LlamaParse vs PDFParser
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. PDFParser has the lower starting price: about $9 a month, against $50 for LlamaParse.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Multi-format parsing
- Agentic parsing modes
- LlamaExtract schemas
- LlamaIndex integration
- Free monthly credits
- Custom field definitions
- JSON and CSV export
- Batch uploads
- Template-free extraction
- API access on all plans
- Webhook notifications
| Feature | LlamaParse | PDFParser |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | LlamaIndex's AI document parser for agents and RAG | Extracts the fields you define from PDFs into JSON or CSV |
| Category | Data & analytics | Data & analytics |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $50/mo | $9/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | LlamaIndex | PDFParser |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
PDFParser has the lower starting price: about $9 a month, against $50 for LlamaParse.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- 10K credits included
- 5 concurrent parse jobs
- Basic support
Starter
$50/mo
- 40K credits included
- Pay-as-you-go up to $500/mo
- 5 concurrent parse jobs
Pro
$500/mo
- 400K credits included
- Pay-as-you-go up to $5,000/mo
- 20 concurrent parse jobs
- Priority Slack support
Enterprise
Custom
- Custom credits
- Volume discount on credits
- 100 concurrent parse jobs
4 plans
Free
Free
- Free tier, no card required
Starter
$9/mo
- 100 pages per month
- $0.09 per page
- Full API access
Pro
$29/mo
- 500 pages per month
- JSON Schema validation
- Webhook notifications
Business
$99/mo
- 2,500 pages per month
- $0.04 per page
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
LlamaParse
- Handles many file types
- Strong on tables and charts
- Fits LlamaIndex pipelines
- Advanced modes cost more credits
- Cloud-only for most users
PDFParser
- No templates or rules to set up
- API included on every plan
- Works on images as well as PDFs
- Unused pages expire each month
- Files capped at 20 MB
- Starter plan covers only 100 pages
Which one should you choose?
Choose LlamaParse if you want:
- Handles many file types
- Strong on tables and charts
- Fits LlamaIndex pipelines
Watch out: advanced modes cost more credits.
Choose PDFParser if you want:
- No templates or rules to set up
- API included on every plan
- Works on images as well as PDFs
Watch out: unused pages expire each month.
LlamaParse vs PDFParser FAQ
What is the difference between LlamaParse and PDFParser?
LlamaParse: LlamaIndex's AI document parser for agents and RAG. PDFParser: Extracts the fields you define from PDFs into JSON or CSV. Both are data & analytics tools.
Is LlamaParse or PDFParser cheaper?
PDFParser has the lower starting price: about $9 a month, against $50 for LlamaParse.
Do LlamaParse and PDFParser have free plans?
LlamaParse: Yes. PDFParser: Yes.
Who makes LlamaParse?
LlamaParse is made by LlamaIndex, based in United States.
Who makes PDFParser?
PDFParser is made by PDFParser.
Which should I choose, LlamaParse or PDFParser?
Choose LlamaParse if you value handles many file types and strong on tables and charts. Choose PDFParser if you value no templates or rules to set up and api included on every plan.