The PDF API

Every ConvertPDF tool over plain HTTPS and JSON: the same engine as the website and the MCP server, with the same daily allowance. Files move over short-lived signed URLs and are deleted within an hour.

Authentication

Create a free key under My account → API and MCP after you sign in, and send it with every request:

Authorization: Bearer cpdf_your_key

Discover

curl https://convertpdf.io/api/v1/me -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY"
curl https://convertpdf.io/api/v1/tools -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY"

/me returns your plan, today's used units and credits. /tools lists every tool with accepted MIME types, maximum files, options and unit cost.

Convert a file in five calls

# 1. Create the job: file types and exact sizes, in order
curl https://convertpdf.io/api/v1/tools/create_job -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"tool":"compress-pdf","files":[{"mime_type":"application/pdf","bytes":2214019}],"options":{"mode":"images"},"idempotency_key":"a-unique-key-123456"}'

# 2. Get signed upload URLs
curl https://convertpdf.io/api/v1/tools/upload_urls -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"job_id":"JOB_ID"}'

# 3. Upload the raw bytes to each URL with the returned headers
curl -X PUT -H "Content-Type: application/pdf" --data-binary @report.pdf "UPLOAD_URL"

# 4. Seal the upload and start the conversion, then poll until "succeeded"
curl https://convertpdf.io/api/v1/tools/complete_upload -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"job_id":"JOB_ID"}'
curl https://convertpdf.io/api/v1/tools/job_status -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"job_id":"JOB_ID"}'

# 5. Get a download link for an output file
curl https://convertpdf.io/api/v1/tools/download -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"job_id":"JOB_ID","file_id":"FILE_ID"}'

Call delete_job with the same job_id to remove everything right away.

Tools and options

Limits and errors

Up to 100 MB per file. Free accounts get 5 units a day, resetting at midnight UTC. Errors are JSON with an error code, for example daily_limit_reached (429), invalid_file (422) or unauthenticated (401). Retrying a create_job with the same idempotency_key never starts a second job.