Seven converters, and the question most comparisons skip: can it read a scanned book? For a PDF that already has text, almost any of these gives you a usable EPUB, and several do it free with no page limit. For a scan (photographed or photocopied pages with no text layer), most of them either refuse, hand you an EPUB of page images, or send you to a separate OCR tool first. Only three do OCR, paragraphs and chapters in one pass.
Try this converter on your PDF
| Tool | Runs on | Scanned books (OCR) | Chapters and table of contents | Free | Paid | Your file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pdf2epub (this site) | Our server | Yes, built in, one step | Yes, from the headings | Up to 150 pages per PDF; scans: first 20 pages. No account | One book $3 (up to 400 pages) or $5 (up to 2,000), scans included | PDF never saved; EPUB deleted after download, an hour at most |
| Calibre | Your computer (desktop app) | No (needs a plugin) | Yes, with the right settings | Free, open source | None | Never leaves your computer |
| Convert2EPUB | Their server | Yes, first 10 pages per book free | Yes | Text PDFs free with no page limit, no account | Credits for OCR, from $3.75; account needed past the free pages | Not checked |
| RifflePages | Their server | Yes | Yes | 8-page preview | One-time price per book | Deleted after 24 hours |
| pdf2ereader | Your browser | No | Yes, from bookmarks or headings | Free, no limit | None (sponsored) | Never uploaded |
| PDF24 | Their server | Two steps: its OCR tool, then the converter | Not stated | Free, ad-supported | None | Not checked |
| CloudConvert | Their server | Paid OCR | Not stated | 10 conversions a day | Credit packages | Not checked |
Checked 11 November 2026 on each tool's own page: Convert2EPUB pricing, RifflePages, pdf2ereader, PDF24 PDF to EPUB, CloudConvert pricing, Calibre. Prices and limits change; tell us if one is out of date.
Your PDF is a scan. Use a converter with OCR built in, so you don't have to run OCR, download a new PDF and convert again. Here the first 20 pages are free, so you can check the OCR on your own book before paying; a whole book is $3 or $5 once. RifflePages and Convert2EPUB also do it in one step, with an 8-page and a 10-page free sample.
A long text PDF, and you want to pay nothing. Calibre, Convert2EPUB or pdf2ereader. All three convert text PDFs past 150 pages free. We don't.
The file must never leave your computer. Calibre or pdf2ereader. Both convert on your own machine. This site, like every server converter, receives the PDF to convert it.
A whole library, or you want MOBI, AZW3 or full control. Calibre. It manages a library, writes every format and has twenty years of work in it, at the cost of an install and an afternoon learning its settings.
A text PDF already holds the words, so a converter only has to rebuild paragraphs and chapters. A scan holds photos of pages. Without OCR you get an EPUB of pictures that won't resize or search, and with OCR as a separate step you lose the chapter structure on the way. That is why "is it a scan?" decides which converter you need. To check, open the PDF and try to select a sentence: if nothing highlights, it's a scan. More in scanned PDF to EPUB and this converter vs Calibre.
What is the best free PDF to EPUB converter?
For a PDF that already has text, Calibre gives the most control and is free, but it is a desktop install. Convert2EPUB and pdf2ereader convert text PDFs free in the browser with no page limit. For a scanned book, pick one with OCR built in: pdf2epub converts the first 20 scanned pages free and a whole book for $3 to $5, with chapters and a table of contents.
Which PDF to EPUB converter works on scanned books?
One that runs OCR as part of the conversion: pdf2epub, RifflePages and Convert2EPUB do OCR, paragraphs and chapters in one pass. Calibre and pdf2ereader have no OCR. PDF24 needs its separate OCR tool first.
Can I convert a scanned PDF to EPUB in one step?
Yes. On pdf2epub you drop the scan in, OCR runs on every page, and you get an EPUB with real paragraphs and a chapter list. The first 20 pages are free with no account.
Which converters keep chapters and a table of contents?
pdf2epub, Calibre, Convert2EPUB, RifflePages and pdf2ereader all build a table of contents, from the PDF's bookmarks or its headings. Generic file converters often don't say.
Do online PDF to EPUB converters keep my file?
Server converters receive the PDF. pdf2epub never saves it and deletes the EPUB after download, an hour at most. RifflePages deletes files after 24 hours. Calibre and pdf2ereader never receive your file at all.