A simple web search will offer you a variety of EPUB to PDF converters. Each of them will, as promised, convert your ebooks into PDF documents. However, if you have tried some of them already, you would have noticed significant conversion errors in the final PDF document. The margins can be too narrow, the text font too big or too small, pictures cut off, and graphics poorly preserved. The consequences of poor formatting are unfortunately common. A PDF document of low quality is certainly not the result you expect to get.
The longtime users of PDF2Go's EPUB to PDF converter already know that this tool, unlike others, actually converts EPUB into a PDF file that is well-formatted and easy to read. If you want to learn more and view your EPUB file as a PDF or printed document, continue reading! Find out how to convert EPUB to PDF online in just a few simple steps!
What is the difference between an EPUB file and a PDF file?
Before finding out how to convert an EPUB to PDF, it is useful to know more about the two formats.
EPUB, also known as the electronic publishing format, is a widely used and supported e-book file format with the extension .epub. Many e-books have been converted to EPUB for easier viewing and reading. Also, most e-readers today support .epub files. It is used by most publishers and online e-book retailers, apart from Amazon Kindle, which uses its proprietary AWZ file format. The EPUB format is an open standard, meaning that it is publicly available. It is established by IDPF (the International Digital Publishing Forum).
From a more technical standpoint, EPUB is a highly interactive XML format that allows re-flowable content (the content fits the size and shape of the screen it is being displayed on). The EPUB file is a type of zip file, which can contain graphic elements and texts in PDF, XHTML, and HTML. It tends to consist of three elements: archive, metadata, and content.
PDF is the most commonly used electronic document format in the world. It is completely independent of the operating system and hardware on the viewing device, which means that PDF files look exactly the same on all devices. PDF files preserve the original layout of any document that contains any type of data. It uses features of the PostScript language. Individual files use the .pdf file extension.
EPUB vs. PDF
Basic differences:
- PDF can be generated by Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, etc., and EPUB has to be created with a special program or converter.
- PDF contains formatting of the original document, while EPUB supports XML data and CSS styling.
- A PDF file can be created to take notes, highlight, annotate, etc. EPUB can be read-only.
- PDF is the standard for sharing MS Office (Word, PowerPoint) files and documents, while EPUB has become the standard for e-books.
- PDF is print-oriented and has a fixed layout, while EPUB is screen-oriented. It is optimized for reading on a small screen. The text is resizable, and the page content is reflowable.
- PDF reader (for the computer or mobile devices) is needed to read/open the .pdf files. For EPUB, special programs or an e-book reader is needed to read/open the .epub files.
- EPUB is similar to web content, while PDF is not.
Key similarities between EPUB and PDF
- Flexibility: Both EPUB and PDF are available in many formats with a range of different readers. Here you can see what files your e-book reader supports.
- Security features: PDF and EPUB are open standard formats and can be protected using DRM. In the case of PDF, passwords and other multi-layer security methods will keep your important documents secure. With EPUB, digital rights management capabilities can be put in place to protect the content from reproduction.
Why should you convert an EPUB to PDF?
Thanks to advanced technology, the way we read and access books has significantly changed. Electronic documents have enabled us to create and share documents more efficiently. They can be created and shared electronically or they can be printed on paper. Although both formats have their advantages and disadvantages, let's look at the most common reasons for conversion to a PDF document.
- When you need to print e-books, you will see that there is no print option for the EPUB file. In this case, you will need to convert EPUB to PDF.
- Thanks to its flexibility and software support, many people prefer PDF. It allows highlighting of text, adding of notes and it is overall much easier to gain access to the document.
- Being able to annotate and print out e-book files can help writers with proofreading.
- Some readers who do not have an electronic reading device (such as a Kindle) could prefer a printed e-book instead.
- Since EPUB does not have a defined page, the text will ideally be readable on any screen, as you will have the optimal font size on each screen. However, it makes it quite difficult to navigate a document. Depending on the device on which the document is read or viewed on and on the display settings – the number of pages, position, and size of images changes.
How to convert EPUB to PDF online?
PDF2Go's EPUB to PDF converter is a free online tool that allows you to convert EPUB to PDF files without downloading any software or installing additional applications. Moreover, all its features and functions are viewable from any system and on any device. This popular converter makes the process of converting your e-books to PDF documents so simple. Just select a PDF you wish to upload, drag and drop the PDF or upload it from the Internet (Enter URL) or cloud storage services (Google Drive, Dropbox). A new PDF file will be available to you immediately. You have our word!
Listed below are the steps on how to convert EPUB to PDF without losing formatting:
- Open EPUB to PDF converter, and upload your e-book file.
- Click on "Start" and your PDF file is ready to be downloaded!
Uploading your file and starting the conversion is all it takes!
TIP: When converting e-book files to PDF, it is worth noting that our converter does not limit you only to EPUB file format. You can also as easily turn other e-book files (MOBI, AZW) into a PDF document!
Conclusion
EPUB is a great format when it comes to reading books from an e-book reader. There are plenty of compatible EPUB readers available on smartphones, tablets, or computers. But reading from a computer, for example, does not suit everyone. Since the EPUB format was created only for easier viewing and not for processing or modification, printing the content of an e-book will require converting EPUB to PDF.
Not finished yet?
Success! You have efficiently converted your e-book to a PDF file! Still, you want to refine it and make some necessary modifications? Edit PDF tool can help you with these tasks! Easily and seamlessly, you can highlight your text, add annotations or make any other necessary change in your PDF document.
With PDF2Go's online tools you can effortlessly convert various file formats, but also edit, create, perform OCR, and secure your PDF documents. As the name of our service suggests, you can convert and edit your documents even on the go! Our tools are available on any device and any browser.
Best of all, you can use the tools absolutely for free! If your conversion needs are more significant, we recommend considering our Premium Plan option! With this subscription and more than 20 ultimate tools at your disposal, there is no PDF-related task that you won't be able to tackle!
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