DRM-protected EPUBs fail; for DRM-free books, our ebook engine turns reflowable chapters into fixed PDF pages with page size, margin, and font-size choices.
From real runs
| Element | Result | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Text flow | Changed | Reflowable XHTML becomes fixed pages, so line breaks and page numbers are newly generated from the chosen paper size and font scale. |
| DRM protection | Lost | Encrypted commercial EPUBs are rejected before conversion; the converter does not remove DRM or bypass store restrictions. |
| Table of contents | Kept | NCX/nav entries become PDF outline bookmarks, usually one bookmark per chapter or section. |
| Cover image | Kept | The EPUB cover is rendered as the first PDF page when our ebook engine can identify the cover item in metadata or the spine. |
| CSS details | Changed | Paragraph spacing and headings usually survive; device-specific CSS, drop caps, floats, and some embedded fonts simplify. |
| Images | Changed | Inline images are placed into the PDF flow and may be scaled to fit the page box rather than the reader viewport. |
| Metadata | Changed | Title and author are written into PDF metadata when present, but series, publisher, and ebook identifiers are not prominent in readers. |
Reflowable XHTML becomes fixed pages, so line breaks and page numbers are newly generated from the chosen paper size and font scale.
Encrypted commercial EPUBs are rejected before conversion; the converter does not remove DRM or bypass store restrictions.
NCX/nav entries become PDF outline bookmarks, usually one bookmark per chapter or section.
The EPUB cover is rendered as the first PDF page when our ebook engine can identify the cover item in metadata or the spine.
Paragraph spacing and headings usually survive; device-specific CSS, drop caps, floats, and some embedded fonts simplify.
Inline images are placed into the PDF flow and may be scaled to fit the page box rather than the reader viewport.
Title and author are written into PDF metadata when present, but series, publisher, and ebook identifiers are not prominent in readers.
We converted our EPUB sample (5 KB) with Ebook engine on 2026-09-11. It took 1.9 s and produced a 37 KB PDF file, 6.8× larger than the input. The engine raised no warnings.
Input · sample.epub · 5 KB
EPUB 3.0: 3 content documents, 0 images, EPUB 3 nav, no cover
Output · sample.pdf · 37 KB
PDF 1.4, 2 pages, selectable text (LiberationSerif-Bold, LiberationSerif, LiberationSerif-Italic), 0 image objects
Calibre ebook-convert
ebook-convert in.epub out.pdf --paper-size a4 --pdf-page-margin-left 36 --pdf-page-margin-right 36 --pdf-page-margin-top 48 --pdf-page-margin-bottom 48 --base-font-size 11This requires a DRM-free EPUB and local fonts; Calibre 6.13 may paginate differently from newer versions.
Calibre quick PDF
ebook-convert in.epub out.pdf --paper-size a4 --pdf-page-margin-left 36 …Use the expanded command above for repeatable automation; the ellipsis stands for matching right, top, and bottom margins.
The HTTP API and the MCP server run the exact engine this page uses (Ebook engine); the response carries the same warnings the web converter shows. Check support first with GET /api/v1/pairs?from=epub&to=pdf.
curl -X POST https://filetypeconverters.com/api/v1/convert \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $FTC_API_KEY" \
-F "file=@input.epub" -F "from=epub" -F "to=pdf" \
--output output.pdfThe most common reason is DRM. Our ebook engine can convert normal EPUB files, but encrypted bookstore files are blocked before content is read.
Yes when the EPUB has a valid NCX or EPUB 3 nav document. Broken or missing table-of-contents entries can only produce a flat PDF.
Indirectly. Page size, margins, and base font size determine pagination; reflowable EPUBs do not contain fixed page breaks.
Usually. When the EPUB marks a cover image, our ebook engine renders it as the first PDF page. Unmarked cover-like images stay where the spine places them.