Last month our CloudMersive bill hit $347 for basic PDF conversions. Today we pay $30. Here’s exactly how:

The $300/month problem

Our client needed:

• 5000 PDF→Word conversions/month
• 2000 image conversions
• Occasional Excel→CSV

Most APIs wanted $200-500/month for this volume.

The 90% cheaper solution (Step by step)

Step 1: Audit what you really need

Track your actual usage for a week. We discovered:

• 70% were repeat conversions (same templates)
• 90% were under 2MB
• Only 10% needed async

Key insight: Cache common conversions = instant 70% reduction

Step 2: The hybrid approach

// 1. Check cache first (saves 70%) const cached = await checkCache(fileHash, targetFormat); if (cached) return cached; // 2. Small files: Use lightweight library (saves money) if (fileSize < 2_000_000) { return await convertLocally(file, format); } // 3. Large/complex files: Use API return await convertViaAPI(file, format); 

Step 3: Smart library selection

For 90% of conversions, these free libraries work great:

// JavaScript/Node.js examples // PDF → Word (good enough for most cases) import { PDFExtract } from 'pdf-extract'; // Then use docx library to create Word file // Images (lightning fast) import sharp from 'sharp'; await sharp('input.png').jpeg({ quality: 90 }).toFile('output.jpg'); // Excel → CSV (perfect results) import XLSX from 'xlsx'; const workbook = XLSX.readFile('data.xlsx'); XLSX.writeFile(workbook, 'data.csv'); 

Step 4: When you still need an API

For the remaining 10% (complex layouts, perfect fidelity), I built a simple wrapper.

Why another API? Because I wanted:

• Pay only for what I use (no monthly minimums)
• One endpoint for everything
• Transparent pricing
• No overage surprises

Real numbers (June 2025)

Our current setup:

• 90% handled by libraries: $0
• 10% via API: ~$30/month
• Total saved: $270/month

The playbook

Here’s exactly what to do based on your volume:

Under 100 conversions/month?
Just use the libraries above. Seriously.

100-1000/month?
Hybrid approach: Libraries for simple stuff, API for complex files.

1000+/month?
You need proper infrastructure. Either:

• Build it (expect 40+ hours setup)
• Use an API (worth the cost at this scale)

My production setup

After helping 5 clients with this, I packaged my solution:

✅ One endpoint for all formats
✅ No monthly minimums
✅ Transparent pricing
✅ Both sync and async
✅ EU servers (GDPR)

👉 https://fileconvert.dev

Fair warning: If the free libraries work for your use case, just use those! Only use the API if you actually need it.

Let’s help each other

Drop a comment with:

1. Your current conversion volume
2. Main formats you need
3. What you’re paying now

I’ll reply with specific suggestions for your use case.