2021 Update: The new print experience launched in Firefox 86 included a built-in PDF converter. It generally avoids the problem of PDFs consisting mostly of images and, starting in Firefox 90, links are embedded. To convert the current page to PDF, in the Print overlay, set the Destination to "Save to PDF". (Note: If you prefer not to have links embedded, you can toggle the print.save_as_pdf.links.enabled preference on the about:config page.)
Many users need to accurately and fully capture pages to PDF. On June 28, 2020, I tested 17 extensions that save the currently displayed page to PDF. There probably are more! If you know of a better free or low cost option than the ones listed in this page, please let me know.
While Firefox offers extension developers a built-in method to capture a tab to PDF, it is subject to the same restrictions as printing. In particular, content maybe omitted or truncated due to print layout bugs, and links are not preserved. A second group of extensions uses web-based services for conversion. On the plus side, these can generate PDFs with live hyperlinks. On the downside, there is a potential privacy risk, and free services may include watermarks and frustrating limits on layout. These were my results.
Group 1: Extensions that use the built-in tabs.saveAsPDF() method (Windows and Linux only)
This feature does not require any permissions for the basic function of triggering Firefox to create a PDF that should match Print Preview, so extensions that require intrusive permissions for no apparent reason, or contain numerous extra code files completely unrelated to the purpose of the extension were deemed Unacceptable.
| Name and Version | Permissions | Judgment & Comments | ID and Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Printable – The Print Doctor |
Other API permissions: activeTab, menus, storage |
Unrated - My own extension * Some global and per-page options |
{66e7b680-7956-46aa-98ee-d702338e1ee1} [AMO]/printable-the-print-doctor/ |
Print Edit WE |
Access your data for all websites Access browser tabs Access browser activity during navigation Display notifications to you Other API permissions: contextMenus, storage, webRequest, webRequestBlocking |
Fair * Part of Recommended Extensions program to provide security/privacy assurance |
printedit-we@DW-dev [AMO]/print-edit-we/ |
FoxyTab |
Access your data for all websites Read and modify bookmarks Input data to the clipboard Download files and read and modify the browser’s download history Display notifications to you Access browser tabs Store unlimited amount of client-side data Other API permissions: activeTab, contextMenus, contextualIdentities, cookies, storage, theme, webRequest, webRequestBlocking |
Fair * Part of Recommended Extensions program to provide security/privacy assurance |
foxytab@eros.man [AMO]/foxytab/ |
| Print/Print Preview Version: 1.3 |
Other API permissions: contextMenus |
Fair * No global options (e.g., background color) |
{4e6c9475-6f44-463a-999a-cb7895cc5d04} [AMO]/print-print-preview-context/ |
Save PDF |
N/A | Fair * No global options (e.g., background color) |
{077f4ca9-a296-4624-9524-4e9b3835f512} [AMO]/save-pdf/ |
Save Page As PDF |
Access browser tabs Other API permissions: activeTab |
Fair * Requests unnecessary permission |
{682a0676-858c-2019-a8c2-a28f872a9329} [AMO]/save-page-as-pdf-file/ |
WebToPDF |
Other API permissions: activeTab |
Poor * Requests unnecessary permission |
{a9bd1d11-ad0c-444c-923d-f0acd5eb61e5} [AMO]/web_to_pdf/ |
Print to PDF |
Access your data for all websites Access browser tabs Other API permissions: contextMenus, storage |
Unacceptable * Requests very excessive permissions |
{9ab38051-cd73-4e46-b7bd-dc147f6f6b29} [AMO]/print-to-pdf-document/ |
Save PDF |
Access your data for all websites Access browser tabs Other API permissions: activeTab, contextMenus, storage, webRequest, webRequestBlocking |
Unacceptable * Requests very excessive permissions |
{57c9b8b0-e41b-7c9b-4890-f6ce48908edb} [AMO]/save-pdf-expert/ |
Save PDF |
Access your data for all websites Access browser tabs Other API permissions: activeTab, contextMenus, storage, webRequest, webRequestBlocking |
Unacceptable * Requests very excessive permissions |
{0d83297b-ee0f-4470-b047-ea1eb5161e0a} [AMO]/save-pdf-pro/ |
WebToPDF |
Other API permissions: activeTab |
Unacceptable * Hijacks new tab page |
manish.p05@gmail.com [AMO]/webtopdf/ |
Group 2: Extensions that use a web-based service to convert the page to PDF
This kind of PDF conversion is less private because you either are (A) informing a website of the URL you are viewing, which sometimes may be sensitive, or (B) sending the content of the currently displayed page, which may contain sensitive information but may be necessary for sites that customize the content to you.
| Name and Version | Permissions | Judgment & Comments | ID and Source |
|---|---|---|---|
PDF Mage |
Access your data for all websites Access browser tabs Download files and read and modify the browser’s download history Other API permissions: activeTab, contextMenus, storage |
Good (after resizing window) * Uses page displayed in browser (consider privacy) |
jid1-GeRCnsiDhZiTvA@jetpack [AMO]/pdf-mage/ |
Online PDF Editor (pdf2go.com) |
Other API permissions: activeTab, contextMenus |
Fair * Uses public URL (not logged in, not file://) |
{5fe0e3b1-ef04-41af-aae8-4653d2dbd0eb} [AMO]/online-pdf-editor-pdf2go-com/ |
Save as PDF |
Access your data for: https://pdfcrowd.com/* Access browser tabs |
Fair * Uses public URL (not logged in, not file://) |
save-as-pdf-ff@pdfcrowd.com [AMO]/save-as-pdf/ |
PDFmyURL |
Access your data for all websites Access your data for: https://pdfmyurl.com/* Access browser tabs Download files and read and modify the browser’s download history Other API permissions: activeTab, storage |
Poor * Uses page displayed in browser (consider privacy) – option to send public URL instead does not work |
{ad70f28a-ef26-48ed-80bb-2dc821d3e506} [AMO]/pdfmyurl-save-webpages-as-pdf/ |
PDF Wise |
Access your data for all websites Access browser tabs |
Unacceptable * Uses public URL (not logged in, not file://) |
{4dc0db93-2f11-4dba-ae6a-c82e57a10599} [AMO]/pdf-wise/ |
Group 3: Special Purpose PDF Extensions
Unlike the more general purpose extensions listed above, these may be used for occasional needs.
| Name and Version | Permissions | Judgment & Comments | ID and Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Print Friendly & PDF |
Other API permissions: activeTab |
Interesting "Text View" * Uses public URL (not logged in, not file://) |
jid0-YQz0l1jthOIz179ehuitYAOdBEs@jetpack [AMO]/print-friendly-pdf/ |