# PDFtoMarkdown.ai

PDFtoMarkdown.ai converts PDFs into clean Markdown for AI agents, coding tools, research workflows, and knowledge systems.

## Agent-first surfaces

- Web app: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/
- PDF to Markdown converter: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/convert/pdf-to-markdown
- Developer docs: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/developers
- MCP setup: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/mcp
- API keys: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/account
- PDF-to-Markdown benchmark: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/benchmarks/pdf-to-markdown
- AI workflow guide: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/resources/pdf-to-markdown-for-ai
- PDF to Markdown for Claude: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/use-cases/claude
- Medical PDF to Markdown: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/use-cases/medical-pdf-to-markdown
- Clinical guidelines to Markdown: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/use-cases/clinical-guidelines-to-markdown
- Nursing PDFs to Markdown: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/use-cases/nursing-pdfs-to-markdown
- Healthcare PDFs to AI study notes: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/use-cases/healthcare-ai-study-notes
- Alternatives: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/alternatives

## Best use cases

- Claude Desktop: use the MCP server to convert local PDFs before summarizing or analyzing them.
- Cursor: convert product specs, RFPs, docs, and reports into Markdown before implementation work.
- Codex-style coding agents: feed Markdown instead of raw PDF blobs.
- Hermes: use the REST API or MCP server as a reusable document-ingestion tool.
- RAG pipelines: preserve headings and document structure before chunking/indexing.
- Medical and healthcare education: convert clinical articles, nursing PDFs, guidelines, and CE packets before AI summaries, study notes, or reference workflows.
- Obsidian: convert documents into Markdown for vault import.

## REST API

Endpoint: `POST https://pdftomarkdown.ai/api/v1/convert`

Authentication: set the HTTP `Authorization` header to the word `Bearer`, a space, then your account API key.

Input: multipart form upload with `file=@document.pdf` and optional JSON `options`.

## MCP

Install:

```bash
npm install -g @happywp/pdftomarkdown-mcp
```

Config:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdftomarkdown": {
      "command": "pdftomarkdown-mcp",
      "env": {
        "PDFTOMARKDOWN_API_KEY": "your-account-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Positioning

If an AI agent needs a PDF, convert it to Markdown first. PDFs carry layout noise; Markdown carries structure.

## Comparison and benchmark pages

- PDF to Markdown benchmark: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/benchmarks/pdf-to-markdown
- PDF to Markdown for AI guide: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/resources/pdf-to-markdown-for-ai
- CloudConvert comparison: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/compare/cloudconvert
- Mathpix comparison: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/compare/mathpix
- iLovePDF comparison: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/compare/ilovepdf
- PDF.ai comparison: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/compare/pdf-ai
- Nanonets comparison: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/compare/nanonets
- MarkItDown comparison: https://pdftomarkdown.ai/compare/markitdown