Apryse Alternative
Apryse (formerly PDFTron) is the most comprehensive document SDK on the market. It supports 30+ file formats, CAD viewing, Office conversion, and is used by 85% of Fortune 100 companies. It's the right choice for enterprises that need multi-format support. But most teams embedding PDF editing don't need CAD viewing or Office conversion - they need text input, signatures, form filling, and page manipulation. SimplePDF focuses on the 80% of features that 90% of teams actually use.
What you get with SimplePDF
PDF-focused, not everything-focused
Apryse supports 30+ formats. If you only need PDF, you're paying for 29 you don't use. SimplePDF does PDF editing well.
Fully managed product
Apryse's WebViewer is source-available but your team maintains the UI. SimplePDF is a hosted product - we handle updates, rendering, and edge cases.
One price, all platforms
Apryse licenses per platform. SimplePDF is one price for web access. No per-platform fees.
One-line integration
No npm install, no license key management, no UI customisation boilerplate. One iframe and you're live.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Apryse (PDFTron) | SimplePDF |
|---|---|---|
| File format support | 30+ formats (PDF, Office, CAD, images) | PDF only |
| Integration | npm + license key + UI config | One iframe |
| Form filling | Yes | Yes (with auto-detection) |
| Signatures | Yes | Yes (draw, type, upload) |
| Text editing | Yes (content editing) | Yes (annotation-based) |
| BYOS | Custom implementation | Built-in (S3 & Azure) |
| Client-side processing | Yes (WebViewer) | Yes (in-browser) |
| Office conversion | Yes | No |
| CAD viewing | Yes | No |
| White-label | Yes | Yes |
| Native mobile SDKs | iOS, Android, Xamarin | Web only (responsive) |
| Pricing | Quote-based (typically $10K+/year) | From $99/mo (transparent) |
Integration Comparison
npm install @pdftron/webviewer
import WebViewer from '@pdftron/webviewer';
WebViewer({
path: '/lib/webviewer',
licenseKey: 'YOUR_LICENSE_KEY',
initialDoc: 'document.pdf',
}, document.getElementById('viewer'))
.then(instance => {
// + customise toolbar
// + configure annotations
// + add event handlers
// + style UI components
});<iframe
src="https://yourcompany.simplepdf.com/editor"
width="100%"
height="800px"
/>Where Apryse is the better fit
- You need to view and edit 30+ file formats, not just PDF
- You need Office document conversion (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- You need CAD file viewing alongside PDF editing
- You need native mobile SDKs (iOS, Android, Xamarin)
- You're a Fortune 500 company that needs the broadest possible document SDK with enterprise support
Which SimplePDF product fits?
Embed
For teams that need PDF editing without a full document SDK. One iframe gives you text input, signatures, form filling, and white-label.
Learn about EmbedPortal
For non-technical teams who need to collect filled PDFs. No SDK integration at all - just share a link.
Learn about PortalPDF-to-Web-Forms
Convert PDFs into web forms automatically. No document SDK needed for form creation and collection.
Learn about PDF-to-Web-FormsGot any questions?
Is Apryse the same as PDFTron?
Yes. PDFTron rebranded to Apryse in 2023. The WebViewer SDK, server components, and mobile SDKs are all the same products under the new name. Some documentation and packages still reference PDFTron.
What is the cheapest alternative to Apryse WebViewer?
For PDF-only editing, SimplePDF starts at $99/mo with transparent pricing. PDF.js is free but is a viewer only (no editing). Apryse's pricing is quote-based, typically starting at $10,000+/year for web-only licenses.
Can I embed a PDF editor without a full document SDK?
Yes. SimplePDF embeds as a single iframe - no npm packages, no SDK installation, no license key management. It's designed for teams that need PDF editing (text, signatures, form filling) without the complexity of a full document SDK.