Document AI is powerful if you live in GCP. If you just want a PDF's data from one API call, this is the simpler path.
Google Document AI extracts text, forms and tables using processors tuned for specific document types, and scales on Google's infrastructure. Using it means a GCP project, processors, IAM, and hosting fees for custom processors.
pdftojson is a hosted extraction API you call directly: one authenticated request returns structured data, no cloud account to set up, on flat monthly pricing with a free browser tool for quick jobs.
If your stack lives in GCP, Document AI fits neatly and scales on Google's infrastructure.
It has processors tuned for specific document types like invoices and forms.
| pdftojson | Google Document AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | One API call, bearer token | GCP project, processors, IAM |
| Free in-browser tool | Yes | No |
| Output formats | JSON, Markdown, CSV, XML, Text | JSON (entities, form fields, tables) |
| Bank-statement reconciliation | Yes | No |
| Pricing | Flat $29/mo | Per-page plus processor hosting fees |
| Best for | A simple hosted extraction API | Teams already deep in GCP |
Document AI's power comes with the GCP learning curve: projects, processors, IAM, and always-on hosting fees for custom models. pdftojson is one authenticated POST that returns JSON, Markdown, CSV, XML or text, with flat pricing and a free browser tool.
And for bank statements it reconciles the transactions against the opening and closing balances and flags anything that doesn't tie out, so a wrong number doesn't slip through.
No. You call the API directly with a bearer token, with no GCP project, processors or IAM to configure. There's also a free in-browser tool.
When you're already invested in GCP and need its specialized processors and scale. pdftojson is the leaner option when you just want a simple hosted API.
Yes, through the API with OCR. The free in-browser tool handles text-based PDFs.
A flat $29/mo Developer plan with a free tier, billed per page processed.