fitforpdf vs wkhtmltopdf

wkhtmltopdf converts HTML to PDF using a WebKit engine. It is open-source but deprecated. fitforpdf is purpose-built for tabular data with automatic column grouping and pagination.

Feature comparison

See how fitforpdf compares to wkhtmltopdf for converting spreadsheets to PDF.

Featurewkhtmltopdffitforpdf
Column handling✗No column intelligence✓Auto-groups wide columns into sections
Layout✗Manual HTML + CSS configuration✓Automatic structured layout
Page breaks✗Relies on HTML page-break rules✓Intelligent automatic pagination
Reference columns✗Must be coded into each page✓Pinned and repeated automatically
Setup✗Install binary + write HTML templates✓Upload a file, done
Maintenance✗Deprecated, no active development✓Managed service, always up to date
Table awareness✗None, renders raw HTML✓Built for tabular data

wkhtmltopdf at a glance

Strengths

  • Open-source with a long track record
  • Converts any HTML to PDF
  • Works as a CLI tool in automated pipelines
  • No runtime cost, runs locally

Limitations

  • Officially deprecated, no longer maintained
  • No column intelligence or table-aware layout
  • Requires writing and maintaining HTML templates
  • Page breaks must be manually configured in CSS
  • Wide tables are truncated or shrunk to unreadable sizes

Ready to switch?

Upload a file and get a structured PDF in seconds. No setup, no dependencies.

Try fitforpdf free