DinkToPdf Alternatives: IronPDF for C# HTML to PDF

When building .NET applications that require PDF generation, developers often face the decision between using open-source tools like DinkToPdf or commercial libraries such as IronPDF. While both can convert HTML to PDF, they differ significantly in capabilities, support, performance, and ease of use. Choosing the appropriate library for your needs can be difficult, this article provides a clear, side-by-side comparison to help .NET developers choose the right library for their project.

Overview of Each Library

DinkToPdf: A .NET Core Wrapper for Wkhtmltopdf Library

DinkToPdf is a .NET Core wrapper for the popular open-source wkhtmltopdf library. It allows you to convert HTML documents into PDFs using WebKit-based rendering. While it's free to use, it has limitations, especially around modern HTML/CSS rendering and error handling. It also requires native binaries and can be challenging to configure across platforms. It works best in console applications, and is best used with the Kestrel web server when working with web applications and web API's.

What is IronPDF?

IronPDF is a powerful, commercial PDF generation library built specifically for .NET (including .NET Framework, .NET Core, and .NET 5/6/7/8). It uses a headless Chromium engine under the hood and provides advanced features like JavaScript rendering, custom paper sizes, CSS support, security, and more. IronPDF is easy to install via NuGet and includes robust documentation and support. With IronPDF you can easily generate PDF files from HTML pages, HTML string, images, URLs, and more.

Key Feature Comparison

Installation & Setup

• DinkToPdf requires native library binaries and platform-specific setup, which can be difficult in cross-platform environments like Docker or Linux.

• IronPDF installs directly from NuGet with no external dependencies and supports Windows, Linux, and macOS.

HTML-to-PDF Rendering Quality

• DinkToPdf uses an older rendering engine (WebKit), which may not fully support modern CSS3, flexbox, or JavaScript.

• IronPDF leverages Chromium, providing pixel-perfect rendering from HTML content, full JavaScript execution, and modern HTML/CSS support.

Performance & Reliability

• DinkToPdf can be performant for simple documents but may struggle with larger files or fail silently.

• IronPDF is built for reliability with detailed exceptions, async rendering support, and fine-grained memory control.

.NET Compatibility

• DinkToPdf supports .NET Core and .NET Framework but requires extra effort to work on non-Windows environments.

• IronPDF is fully compatible with .NET Framework and .NET Core/.NET 5–8, including support for Azure, Docker, and Linux.

Advanced Features

• DinkToPdf supports basic headers, footers, and page margins but lacks more advanced options.

• IronPDF supports PDF merging, splitting, annotations, digital signatures, metadata editing, bookmarks, form fields, and more to create visually appealing PDF files.

Support & Documentation

• DinkToPdf has a limited user community, and support is mostly GitHub issue-driven.

• IronPDF provides commercial support, regular updates, and extensive documentation with code samples.

Installation Steps

IronPDF NuGet Installation

IronPDF can be installed using the NuGet package manager console by running the following command:

Install-Package IronPdf

Or, in your Visual Studio project, by following these steps:

1. Navigate to the tools > NuGet Package Manager > Manage NuGet Packages for Solution.

1. Search for IronPDF

1. And clicking "Install"

Installing the DinkToPdf Library in .NET

1. Install the NuGet package:

Install-Package DinkToPdf

1. Add the native libwkhtmltox binary to your output directory (Windows/Linux/macOS versions available from wkhtmltopdf.org).

2. Configure platform-specific loading:
   

var context = new CustomAssemblyLoadContext();
context.LoadUnmanagedLibrary(Path.Combine("path-to-native-lib", "libwkhtmltox.dll"));

1. Ensure that the binary architecture matches your project (x64/x86).

Code Example Comparison

Now lets take a look these two libraries in action with a code example comparison.

IronPDF

IronPDF's extensive support for CSS and JavaScript ensure you can convert any URL, even CSS-Heavy web pages, to PDF format with ease. For example, we'll convert a popular webpage into an easy to read PDF that maintains the original JS interactivity and links:

using IronPdf;

public class Program
{
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.RenderDelay(5000);

        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.reddit.com");

        pdf.SaveAs("Reddit.pdf");
    }
}

PDF Output

DinkToPdf

Now let's look at how DinkToPdf compares by using it to convert the same URL to PDF.

using DinkToPdf;
using System;

var converter = new BasicConverter(new PdfTools());

var doc = new HtmlToPdfDocument()
{
    GlobalSettings = {
        ColorMode = ColorMode.Color,
        Orientation = Orientation.Portrait,
        PaperSize = PaperKind.A4,
        Margins = new MarginSettings() { Top = 10 },
        Out = @"reddit.pdf",
    },
    Objects = {
        new ObjectSettings()
        {
            Page = "http://reddit.com/",
        },
    }
};

converter.Convert(doc);

PDF Output

As you can see from the PDF generated, DinkToPdf struggled with this URL to PDF conversion. While it might be good to convert HTML pages with, it struggles with more advanced examples with CSS and JavaScript-heavy content.

Use Case Suitability

When to Use DinkToPdf

DinkToPdf is suitable for small-scale projects, proof-of-concepts, or environments with tight licensing constraints. It’s a good choice when you only need basic PDF output and can tolerate limited CSS/JS support.

When to Use IronPDF

IronPDF is better for enterprise-level applications where rendering accuracy, support, and reliability matter. It’s ideal for customer-facing reports, financial statements, and applications requiring modern web rendering or advanced PDF features.

Licensing & Cost

• DinkToPdf is free and open source under the LGPL license.

• IronPDF requires a commercial license but offers free trials and royalty-free redistribution options.

Conclusion

Summary of Differences

Decision Summary:

• ✔️ Choose IronPDF if you need robust rendering to convert HTML content with advanced CSS/JavaScript, advanced PDF features, Docker/cloud support, or production reliability.

• ✔️ Choose DinkToPdf if your budget is zero, this open source library is perfect if your needs are simple, and you're okay with more manual setup.

Which One Should You Choose?

If you’re building a production-grade application and need consistent rendering, advanced features, and modern web support, IronPDF is the better investment. If cost is a primary concern and your needs are basic, DinkToPdf may suffice—with the understanding that limitations may arise as your app grows.

👉 Want to try IronPDF for yourself? Download the free trial and get started in minutes!