What PDF.co does

PDF.co is a San Francisco-based, private software company operated by Artifex Software Inc. that operates a cloud-based REST API platform for PDF processing. Its product surface spans more than 20 API endpoints covering extraction, conversion (PDF to Excel/CSV/XML/JSON/HTML/images and reverse), editing, form filling, merging/splitting, compression, search/replace, barcode read/generate, e-signatures, and security. The most strategic capabilities are the AI-Powered Invoice Parser (a no-template generative extraction tool launched in 2024 that outputs structured JSON with 30+ data fields), an OCR engine for scanned documents and images, a template-driven Document Parser, and a rule-based Document Classifier. A self-hosted MuPDF library is offered as an on-premises alternative under the same Artifex umbrella.

The platform is built on Amazon AWS with SSL/TLS encryption and is delivered via a self-serve, product-led growth model — free trial of 10,000 credits with no credit card required — combined with no-code marketplace listings on Zapier (7,000+ apps), Make, n8n, and numerous RPA/CRM connectors. Revenue is generated primarily through tiered monthly/annual subscription plans priced from $8.99 to $270 per month (Basic to Business 3), usage-based credit packs, and custom Enterprise plans for organizations exceeding 500,000 credits per month; annual plans include a 10% discount. The customer base is reported at 50,000+ users worldwide with named enterprise references including Accenture, KPMG, PwC, Deloitte, Fujitsu, Siemens, and Insurance Institute, alongside a long SMB tail served via developer and no-code channels.

PDF.co emerged from the ByteScout product portfolio (copyright dating to 2016) and has been under Artifex Software Inc. since the 2022 merger of Artifex and ByteScout. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding rounds, employs 1-10 people, is SOC 2 Type II certified under Artifex, and maintains membership in the PDF Association. Distribution is global with no geographic restrictions explicitly listed.

Name

PDF.co

Legal name

PDF.co (operated by Artifex Software Inc.)

Website

https://pdf.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PDF.co, operated by Artifex Software Inc., offers a cloud-based REST API for PDF conversion, editing, extraction, and AI-powered invoice parsing, serving 50,000+ developers, no-code users, and enterprise customers including Big 4 firms via tiered subscription and credit pricing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Plans with Credits: Monthly or annual subscription plans providing monthly credit allocations for API calls. Credits consumed per API operation. Higher tiers offer more credits and extended link expiry times.
2. Enterprise Custom Plans: Customized enterprise plans for organizations requiring more than 500,000 credits per month. Includes priority support and customized advanced features.
3. Credit Packs: Additional credit purchases available for subscription plans, with different credit expiration policies than regular subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PDF.co is a cloud-based PDF processing platform built on Amazon AWS that exposes a REST-based Web API for automated PDF conversion, editing, extraction, splitting, merging, compression, form filling, e-signature, and barcode operations. Its core differentiators include AI-powered OCR for text extraction, AI-powered invoice parsing that converts invoices into structured JSON without templates, and a Document Parser with a visual template editor. The platform is distributed to developers directly via REST and to non-technical users through 3,000+ no-code integrations such as Zapier, Make, and n8n.

Product overview

PDF.co is a cloud-based PDF processing platform offering a comprehensive suite of APIs for PDF conversion, editing, extraction, and management. The platform operates as a modular architecture centered around core API products including PDF Extractor API (for converting PDFs to Excel, CSV, XML, JSON, HTML, images), Document Parser (for template-based data extraction), and AI Invoice Parser (for AI-powered invoice processing without templates). Additional API products cover PDF editing, form filling, merging, splitting, compression, barcode reading/generation, and security. The platform integrates with major workflow automation tools like Zapier, Make, and n8n, and offers a self-hosted MuPDF solution for enterprise deployments requiring on-premises processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MuPDF: A lightweight, self-hosted PDF library powered by MuPDF, offered as an alternative to the cloud-based PDF.co API.

