Sheet to PDF vs Autocrat
Autocrat is the OG Google Sheets PDF generator (10+ years old). Sheet to PDF is the 2026 modern alternative. Here's how they compare head-to-head.
TL;DR
- Pick Autocrat if it's already working for you, you have zero budget, and you don't need smart templates or modern UX.
- Pick Sheet to PDF for everything else: better UX, smart templates, bulk email, share links, pre-built template gallery, active support.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Sheet to PDF | Autocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Placeholder syntax | {{Variable}} (modern) | <<Variable>> (dated) |
| Free tier | 10 PDFs/mo (50 with bonuses) | Unlimited |
Conditional logic {% if %} | ✓ Starter+ (€5/mo) | ✗ |
| Filters (currency, date, etc.) | ✓ Starter+ | ✗ |
Loops {% for %} | ✓ Pro+ (€60/mo) | ✗ |
| Math operations | ✓ Pro+ | ✗ |
| Pre-built templates | 13 (3 free, 10 paid) | 0 |
| Sidebar UX | Modern, real-time preview | Forms-based, 2014 era |
| Bulk email | Pro plan, built-in, reliable | Separate buggy config |
| Public share links | Pro+ plan | ✗ |
| Team accounts | Pro+ unlimited | ✗ |
| Smart filename templates | ✓ | ✓ |
| Quota tracking + dashboard | Real-time gauge | ✗ |
| Active development | Weekly updates | Sporadic |
| Support | Email (paid), priority (Premium) | Community forum only |
| Marketplace rating | NEW | 4.0 ★ (legacy) |
Where Sheet to PDF wins big
Smart templates
Autocrat has no conditional logic. If 30% of your invoices need VAT shown and 70% don't, you maintain two templates. Sheet to PDF lets you write {% if VAT > 0 %}VAT: {{VAT}}{% endif %} once. Game-changer when your data has variations.
Modern syntax
{{Variable}} is the industry standard (Handlebars, Mustache, Liquid, Jinja). If a developer ever has to touch your template, they'll thank you. <<Variable>> is what shipped with mail merge in 1995.
Bulk email that works
Autocrat's email feature uses Gmail directly, which means daily quotas, bad deliverability, no bounce handling. Sheet to PDF routes through Resend with verified SPF/DKIM — way better deliverability, transparent bounce handling, no daily caps within plan limits.
Hosted PDFs with share links
Pro+ Sheet to PDF users get a public URL per PDF (pdf.sheet-to-pdf.com/abc123). Share with anyone, no Google account needed. Autocrat doesn't offer this.
Where Autocrat wins
Unlimited free tier
If you only need basic <<Variable>> substitution and you generate hundreds of PDFs per month, Autocrat is free. Sheet to PDF charges €5/mo for 300.
Existing workflows
If you've been using Autocrat for years and it works, there's no urgent reason to switch. Migrate when you next need a feature it doesn't have.
Migration is 30 minutes
The hardest part is Find & Replace on your template: << → {{. See our migration guide for the rest.
Try both
You can install both add-ons. Run a small test job in each. Compare the output and the workflow. Most users decide within 10 minutes.