What rendering engine does PDFMonkey use?

PDFMonkey uses a Chrome-based engine to render HTML/CSS to PDF. The current version is v5, based on Chrome 133, which supports virtually all modern CSS and JavaScript features.

How do I change the engine version on my PDFMonkey template?

Open your template and go to the Settings tab. The engine version is shown there and can be changed. Templates stay on the engine they were created with unless you manually upgrade.

What is the maximum PDF generation time in PDFMonkey?

It depends on your plan and engine version. On engine v4 or v5, limits range from 30 seconds (Free) to 5 minutes (Premium). Templates on engine v2 or v3 are capped at 30 seconds regardless of plan.

Our Engines

When you generate a Document, PDFMonkey uses a Chrome-based web engine to render your HTML/CSS content and then “prints” it to PDF. The current engine is v5, based on Chrome 133 — you can do anything that works in a modern browser (except animations, of course).

Engine versions

PDFMonkey has shipped several engine versions over the years. Each version brings a newer Chrome release with broader CSS and JavaScript support. Templates stay on the engine version they were created with — you can check and change your engine version in your template’s Settings tab.

Engine	Chrome version	Status	Key capabilities
v5	Chrome 133	Current	Latest CSS/JS features, image generation, improved rendering accuracy
v4	Chrome 123	Available	`:has()` pseudo-class, container queries, `text-wrap: balance`, import maps, emoji opt-in
v3	Chromium 86	Legacy	ES2020, Flexbox, Grid, custom properties
v2	Chromium 79	Legacy	Basic modern CSS and JS support

Upgrade to v5

for the best rendering and the widest feature support. New templates are created on v5 by default.

v5 — Chrome 133 (current)

Engine v5 is the latest and most capable engine. Based on Chrome 133, it supports virtually all modern CSS and JavaScript features. It also introduced image generation (PNG/JPEG output alongside PDF) and improved rendering accuracy for page sizes and margins.

v4 — Chrome 123

Engine v4 was a major upgrade that brought several highly requested CSS features:

:has() pseudo-class — style parent elements based on their children
Container queries — responsive layouts based on container size rather than viewport
text-wrap: balance — balanced text wrapping for headings
Import maps — use ES module imports without a bundler
Emoji opt-in — native emoji rendering support

v3 — Chromium 86 (legacy)

Engine v3 provides full support for ES2020 JavaScript, Flexbox, CSS Grid, and custom properties. If it renders in Chrome 86, it renders on v3.

v2 — Chromium 79 (legacy)

Engine v2 is the oldest supported engine. It covers basic modern CSS and JavaScript but lacks many features available in newer engines.

Generation time limits

Starting with engine v4, PDFMonkey introduced extended generation times that give your templates more time to render complex documents. The maximum generation time depends on your plan:

Plan	Max generation time
Free	30 seconds
Pro	2 minutes
Pro+	3 minutes
Premium	5 minutes

Templates on engine v2 or v3 are limited to 30 seconds regardless of plan. Upgrade to v4 or v5 to benefit from extended generation times.

Frequently asked questions

What rendering engine does PDFMonkey use?: PDFMonkey uses a Chrome-based engine to render HTML/CSS to PDF. The current version is v5, based on Chrome 133, which supports virtually all modern CSS and JavaScript features.
How do I change the engine version on my PDFMonkey template?: Open your template and go to the Settings tab. The engine version is shown there and can be changed. Templates stay on the engine they were created with unless you manually upgrade.
What is the maximum PDF generation time in PDFMonkey?: It depends on your plan and engine version. On engine v4 or v5, limits range from 30 seconds (Free) to 5 minutes (Premium). Templates on engine v2 or v3 are capped at 30 seconds regardless of plan.