Why Typeflow is a better alternative to CraftMyPDF

Explore a detailed comparison of Typeflow and CraftMyPDF to see which is PDF generator. Compare platforms by features, integrations, and price.

Typeflow vs. CraftMyPDF: pricing

CraftMyPDF offers competitive pricing, with plans starting at $29 per month for 1,200 PDFs and 6 templates.

Their free plan allows 50 documents per month.

But Typeflow doesn't limit the number of templates you can create, making it more flexible for businesses with diverse document needs.

Typeflow vs. CraftMyPDF: features

Templating Experience

CraftMyPDF

CraftMyPDF offers a custom template builder with a drag-and-drop interface. While powerful, this approach comes with a steep learning curve. Users must learn CraftMyPDF's specific editor and formatting system, which can be challenging for non-technical users.

The interface is feature-rich but can be overwhelming. The template creation process requires understanding their proprietary system for variable placement, formatting, and document structure.

Typeflow

Typeflow takes a fundamentally different approach by leveraging Google Docs as its templating engine. This offers several advantages:

• Familiar Interface: Most users already know how to use Google Docs
• No Learning Curve: Create templates using skills you already have
• Simplified Variable System: Use simple variable syntax in your document
• Collaborative Editing: Leverage Google Docs' native collaboration features

The key difference is that Typeflow eliminates the need to learn a new system - if you can create a document in Google Docs, you can create a template in Typeflow.

Document Complexity Support

CraftMyPDF

While CraftMyPDF offers powerful customization, handling complex documents requires technical expertise:

• Line Items: Requires custom scripting in Airtable
• Nested Line Items: Difficult to implement without advanced coding
• Formatting Control: Available but requires learning their system

Typeflow

Typeflow makes complex documents accessible to non-technical users:

• Line Items: Built-in support for product loops and line items.
• Nested Line Items: Dedicated variable to make it work perfectly.
• Formatting Control: Uses Airtable metadata to control formatting. No need to learn a new system.

Airtable Integration

CraftMyPDF

CraftMyPDF doesn't have a native Airtable integration. You will need to use an Airtable extension to map your Airtable data to variables in your docs. But also to implement some complex features like nested line items.

This approach has several drawbacks:

• Technical Expertise Required: Users need JavaScript knowledge to set up integration
• Complex Data Handling: Mapping fields requires custom coding
• Line Item Challenges: Handling line items from linked records requires complex querying
• Formatting Issues: Does not leverage Airtable's native formatting, requiring duplicate setup
• API Limits: Aggressive querying can hit Airtable API limits
• Nested Data Complexity: Handling nested data structures requires extensive scripting

One of our users that switched from CraftMyPDF to Typeflow said:

"The struggle is with automating the pdf generation process. but I managed to make an airtable script to automate everything.."

If you have technical teams, you can use CraftMyPDF. But if you want a solution that is more accessible to non-technical users, Typeflow is the way to go.

Typeflow

Typeflow offers native integration with Airtable that significantly simplifies the process:

• Direct Field Mapping: Visual interface to map Airtable fields to document variables
• Automatic Formatting: Respects Airtable's native formatting
• Simple Line Item Handling: Built-in support for linked records and line items
• No Coding Required: Complete setup through a user-friendly interface
• API Optimization: Handles Airtable API limits automatically

The native integration means users can configure their document generation workflow without writing a single line of code.

Other integrations

CraftMyPDF

CraftMyPDF supports a range of integrations, including:

• Zapier
• Integromat/Make
• API REST
• Bubble.io

Typeflow

Typeflow doesn't support a lot of integrations, but it has a:

• a REST API

It means it's possible to create PDFs from other platforms like Zapier or Make even if it doesn't have a native integration.

CraftMyPDF offers powerful customization but requires technical expertise and comes with a steeper learning curve. It might be suitable for organizations with dedicated technical resources who need highly specialized document formats.

Typeflow prioritizes ease of use and accessibility, making document automation available to non-technical users. By leveraging Google Docs as a familiar templating engine and offering native Airtable integration, it removes the technical barriers typically associated with document automation.

For most Airtable users seeking to automate document generation without diving into JavaScript, Typeflow offers the more accessible solution with a lower total cost of ownership when considering both subscription fees and implementation time.