Products and services

• AI Invoice Parser AI-powered invoice parsing tool that extracts data from PDF invoices without templates, converting them into standardized JSON format using generative AI for developers and finance/accounting teams.
• PDF Extractor API REST API that converts PDFs to Excel, CSV, XML, JSON, HTML, and images with original layout preservation, with built-in AI-powered OCR for scanned documents.
• Document Parser Automated data extraction solution that parses structured data from PDFs, scans, invoices, orders, and reports using AI-powered templates and a visual template editor requiring no coding.
• Document Classifier AI-powered document classification tool that automatically sorts and organizes PDF documents using custom classification rules with keyword-based OR/AND logic.
• PDF Converter API API that converts various file formats including DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, CSV, JPG, PNG, TXT, RTF, and images to PDF format.
• PDF Merger API API that merges multiple PDF documents into a single PDF file, supporting various input formats.
• PDF Splitter API API that splits PDF documents by pages, ranges, keywords, text search, or barcodes into separate PDF files.
• Barcode Reader API AI-powered barcode reader that reads multiple barcode types from images and PDF documents including QR Code, Code 128, Code 39, PDF417, DataMatrix, and more.
• E-Signature Solution API for adding electronic signatures to PDF documents by embedding signature images into PDF files.
• MuPDF A lightweight, self-hosted PDF library powered by MuPDF for organizations requiring on-premises PDF processing as an alternative to the cloud-based PDF.co API.
• PDF.co MCP Server Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server that bridges the PDF.co API to AI-powered development environments, enabling AI coding tools to invoke PDF.co functionality.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted by 50,000+ users around the globe
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration22 records

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ZapiercoreTechnology or IntegrationFlagship integration partner. PDF.co's Zapier plugin connects the platform with 7,000+ web applications, enabling no-code PDF automation workflows. Users can set up automated Zaps in minutes without coding.
• MakecoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary integration partner offering visual workflow automation. PDF.co connects with thousands of apps through Make's platform, allowing users to build complex PDF processing workflows without coding.
• n8ncoreTechnology or IntegrationWorkflow automation platform integration. PDF.co connects to over a thousand apps with AI capabilities, enabling technical teams and automation builders to handle documents and PDFs within n8n workflows.
• Artifex SoftwarecoreOthersParent company and technology provider. PDF.co is owned by Artifex Software, provider of MuPDF technology. SOC 2 Type II compliance achieved under Artifex Software. Artifex Software and ByteScout joined forces to form PDF.co.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Apryse (formerly PDFTron): Apryse provides a developer SDK/API platform for PDF viewing, editing, conversion, and document processing, including a cloud document processing service. Directly comparable to PDF.co's full-stack PDF API suite and overlapping use cases in enterprise document automation.
• Veryfi: Veryfi provides AI-based OCR and data extraction APIs for receipts, invoices and documents, with mobile and developer SDKs — comparable to PDF.co in targeting developers building document automation workflows that need structured JSON output.
• Rossum: Rossum is an AI-first invoice and document data capture platform with a developer API and RPA/RPA-adjacent integrations; directly comparable to PDF.co's AI Invoice Parser in target workflow (accounts payable invoice extraction) and AI-driven extraction approach.
• Smallpdf: Smallpdf provides web, desktop, and API-based PDF tools (compress, convert, edit, sign, merge) and has an automation/API tier; comparable to PDF.co in product surface and developer/SMB positioning.
• Docparser: Docparser offers a cloud-based document parsing API for extracting data from PDFs and scanned files using configurable parsing rules — directly comparable to PDF.co's Document Parser and PDF Extractor APIs in target customer, parsing approach, and developer-first delivery.
• Foxit Software: Foxit sells PDF SDKs, reader/editor applications, and connected PDF/cloud APIs for document generation, conversion and e-signature — overlapping with PDF.co's developer PDF API and serving many of the same enterprise automation use cases.
• iLovePDF: iLovePDF offers a popular consumer and SMB PDF toolkit plus a developer API for conversion, merge, split, compress, and signing — closely matching PDF.co's core API surface and both targeting developers via Zapier/Make-style integrations.

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft Azure AI Document Intelligence (Form Recognizer): Microsoft's AI Document Intelligence (formerly Form Recognizer) offers prebuilt and custom document models for invoices, receipts, and forms — directly comparable to PDF.co's AI Invoice Parser and Document Parser in the Azure ecosystem, often bundled with Power Automate where PDF.co also integrates.
• Google Cloud Document AI: Google Document AI provides enterprise-grade OCR, form parsing, and custom document processors on Google Cloud — competing with PDF.co's Document Parser and AI Invoice Parser for enterprises standardizing on hyperscaler document AI platforms.
• Adobe Document Services (PDF Services API): Adobe offers the PDF Services API and PDF Embed API as part of the broader Adobe Document Cloud portfolio — overlapping heavily with PDF.co on conversion, OCR, edit, compress, and sign, but as part of a much larger enterprise platform with bundled sales motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pdfdotco
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PDFco
• Facebookfacebook.com/pdfpdfco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bytescout

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PDF.co