Comparing VeryPDF Virtual PDF Printer SDK vs Smallpdf API for Secure Document Generation

Posted on Author VeryPDFOnline

Comparing VeryPDF Virtual PDF Printer SDK vs Smallpdf API for Secure Document Generation

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Tired of juggling PDF security and automation? Here’s how VeryPDF’s Virtual PDF Printer SDK gave me an edge over Smallpdf’s API.

Every time my app needed to generate secure PDFs, I hit a wall

A few months ago, I was knee-deep in a project building internal tools for a logistics client. One requirement? Generate encrypted PDFs from order formsautomatically. Simple, right?

Comparing VeryPDF Virtual PDF Printer SDK vs Smallpdf API for Secure Document Generation

Wrong.

I tried a few well-known APIs, and they worked kind of. But when it came to serious customisation, like silent installs, job redirection, and secure auto-saving on a Citrix servermost of them choked.

Smallpdf’s API was decent for casual, browser-based tasks. But when I needed a programmable, server-grade, fire-and-forget solution?

That’s when I found VeryPDF Virtual PDF Printer SDK.

This SDK? It’s more like a cheat code for developers

So here’s the deal.

The VeryPDF Virtual PDF Printer Driver SDK acts like a virtual printer. Once installed, your app can ‘print’ anything into a PDFquietly, behind the scenes, and securely. Think of it like hijacking Windows’ print system and using it to crank out polished, locked-down PDFs.

It’s a full SDK, not just an API endpoint. I integrated it into my C# app in an afternoon.

And get thisno popups, no UI prompts, just straight-to-disk PDF creation with full control over file naming, encryption, auto-sending via FTP or emailyou name it.

What blew me away? These 3 features

1. Full control over output (no human required)

This was huge.

I could set:

  • Auto-save paths with dynamic tokens (like time/date)

  • Whether to open/view the file after creation

  • If the file should automatically email or upload

No user interaction. No headaches. Just PDFs dropping wherever I wanted.

2. Built-in PDF encryption (no extra libraries needed)

Most tools I tested required bolting on a separate encryption moduleor worse, post-processing the PDF.

VeryPDF lets you:

  • Encrypt using 40, 128, or even 256-bit AES

  • Apply password protection before the PDF even hits the disk

  • Choose between user and owner passwords

That means the PDF is secure the second it’s createdno extra steps.

3. Rock-solid support for Citrix, Terminal Servers, and older Windows

A lot of cloud-first tools fumble when deployed in real-world enterprise setups.

But this SDK?

  • Supports Windows XP all the way to Windows 11 and Server 2022

  • Plays nicely with Citrix environments

  • Can silently install, ideal for enterprise rollouts

  • Even supports foreign language Windows OSes

I tested it in a mixed environment (Windows 7, 10, Server 2019), and it just worked.

Who should actually use this?

If you’re building any of the following, keep reading:

  • Desktop apps that generate invoices, reports, or legal docs

  • Internal tools that convert Word/Excel to PDF on the fly

  • Systems that need silent PDF generation and document security

  • Anything where PDFs must be auto-created, encrypted, and emailed or uploaded

If you’re a developer working in C#, VB.NET, FoxPro, Access, or even Delphi, this is your tool.

And if you’ve ever struggled trying to get a reliable “print to PDF” function that doesn’t fall apart under pressurethis SDK is your shortcut.

Why I ditched Smallpdf API for VeryPDF

Smallpdf API is nice for drag-and-drop users or simple REST integrations.

But here’s what killed it for me:

  • Limited offline control

  • No support for Windows printing redirection

  • No silent install option

  • Less flexible encryption tools

VeryPDF’s SDK gave me:

  • Local control

  • Full OS-level integration

  • Enterprise-grade deployment features

  • Royalty-free redistribution

No comparison.

Want a PDF engine that works as hard as you do?

Honestly, this SDK saved me hours of dev timeand weeks of maintenance pain. If you’re a dev, sysadmin, or IT lead dealing with high-volume PDF generation, you owe it to yourself to test this out.

I’d highly recommend this to anyone who deals with secure, automated PDF creation on Windows systems.

Start your free trial here: https://www.verypdf.com/app/document-converter/try-and-buy.html

Need something tailored?

VeryPDF does more than just SDKs.

If you’ve got specific needslike hooking into the Windows API, capturing print jobs, or generating barcodesVeryPDF’s custom development team can help.

They build bespoke solutions across platforms like:

  • Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android

  • Programming in C, C++, .NET, JavaScript, Python, PHP

  • Creating virtual printers for EMF, PCL, TIFF, and more

  • OCR, table extraction, image conversion, and font technology

  • Secure document workflows including PDF DRM, encryption, and digital signing

You can even get them to make tools for monitoring Windows APIs or creating PDF/A documents on the fly.

Just reach out here: http://support.verypdf.com/

FAQ

Q1: Can I use the VeryPDF Virtual PDF Printer SDK in my commercial app?
A: Yes. It’s royalty-free for redistribution with your licensed software.

Q2: Does it support silent installation for large deployments?
A: Absolutely. You can install and configure it silently via command line.

Q3: How does encryption work with the SDK?
A: You can set 40, 128, or 256-bit encryption and password protectionall before the file is created.

Q4: Will it run on older systems like Windows 7 or XP?
A: Yes, it supports Windows XP and up, including 32-bit and 64-bit systems.

Q5: Can I auto-upload generated PDFs to FTP or Dropbox?
A: Yes, with the extension modules you can send files via FTP, email, or cloud storage.

Tags / Keywords:

PDF Printer SDK, Secure PDF generation, VeryPDF Virtual Printer, Print to PDF API, PDF encryption SDK