PDFMonkey Data Storage and Retention Policy
Last updated March 23, 2026
PDFMonkey stores only the data needed to generate your documents and serve the resulting files. This page explains what is stored, where it lives, and when it is removed.
What data PDFMonkey stores
There are three categories of data involved in document generation:
| Data | Description | Storage location | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic data | The payload and meta fields you send when creating a Document | Database | Until the Document is deleted |
| Temporary HTML page | The rendered HTML used to produce the final file | S3 (temporary) | Discarded after generation |
| Generated file | The output file (PDF, PNG, WebP, or JPG) | S3 (private bucket) | Until the Document is deleted |
Dynamic data (payload and meta)
When you create a Document, you send a JSON payload containing the data for your Template, along with optional meta fields. PDFMonkey stores this data so you can review it later in the Dashboard or retrieve it through the API.
This data is removed when the Document is deleted, whether manually or by automatic TTL expiration.
Large payloads
Temporary HTML page
During generation, PDFMonkey renders your Template with the provided payload into a complete HTML page. This page is uploaded to a temporary S3 location and passed to the rendering engine. Once generation finishes (whether the Document succeeds or fails), the reference to this HTML page is discarded. The HTML file itself is cleaned up by an S3 lifecycle policy.
The temporary HTML is never accessible through the API or Dashboard.
Generated file
The output file (PDF or image) is stored in a private S3 bucket. It is only accessible through short-lived presigned URLs that expire after one hour. Each time you request a download URL, PDFMonkey generates a fresh presigned URL.
See The Download URL for details on accessing your generated files.
Where data is hosted
All PDFMonkey infrastructure runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the EU (Paris) region. This includes:
- Application servers
- The database
- S3 buckets storing generated files, large payloads, and temporary HTML pages
For more details on encryption and access controls, see Security Measures.
When data is deleted
Your data is removed in three ways:
Manual deletion
You can delete a Document at any time through the Dashboard or via the API. Deleting a Document permanently removes its dynamic data (payload and meta) and its generated file.
Automatic deletion (TTL)
Each Template has a configurable TTL (Time To Live) that determines how long its Documents are kept after successful generation. When a Document’s TTL expires, PDFMonkey automatically deletes it.
Available TTL values range from 5 minutes to unlimited, depending on your plan. See Document Retention and Automatic Deletion for the full TTL reference, including values by plan and how plan changes affect retention.
Account deletion
Deleting your PDFMonkey account permanently removes all Workspaces, Templates, Documents, and generated files associated with your account. See Account Deletion for the full process.
Deletion is permanent
Frequently asked questions
Is my data shared with third parties?
No. Your data is used exclusively to generate the Documents you request. It is never shared with partners, sold, or used for analytics. See Security Measures for the full data isolation policy.
Where can I find PDFMonkey’s Data Processing Agreement?
PDFMonkey provides a DPA and a Data SubProcessing Agreement for organizations that require them. See Compliance and DPA for download links and contact information.
How do I know when a Document will be automatically deleted?
The Document object does not expose an expires_at field directly. You can calculate it from the Template’s ttl value and the Document’s updated_at timestamp. See Document Retention and Automatic Deletion for details.
Related pages
- Security Measures – encryption, access controls, and data isolation
- Document Retention and Automatic Deletion – TTL configuration and plan-based limits
- The Download URL – accessing generated files before they expire
- Account Deletion – what happens when you delete your account
- Compliance and DPA – data processing agreements
- Our Plans – plan comparison including retention limits
Frequently asked questions
- What data does PDFMonkey store?
- PDFMonkey stores three types of data: the dynamic data you send (payload and meta), a temporary HTML page used during rendering, and the generated file (PDF or image). The dynamic data and generated file persist until the document is deleted; the HTML page is discarded after generation.
- Where is PDFMonkey data hosted?
- All PDFMonkey infrastructure is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the EU (Paris) region, including application servers, the database, and S3 storage buckets.
- How long does PDFMonkey keep my documents?
- Each template has a configurable TTL (Time To Live). When a document's TTL expires, PDFMonkey automatically deletes it along with its generated file and dynamic data. You can also delete documents manually at any time. TTL options range from 5 minutes to unlimited depending on your plan.
- Can I delete my data from PDFMonkey?
- Yes. You can delete individual documents through the Dashboard or API, configure automatic deletion via TTL, or delete your entire account to remove all data permanently.