Anvil is a document API for developers and AI agents: it fills existing PDFs from JSON, generates PDFs from HTML, CSS or Markdown, sends Etch electronic signature packets and runs Workflows built from webforms. Document AI tags the fields on an uploaded PDF, and the PDF template, signature packet and workflow builders can be embedded in your own app. It is SOC 2 Type II, signs BAAs for HIPAA, and has a free plan billed per use. It is a paperwork API centered on filling and signing PDFs, which makes it a different offer to PDF Generator API. The comparison below breaks down where each fits.
Anvil pricing vs PDF Generator API
Anvil charges a monthly platform fee from $0 to $425 plus usage of $0.10 per PDF fill or generation, $1.50 per signature packet and $1 per workflow submission. PDF Generator API is a document generation platform from €8/month with a 14-day free trial, an embeddable editor, and dedicated or on-premises deployment.
Anvil
PDF filling, generation and signing API · billed per call
- Free$0 + usage
- From$99/mo (AI Pack)
- Scales toCustom (Enterprise)
Free has 2 users, AI Pack at $99 a month and Product Pack at $425 a month have 5, and Enterprise is custom with unlimited users; annual billing is 20% off. Product Pack adds white labeling and interactive signing, and SSO and HIPAA with a DPA are Enterprise only. Usage on every plan costs $0.10 per PDF fill or generation, $1.50 per completed signature packet and $1 per Workflow submission, with 2,500 PDF, 25 signature and 25 Workflow credits free once you add a payment method. Every plan has unlimited templates and a free, unlimited test mode with watermarked output. It offers REST and GraphQL APIs, SDKs for Node.js, Python and C#, a Zapier app and an MCP server. Its site names no hosting region, no ISO 27001 certification and no dedicated or on premises option, and PDF generation is synchronous with no batch endpoint.
PDF Generator API
Cloud plans · billed by credits · 14-day free trial
- Individualfrom €8/mo
- Teamfrom €52/mo
- Scales to250k credits/mo
Individual starts at 50 credits and 5 templates; Team starts at 1,000 credits, 25 templates and 10 workspaces, with unlimited templates and the embedded editor on higher tiers. Every plan includes a 14-day free trial, and on-premises deployment is available on request.
Anvil alternative: which one fits
Anvil covers the paperwork stack in one API: PDF filling from JSON, HTML, CSS and Markdown generation with Google Fonts, Etch signature packets, Workflows with webforms and conditional logic, and Document AI that tags fields on an uploaded PDF. Its PDF template, signature packet and workflow builders can be embedded in your product, test mode is free and unlimited, and it holds SOC 2 Type II and signs BAAs for HIPAA. At low volumes it costs less than PDF Generator API: after its free starting credits, 50 PDFs on the Free plan cost $5. It fits product teams that fill onboarding, tax or insurance PDFs and collect signatures inside their own app. It does not publish a hosting region, an ISO 27001 certification or a dedicated or on premises option, and white labeling needs the $425 Product Pack.
PDF Generator API becomes cheaper as volume grows, with 1,000 credits for €52 a month against $100 in Anvil usage fees, and each credit covers a document of 1 to 5 pages. It adds a drag and drop embeddable template editor for designed documents with loops and conditional pages, asynchronous and batch generation, signature fields and document signing, web forms, HTML to PDF, fillable forms, watermarks and encryption, accessible PDF output, electronic invoices in XRechnung and Factur-X, ISO 27001 certification with GDPR and HIPAA compliance, shared cloud in the US, EU, UK and Australia, and dedicated or on premises deployment. To compare, map one of your Anvil PDF templates during the free trial, send it the same JSON, and price your monthly volume on both.
Anvil vs PDF Generator API: FAQ
Is Anvil cheaper than PDF Generator API?
At low volume, yes: after its free starting credits, Anvil's Free plan costs $0.10 per PDF, so 50 PDFs cost $5. As volume grows, PDF Generator API costs less: 1,000 credits are €52 a month, against $100 in Anvil usage fees for 1,000 PDFs.
What is the best Anvil alternative?
For filling existing PDF forms, DocSpring is the closest. If you need designed documents from a drag and drop editor, batch and asynchronous generation, ISO 27001, or dedicated or on premises hosting, PDF Generator API covers those.
Does Anvil support batch PDF generation?
No. Anvil generates one PDF per API call, and its generate PDF endpoint is synchronous. PDF Generator API supports both asynchronous and batch generation.
Comparing more tools? See DocSpring vs PDF Generator API and PandaDoc vs PDF Generator API, or all comparisons. Last updated: October 2026.