pdfzen
Render PDFs from 45 starter templates or raw HTML. Pay-per-render with USDC via x402.
Should I use this
Quality & Safety
Based on automated analysis of tool definitions and protocol compliance.
Context Cost
This is the approximate number of tokens consumed each time the server's tools are loaded into a model's context. Higher counts reduce the attention available for other tasks.
Install
One-Click Install
Add this to your `claude_desktop_config.json` file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"render": {
"url": "https://api.pdfzen.site/mcp"
}
}
}Remote endpoints
https://api.pdfzen.site/mcpstreamable-httpWhat it can do
Tool inventory
Tools (4)
🟢list_starters
List pdfzen's 45 public starter templates — invoices, receipts, contracts, certificates, NDAs, letters, reports, resumes, boarding passes, menus, bank statements, lab reports, lease agreements, performance reviews, and more. Returns an array of { slug, name, description, icon, pageOptions, fonts, dataKeys }. Free, no payment, no auth required. Call this first to discover what fits the user request, then optionally call get_starter to see the expected data shape, then call render_template_to_pdf to produce the PDF.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {},
"additionalProperties": false
}🟢get_starter(slug)
Fetch the full HTML body, CSS, sampleData, and pageOptions for one starter template by slug. Use this when you need to understand the exact shape of `data` the template expects before calling render_template_to_pdf, or when you want to fork a starter into custom HTML. Free, no payment, no auth required.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"slug": {
"type": "string",
"description": "The starter slug. Examples: \"invoice\", \"receipt\", \"certificate\", \"contract\", \"nda\", \"boarding-pass\", \"menu\". Call list_starters to discover all 45 slugs."
}
},
"required": [
"slug"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}🟡render_template_to_pdf(template, data, pageOptions)
Prepare a paid PDF render from one of the 45 starter templates. Validates your template + data and returns the exact, ready-to-execute HTTP request to run against pdfzen's render endpoint — POST /v402/render/pdf (x402, $0.006 USDC on Base, no API key) or POST /v1/render/pdf (pdfzen API key, credit-billed). pdfzen renders are executed over HTTP, not streamed in-band over MCP; this tool is the bridge. Your `data` is merged ON TOP of the starter sampleData at render time, so partial payloads inherit demo defaults (e.g. ship just the customer name + total).
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"template": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Slug of the starter to render (e.g. \"invoice\", \"receipt\", \"certificate\"). Call list_starters first if unsure which fits the user request."
},
"data": {
"type": "object",
"description": "Handlebars context. Each starter expects a specific shape — call get_starter to see the sampleData and dataKeys for the chosen slug. Your fields merge ON TOP of sampleData, so you can supply only the fields the user gave you and the rest fall back to the demo content.",
"additionalProperties": true
},
"pageOptions": {
"type": "object",
"description": "Page format/margin/orientation overrides. Defaults come from the starter (most are A4 portrait). Example: { \"format\": \"Letter\", \"landscape\": true }.",
"additionalProperties": true
}
},
"required": [
"template"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}🟡render_html_to_pdf(html, css, data, pageOptions)
Prepare a paid PDF render from arbitrary Handlebars-flavoured HTML. Use only when no starter fits (one-off layouts, custom branding). Prefer render_template_to_pdf when a starter matches. Validates your HTML and returns the exact, ready-to-execute HTTP request to run against pdfzen's render endpoint — POST /v402/render/pdf (x402, $0.006 USDC on Base, no API key) or POST /v1/render/pdf (pdfzen API key). pdfzen renders are executed over HTTP, not streamed in-band over MCP; this tool is the bridge.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"html": {
"type": "string",
"description": "The HTML body. Supports Handlebars {{ }} expressions resolved against `data`, plus pdfzen helpers ({{barChart}}, {{lineChart}}, {{pageBreak}}, {{#each}}, {{#if eq}}). Don't include <html>/<head>; just the body content + any <style> tags."
},
"css": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Optional CSS injected into the document head. Alternative to inline <style> in `html`."
},
"data": {
"type": "object",
"description": "Handlebars context object resolved against the {{...}} expressions in `html`.",
"additionalProperties": true
},
"pageOptions": {
"type": "object",
"description": "Page format/margin/orientation. Defaults to A4 portrait. Example: { \"format\": \"A4\", \"margin\": { \"top\": \"20mm\" } }.",
"additionalProperties": true
}
},
"required": [
"html"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}Recommended Prompts
get_starterget_starterlist_starterslist_starterslist_startersget_starterCommunity
Evidence