Dev tools · September 19, 2023
PDFHippo – Dynamic PDF Generator API Using Excel
PDFHippo is an API tool that lets you design a PDF in Excel, add functions and variables to parse dynamic values from the API to Excel and save it. While looking to integrate a PDF component into a no-code application my team and I were building, we went down the rabbit hole of PDF creation in the backend. I couldn't find a tool to edit/parse pdf in a simpler manner. Creating an in-house drag-drop widget for PDF was way too complex to print in PDF format. Tools like pdfkit , pdf-lib, and pdfjam were not compatible with the designs we wanted to create. Other API tools were too expensive…
PDFHippo – Dynamic PDF Generator API Using Excel launched on September 19, 2023 with 10 votes, #1,502 of 4,228 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 3 years on.
In plain words
PDFHippo is an API tool for generating dynamic PDFs by designing templates in Excel and using functions and variables to populate data from API calls. It is designed for developers integrating PDF generation into applications, particularly those needing simpler solutions for documents like invoices, reports, and checklists. The tool stands out by allowing users to design PDFs in Excel rather than through complex backend code or expensive specialized APIs.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
Download our free software to merge and convert PDF files quickly — no sign-up needed. Get started in seconds. Upload your files and process them with our software. Download and open the software, then drag and drop or select your PDF file. Select Compress, Merge, or Convert. Defaults work great for most cases. Processing takes seconds. Your file is ready to download immediately — no waiting. Hippo Docs is a PDF tool. Compress, merge, and convert PDF files instantly — no account required. Yes — Hippo Docs is completely free to use with all its tools and features. You can convert Word documents (.doc, .docx), Excel spreadsheets (.xls, .xlsx), and images (JPG, PNG) into PDF. You can also…from pdfhippo.com
In the maker’s words, at launch
PDFHippo is an API tool that lets you design a PDF in Excel, add functions and variables to parse dynamic values from the API to Excel and save it. While looking to integrate a PDF component into a no-code application my team and I were building, we went down the rabbit hole of PDF creation in the backend. I couldn't…
Does a similar job
all alternatives →
PDF Hippo: Dynamic PDF API for Devs2023 · pdfhippo.com · ▲222Convert Excel templates into dynamic PDFs
An API for filling out PDF forms2017 · formapi.io · ▲209Fill out and generate PDFs with a simple API request. Design templates in our drag-and-drop editor, POST your JSON data, and download a finished PDF in seconds.
- MFMy first web app – PDF memo creator2016 · createamemo.com · ▲297
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Source: Show HN post ↗ · launch text quoted in part
