Guide
A PDF API for Zapier
PDFops is a PDF API with a Zapier integration that does the PDF jobs Zapier cannot do on its own: listing a form's fields and filling them, merging files, and building an invoice from data. The integration is in an invite-only beta, so it does not appear in Zapier's app directory yet; accept the invite below and it shows up in your editor like any other app. Every route is also callable from a Webhooks by Zapier step.
What you can do in a Zap
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fill PDF Form | Takes a template PDF (a file from an earlier step) and your field values, returns the filled PDF. Flatten locks the values into the page. |
| Merge PDFs | Combines two or more PDF files, in the order given, into one file. |
| Inspect PDF Fields | Lists a PDF's form fields (names, types, options) and returns a paste-ready fill template, so you know the exact names before you map them. |
| Generate Invoice PDF | Turns line items, parties, tax rate and currency into a complete invoice PDF, with no template to design. |
The API also splits, extracts, deletes and rotates pages, adds watermarks and page numbers, protects and unlocks PDFs, and reads or sets metadata. Those ten routes are not Zap actions yet; call them from Webhooks by Zapier with a multipart body and an X-API-Key header, starting at split, watermark and protect. Zap actions and HTTP calls count against the same quota.
What it costs
| Plan | Calls per month | Price |
|---|---|---|
| No key (Webhooks only) | 100 per IP | $0 |
| Free key | 250 | $0, email only, no card |
| Indie | 4,000 | $16 a month |
| Pro | 25,000 | $79 a month |
Only successful calls count, so a rejected request does not use up your quota. Full details are on the pricing page.
Add it to your Zapier account
Accept the PDFops invite on Zapier while signed in to your Zapier account. The PDFops app then appears in the editor's action search. The first time you add an action, Zapier asks for a PDFops API key: get a free key (250 calls a month, no card) and paste it in. The connection label shows your plan and remaining calls.
A typical Zap
Say a form submission should produce a filled PDF in someone's inbox. Find the form's real field names first, which are often nothing like the labels on the page: drop the blank PDF into the free Form-Field Inspector, or run Inspect PDF Fields once. Then build the Zap:
Typeform, Jotform or Google Forms submission
→ Fill PDF Form (template PDF from Drive or a URL, field values from the submission)
→ Gmail or Drive (the filled PDF is a file output, ready to attach or upload)Turn on Flatten if the result should not stay editable. A three-step Zap like this needs a paid Zapier plan; on Zapier's free plan a trigger plus one PDFops action works, for example Schedule by Zapier to Generate Invoice PDF.
Which route fits your job
| Your job | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fill an existing PDF form | PDFops Fill PDF Form | Works on real AcroForm fields; Inspect PDF Fields tells you the names. |
| Merge PDFs | PDFops Merge PDFs | Two or more file inputs from earlier steps, one PDF out. |
| Generate an invoice from data | PDFops Generate Invoice PDF | No HTML template or document designer to maintain. |
| Split, rotate, watermark, protect | Webhooks by Zapier to the PDFops API | Not Zap actions yet. One multipart call each; see the docs. |
| Design custom documents from a template | A template-based document app | PDFops has no template designer. |
| Read text from a scanned PDF | An OCR or AI extraction app | PDFops does not do OCR. |
Frequently asked
Can Zapier fill PDF forms on its own?
No. Zapier has no built-in step that writes into PDF form fields or merges PDFs. You need a PDF app from the directory, or a Webhooks by Zapier step calling a PDF API. PDFops offers both: Zap actions through its integration, and plain multipart HTTP routes.
Why is the PDFops Zapier integration invite-only?
Zapier lists an integration in its public directory only after a review that requires several accounts with live Zaps. Until that review passes, the integration is private and you add it to your account through the invite link on this page. It is the same code and the same actions either way.
Do I need an API key?
The Zapier integration connects with a PDFops API key, which is free: 250 calls a month for an email address, no card. Calls from a Webhooks by Zapier step work with no key at 100 requests per IP per month.
Does this work on Zapier's free plan?
Partly. Zapier's free plan allows two-step Zaps, so a trigger plus one PDFops action works, for example a scheduled invoice. A chain such as form submission, fill the PDF, email it needs a paid Zapier plan. Webhooks by Zapier is also a premium app.
Try it
Accept the invite, get a free API key, and build a two-step Zap. You can also test your own PDF in the playground first.