Sometimes, an exact copy of a web browser page is enough to satisfy your needs. You can use it as a screenshot, store for record-keeping, or include the image in presentations. In this case, a standard free online HTML to PDF converter can generate the desired file.

Yet more and more businesses are using free edit PDF converters to create custom documents. They leverage HTML to PDF rendering to generate PDF pages with unique content, editable fields, custom page size, and other parameters. Such capabilities allow creating personalized reports, PDF forms, and communications tailored to consumers. For example, healthcare platform users retrieve a PDF combining their test results and personal information. Each person sees a different PDF file with different information.

Fortunately, free edit PDF tools and API converters enable you to easily generate custom PDFs. Learn how they work and what PDF parameters you can customize in this post.

Difference Between Standard and Custom Approaches to Convert HTML to PDF

First, let’s compare standard and customizable document rendering to clarify what we mean by custom URL to PDF conversion.

Standard URL conversion approach

Standard URL content to PDF rendering involves only document format conversion. Free edit PDF tools render source HTML code to PDF and don’t change any parameters. The resulting PDFs have standard sizes and margins. You cannot edit PDF or programmatically change the original HTML code to generate unique documents in free edit PDF tools. If the result is poor, that’s it. You should look for another free PDF editor converter or accept what you’ve got.

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Custom convert HTML to PDF approach

Online tools for custom convert HTML to PDF rendering give you more control over the file generation process. You can edit the HTML code of a web page to configure the rules of programmatic URL page to PDF conversions. It enables you to include personalized information, properly format it, add headers, footers, and other details for a custom PDF.

If you need to implement a custom URL to PDF conversion, you have two options. You can either manually manage the conversion--which is super time-consuming--or automate it with software. We recommend the second option as more cost-effective and efficient. You can automate custom document generation by integrating solutions that automatically convert HTML to PDF with your systems. Users will click the Convert button in your web app, and it will automatically provide them with personalized PDFs.

Top Uses of Customized PDF Files Generated from URLs

Do you still doubt whether custom HTML to PDF file online converters are good for you? Here’re examples of how businesses use document rendering customization.

  • A governmental organization supports a web portal to provide citizens with information and enable them to submit claims. After the claim submission through web forms, they can get a PDF copy of the official request. The PDF text includes the custom fields users fill out during form submission. To generate it, the web portal relies on automated convert HTML to PDF solutions integrated with it.
  • A healthcare portal connected to a database with records allows patients to view and retrieve their test results in PDF. Upon a user’s request, it automatically generates a custom file in HTML and converts it to PDF. Since every patient has unique personal data and test results, the healthcare portal must generate custom secure PDFs each time.

Even though you can use online tools to convert HTML to PDF with fillable forms, they have limited functionality. Drag-and-drop online PDF editors also don’t offer the necessary personalization. For advanced customization of URL to PDF conversion, you will need full rendering automation. Only specialized tools integrated with your software allow changing multiple HTML parameters to set up custom PDF creation.


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Parameters You Can Change to Configure URL to PDF Rendering

When you convert a URL to a PDF, you can edit the source HTML to customize PDF. Changes in original parameters enable you to add custom headers and footers, page margins, and other parameters listed below.

  • Text content

If you have automated rendering of custom documents, the content of PDF will change automatically based on the request. For example, when a user downloads a PDF copy of an invoice, its content will be tailored to the specific user. It will include the custom date, name, surname, and financial details. You can also edit PDF documents manually, changing the HTML <body>, <p>, and <h1> tags. The changes in the original HTML will affect the content of the generated PDF.

  • Custom page size

Standard PDF pages are 8.5X11 inches. Although A4 is suitable for most invoices, bills, and official documents, you may need to generate documents of custom sizes. In tools like Inkit Render you just need to indicate the size of the generated PDF in parameters.



In other PDF editing and rendering solutions, you will have to edit the source code manually.

  • Page numbers

Web resources don’t split the content into pages, and, therefore, you should add this information to generated PDFs. It will make the created documents more convenient to read and handle. A small change in the original CSS code does the trick.

  • Margins and page breaks

Similar to page numbers, the HTML source doesn’t have page margins and breaks. Hence, if you want specific formatting in the final PDF, you will need to configure custom margins and breaks. These settings are particularly crucial when the rendered documents include a table or image that must remain on one page.

Apart from the listed parameters, you can also customize fonts, page orientation, headers, and footers. It allows creating multiple types of PDF tailored to every user converting URL to PDF.

Customized Documents

What Software Can Programmatically Convert HTML to PDF for Customized Documents?

There are two ways to automatically convert HTML to PDF for custom documents. You can develop rendering capabilities from scratch or integrate an API with your web platform. Since custom software development requires enormous investment and much time, the API is preferable for most businesses.

HTML to PDF generator API integrated with web applications powers them with automated rendering capabilities. Software owners get access to an intuitive interface to change document parameters and create custom PDFs from URLs. The API minimizes the need for manual configurations and allows you to create thousands of unique PDFs from HTML automatically.

Learn How Does PDF Rendering API for Digital Invoicing Work?

Inkit Render for Easy URL to HTML Document Customization

Render is a web page HTML to PDF converter API provided by Inkit. Integrating it with your website, platform, or application adds automated HTML to PDF conversion capabilities to the existing software.

Render creates custom PDF documents from source HTML based on real-time triggers. You can configure page size, margins, headers and footers, fonts, metadata, and other PDF parameters. This way, Render allows generating PDFs with tailored content and style.

Would you like to test Render? Get a demo or Sign up for a Free plan of the free edit PDF Inkit Render.

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