Convert PDF to Markdown Online - PDF to MD

Transform PDF documents into clean, portable Markdown files.

Drop up to 50 PDF files at once — no install, no sign-up required.

Drop PDF Files Here

25 MB per file Up to 50 files 3 parallel conversions 1 credit each

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How it works

  1. 1 · Drop your files

    Drag & drop or choose PDF files. No account required—paid plans unlock bigger batches, higher limits, and priority queues.

  2. 2 · We convert securely

    We first convert PDF to DOCX, then DOCX to Markdown. Encrypted in transit & at rest. Text, tables, and images are preserved.

  3. 3 · Download & auto-delete

    Grab your Markdown files in seconds. Files delete automatically after 1 hour. Delete anytime after downloading with one click.

PDF (Portable Document Format) is Adobe's universal document standard, designed to present text, images, and layout consistently across any device or platform. First released in 1993 and later standardized as ISO 32000, PDF supports vector graphics, embedded fonts, forms, annotations, and encryption. It has become the de facto format for document exchange, digital publishing, and archival—billions of PDFs are created daily worldwide.

Learn more: PDF on Wikipedia

PDF excels at preserving document fidelity and works universally—every operating system and browser includes native PDF support. For long-term archival or regulatory compliance, PDF/A is the appropriate variant.

Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004 for writing formatted text using a plain-text editor. With simple syntax like # for headings and **bold** for emphasis, Markdown is widely used for documentation, README files, technical writing, and note-taking. Files typically use .md or .markdown extensions.

Learn more: Markdown on Wikipedia

Markdown's simplicity makes it ideal for version-controlled documentation—GitHub, GitLab, and most development platforms render it natively. For sharing with non-technical audiences or printing, converting to PDF preserves formatting universally.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PDF format?

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a universal file format created by Adobe for document exchange. PDFs preserve formatting, fonts, and layout across all devices and platforms. It's the most widely used format for sharing documents, from reports to forms to ebooks.

Why convert PDF to Markdown?

Editability and version control. PDFs are designed for viewing, not editing. Converting to Markdown gives you a plain-text format that's easy to edit, track changes with Git, and use in documentation systems like MkDocs, GitBook, or static site generators.

How does the conversion work?

We use a two-step pipeline: PDF to DOCX, then DOCX to Markdown. This approach preserves more structure than direct PDF-to-text extraction, keeping tables, formatting, and images intact.

What about scanned PDFs?

Scanned PDFs have limited support. If your PDF is a scanned image (no extractable text), the conversion may produce empty or minimal output. For best results, use PDFs with actual text content rather than scanned images.

How are images handled?

Embedded as base64. Images in your PDF are extracted and encoded directly into the Markdown file as data URIs. This creates a single, self-contained .md file with no external dependencies—perfect for sharing or archiving.

What Markdown variant is used?

We output GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) by default, which includes support for pipe tables, task lists, and strikethrough. GFM is widely supported across platforms including GitHub, GitLab, VS Code, and most Markdown editors.

What are the quality expectations?

Simple text documents: 85-95% fidelity. Tables: 70-85% (complex tables may need cleanup). Scanned PDFs: 70-85% with OCR. Multi-column layouts: 60-75% (columns may merge). Complex PDFs may need manual review.

How large can my PDF files be?

File size limits depend on your plan: Guest: 25 MB, Free: 25 MB, Pro: 200 MB, Business: 1024 MB.

Can I convert multiple PDF files at once?

Yes—that's what we're built for. Drop up to 50 files at once. We process 3 conversions in parallel, so batches complete faster than sequential tools.

What are the limits for this converter?

TierMax File SizeMax Files/BatchParallel Processing
Free25 MB50 files3 at once
Pro200 MB200 files6 at once
Business1024 MB1000 files10 at once

Note: File size limits are specific to this converter. Batch and parallel processing limits apply to all documents converters site-wide. See all converter limits →

How are credits calculated for this conversion?

Cost: 1 credit per 25 MB

How it works:

  • Files up to 25 MB: 1 credit (minimum)
  • 26-50 MB: 2 credits
  • 51-75 MB: 3 credits
  • 76-100 MB: 4 credits
  • Over 500 MB: 20 credits (maximum cap)

Example: A 5 MB file = 1 credit. A 95 MB file = 4 credits.

Why per-megabyte? Larger files require more resources (processing, bandwidth, storage).

What are my daily and monthly credit limits?

Credit allocations vary by account tier:

TierDaily LimitMonthly Limit
Free50 credits/day
Pro10,000 credits/month
Business30,000 credits/month

Daily credits (Free tier, including guests) reset every day at midnight UTC. Monthly credits (Pro & Business) reset on your billing cycle date.

Note: With 1 credit per 25 MB, a typical document costs 1 credit. Pro users can convert 10000 documents per month.

Choose Your Plan

Limits shown for PDF to Markdown conversion. One subscription unlocks the entire Tools.FAST Network. Plans cover Convert.FAST, Compress.FAST, PDF.FAST (soon), and all future tools.

Monthly Annual 4 Months Free

Free

$0

For occasional personal use

  • 25 MB per file
  • 50 files per batch
  • 3 parallel conversions
  • 50 credits/day
  • Standard priority
  • Email support
Sign Up Free

No sign-up required. Create an account for your own credit pool.

Popular

Pro

$9 /month

For independent work

  • 200 MB per file
  • 200 files per batch
  • 6 parallel conversions
  • 10,000 credits/month across Tools.FAST
  • High priority
  • Email & chat support
  • One subscription for the entire Tools.FAST network

Business

$19 /month

1 seat

For production scale

  • 1 GB per file
  • 1000 files per batch
  • 10 parallel conversions
  • 30,000 credits/month across Tools.FAST
  • Add seats to invite team members
  • Highest priority
  • Priority email & chat support
  • One subscription for the entire Tools.FAST network

How Credits Work

  • Usually 1 credit per conversion. Exact cost shown before you start.
  • Credits refresh monthly on your billing cycle.
  • Unused credits roll over, capped at your plan's monthly amount.
  • One subscription, all sites. Works across Convert.FAST, Compress.FAST, and future tools.

What's New in PDF to Markdown

Latest improvements to this converter

Last updated January 13, 2026
Jan 13, 2026

Initial release of PDF to Markdown converter using two-step pipeline (PDF to DOCX, DOCX to Markdown) with automatic OCR for scanned PDFs.