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#2. Document storage

Open-source software doesn't provide document hosting. Therefore, if you want to store generated PDFs, you must integrate proprietary HTML into PDF converter. It will automatically store processed files in the cloud for record-keeping.

#3. Regulatory compliance

Today, anyone who processes personal data must comply with a bunch of regulations. Healthcare providers need to take care of HIPAA and record all important communications. Businesses serving EU residents must meet the requirements of GDPR. Banking institutions have to store copies of all financial documents.

Vendors that offer proprietary HTML into PDF converters usually make their systems compliant. Such rendering software processes data following all the US and EU regulations. By using it, you automatically become compliant.

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#4. Uptime guarantee

An uptime guarantee means that your software will be accessible all the time. For businesses that depend on continuous HTML into PDF conversion, it’s life-critical. When you use open-source software, you are not protected from downtime periods. As a result, you may lose critical information and fail to convert the necessary files in real-time.

#5. Software interoperability

If you expect to automate PDF rendering fully, you will have to integrate an HTML into PDF converter with other tools. Note that open-source software has limited integration capabilities and may be challenging to connect.

Interoperability is another reason to favor proprietary HTML code converter online tools. Paid converters that render Microsoft Word to HTML, PDF document to HTML, HTML to PDF, and other formats usually smoothly integrate with any existing software. In particular, Inkit’s Render integrates with over a hundred tools through a webhook and supports easy API integration.

#6. Professional support

Rendering issues happen. Therefore, if you seek a secure tech partner, open-source technologies won’t meet your needs. By adopting a proprietary HTML into PDF converter, you get reliable tech support in addition to advanced capabilities. It can help you integrate the software, troubleshot, or fix any other problems.

Inkit’s HTML into PDF Converter

Inkit is a reach enablement platform that provides an HTML into PDF converter as one of its products. Inkit’s Render integrates with your current systems and third-party tools through an API. This allows you to quickly employ rendering capabilities with minimum effort.

Render can automatically convert HTML source code to PDF, generate PDF documents, create PDF archives, and cover other rendering needs. The tool automatically retrieves the necessary HTML from the database, generates a PDF file, and securely stores it.

In addition to the HTML into PDF converter, Inkit’s platform offers automated document delivery and address verification.

Find out more about these capabilities on our website or contact us to get the demo and test them.