PyMuPDF vs PDF.co: Review and Compare

The extensive usage of the PDF format is primarily attributed to its outstanding flexibility, smooth compatibility across platforms, and strong security features, which position it as the preferred option for exchanging and safeguarding critical data. In the present market scenario, multiple vendors provide a wide array of services customized to meet diverse PDF needs.

In this helpful comparison guide, we will evaluate PyMuPDF and PDF.co, examining their similarities and differences. By the end, you’ll have the necessary information to select the right platform for your business.

1. What is PyMuPDF?
2. What is PDF.co?
3. PyMuPDF vs PDF.co: Comparison Table
4. Compare PyMuPDF vs PDF.co Workflows
5. PDF.co vs PyMuPDF: Integrations

What is PyMuPDF?

PyMuPDF is a Python library that provides bindings for MuPDF, a lightweight PDF, and XPS viewer. MuPDF is renowned for its excellent performance and high-quality rendering capabilities. By using PyMuPDF, developers can leverage the functionalities of MuPDF in their Python applications.

PyMuPDF Features

1. Document Parsing

PymuPDF enables developers to parse PDF and XPS documents, extracting structured data from them. it provides functions to access various elements of a document, such as pages, annotations, text, images, and more. This feature is particularly useful when you need to extract specific information from a document for further processing or analysis.

2. Document Creation and Modification

PyMuPDF allows you to create new PDF documents from scratch or modify existing ones. You can add new pages, insert images, text, and annotations, as well as modify existing content. This feature is beneficial when you need to generate dynamic PDFs or make changes to existing documents programmatically.

3. Text Extraction and Manipulation

PyMuPDF provides powerful text extraction capabilities. You can extract text from specific regions or entire pages of a PDF document. Additionally, it allows you to search for specific text strings within a document and perform text replacement operations. This feature is useful for tasks such as text analysis, data extraction, or content manipulation.

4. Image Extraction and Manipulation

PyMuPDF enables you to extract images from PDF files. You can retrieve images in their original format or convert them to different image file formats such as JPEG or PNG. Additionally, you can perform various image manipulation operations such as cropping, resizing, and rotating. This feature is valuable when you need to extract images for further processing or manipulate them within a document.

5. Annotations and Interactive Forms

PyMuPDF supports working with annotations and interactive forms in PDF documents. You can extract existing annotations, add new annotations, modify their properties, and delete them as needed. It also provides functionality for filling out interactive form fields programmatically. This feature is useful when you need to automate form filling or interact with annotations in PDF documents.

6. Document Rendering

PyMuPDF allows you to render PDF documents, providing a visual representation of the pages. You can render pages to images, specifying various options such as resolution and color space. This feature is handy when you need to generate thumbnails, display pages in a GUI application, or create previews of PDF documents.

What is PDF.co?

PDF.co is a comprehensive API and automation platform that specializes in PDFs, barcodes, data extraction, and data transformations. It offers a wide range of features and tools to simplify and streamline PDF-related tasks, making it a versatile solution for developers and businesses. It also presents online tools for conducting fundamental PDF-related functionalities such as splitting/merging PDF, document parsing, filling PDF forms, searching/replacing text, PDF data extraction to various formats, barcode reader, etc.

PDF.co Features

1. PDF Converter

• PDF to TEXT
• PDF to CSV
• PDF to JSON
• PDF to XML
• PDF to CSV
• PDF to XLS
• PDF to XLSX
• PDF to HTML
• PDF to Images(PNG, JPG, TIFF, and WEBP).

2. PDF Tools

• Add Text, Signatures, and Images to a PDF
• Merge PDF, Split PDF, and Delete pages from PDF
• PDF Filler
• Read detailed PDF information
• Turn PDF into searchable or unsearchable
• Convert HTML codes or URLs into PDFs
• Search and Replace text in PDF
• Translate PDF to another language
• Compress PDF.

3. Generate PDF

• Can create PDFs from scratch or use PDF templates.
• Convert other documents such as Doc, DocX, RTF, TXT, XPS, HTML, Images (JPG, PNG, TIFF), XLS, and XLSX into PDF.

4. Extract Structured Data

• Export extracted data into different types such as CSV, XML, JSON, HTML, Spreadsheets, etc.
• Built-in OCR text recognition support.
• Extract unstructured PDF data, PDF with tables, orders, reports, scanned documents, invoices, and images.

5. Barcode Tools

• Can generate 1D or 2D barcodes.
• Can read barcodes from PDF documents, images, and remote documents using the link.

6. Business-oriented Features

• Email to PDF transformation. Supports emails with attachments including tools to extract important data from emails separately.
• Auto detector and remover of sensitive data.

PyMuPDF vs PDF.co: Comparison Table

Here is a detailed comparison that explores the differences and similarities between PDF.co and pdfFiller:

Compare PYMuPDF vs PDF.co Workflows

PyMuPDF PDF to TEXT Conversion

PyMuPDF provides a powerful PDF-to-text conversion functionality, enabling you to extract text content from PDF files.

Here’s how you can use PyMuPDF to convert PDF files to text format.

PyMuPDF Split PDF Pages

PyMuPDF offers a convenient solution for splitting PDF pages, allowing you to separate a multi-page PDF document into individual pages or specific page ranges with ease.

Here’s how you can use PyMuPDF to split PDF pages.

PyMuPDF TEXT to PDF Conversion

PyMuPDF also offers a convenient Text-to-PDF conversion capability. With PyMuPDF, you can easily create PDF documents from text content.

Here’s how you can use PyMuPDF to convert text files to PDF format.

PDF.co PDF to TEXT Conversion

PDF.co provides an excellent PDF-to-text conversion feature, allowing you to extract text content from PDF files easily.

Here’s how you can use PDF.co to convert PDF files into a text format.

PDF.co PDF to TEXT Conversion Workflow

PDF.co Split PDF Pages

PDF.co offers a convenient solution for splitting PDF pages. With PDF.co, you can easily separate a multi-page PDF document into individual pages or specific page ranges.

Here’s how you can use PDF.co to split PDF pages into multiple PDF files.

PDF.co TEXT to PDF Conversion

PDF.co provides a Text-to-PDF conversion feature. With PDF.co, you can easily transform text content into PDF documents. This functionality allows you to create professional-looking PDF files from plain text.

Here’s how you can use PDF.co to convert text content into a PDF document.

PDF.co vs PyMuPDF: Integrations

PDF.co Integrations

PDF.co has over 3000+ integrations available:

• Zapier plugin: pre-made Zaps with Zapier, all tutorials to integrate PDF.co and Zapier;
• Make plugin (formerly Integromat): all Make automation guides;
• Salesforce, Dynamics 365, Zoho, and other CRM systems;
• Airtable;
• Microsoft Power Automate;
• Google Apps Script;
• SharePoint, Office 365, Box, Egnyte, Dropbox, SignNow plus ready-to-use 3000+ integrations;
• RPA UiPath, BluePrism, Automation Anywhere;
• RapidAPI.

PyMuPDF Integrations

• PyMuPDF integration is not available.