flatmark vs Jina Reader
Jina Reader turns a URL, or an uploaded PDF or HTML file, into Markdown. flatmark converts PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, HTML and plain text files and fetches no URLs.
Last updated
| Jina Reader | Prepend r.jina.ai to a URL and get the page as Markdown. Uploads of PDF and HTML files only (as of Sep 2026) |
|---|---|
| Jina Reader pricing | Billed by tokens; every new API key includes 10M free tokens (as of Sep 2026) |
| Jina Reader rate limits | 20 requests per minute without a key, 500 with a free key (as of Sep 2026) |
| Owner | Jina AI, part of Elastic since Oct 2025 (Elastic 10-Q, as of Sep 2026) |
| flatmark | Converts files you send: PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, HTML, plain text. Fetches no URLs. |
| flatmark credits | 1 per direct call, 10 per queued job, 0 for status polls, result downloads and failed calls |
Jina Reader fetches a URL and returns the page as Markdown. It also accepts uploaded files, but only PDF and HTML (jina.ai/reader, as of Sep 2026). Jina AI has been part of Elastic since Oct 2025 (Elastic 10-Q, as of Sep 2026).
flatmark fetches no URLs. It converts the files you send to POST /v1/convert
(direct call, up to 8 MB) or POST /v1/convert/jobs (queue, up to 25 MB and
200 pages). Both return Markdown; the queue also returns a JSON structure file.
When Jina Reader fits
Your input is a URL and you want the live page as Markdown. Jina Reader bills by tokens, and every new API key includes 10M free tokens (jina.ai/reader, as of Sep 2026). The same page lists an experimental per-request EU data residency option (jina.ai/reader, as of Sep 2026).
When flatmark fits
Your input is a Word, PowerPoint or Excel file, which Jina Reader does not accept (jina.ai/reader, as of Sep 2026). Or you need a JSON structure file with page numbers next to the Markdown. Billing is per file: 1 credit per direct call, 10 per queued job. The service is hosted in Germany (Hetzner, Nuremberg).
Convert a PDF in your browser. No account needed.
FAQ
- What is the difference between flatmark and Jina Reader?
- Jina Reader starts from a URL and also accepts uploaded PDF and HTML files (source: jina.ai/reader, as of Sep 2026). flatmark starts from a file and also reads Word, PowerPoint, Excel and plain text. flatmark never fetches a URL.
- Can flatmark read a URL like r.jina.ai does?
- No. Fetch the page with your own client, then send the HTML to flatmark. For a public URL, Jina Reader does both steps in one call.
- Can I use both?
- Yes. Use Jina Reader for web pages and flatmark for the Word, PowerPoint and Excel files those pages link to.