idmly vs Recosoft PDF2ID
Last updated June 2026 · by Kelly Fraser, maker of idmly
idmly and Recosoft PDF2ID both produce editable InDesign files, but from different source material. PDF2ID converts a finished PDF (and PowerPoint) into InDesign, running as a plugin inside InDesign, on a subscription around $299/year. idmly converts a live HTML/CSS design into a native .idml for $49 once, in the browser.
If your source is a PDF, PDF2ID is the fit. If you have the HTML, idmly is cleaner and cheaper, because it skips the flattened PDF entirely.
Same honesty as everywhere else on this site: I build idmly, and these tools mostly do different jobs. PDF2ID is a serious, capable converter. The deciding factor isn't quality, it's what file you're starting from.
The core difference: where you start
Recosoft PDF2ID takes a PDF (also PowerPoint, Illustrator and XPS) and rebuilds it inside InDesign, recreating paragraphs, styles, grouped graphics, images, tables, even footnotes. It's mature and thorough. But like any PDF converter it reconstructs from a flattened file, so the output reflects what survived in the PDF.
idmly takes the HTML of a live design and builds the InDesign file straight from the rendered layout. No PDF step, so the document structure is generated fresh.
| idmly | Recosoft PDF2ID | |
|---|---|---|
| Source file | HTML / CSS design | PDF, PowerPoint, Illustrator, XPS |
| Output | Native .idml | InDesign document (in-app) |
| Where it runs | Web, nothing to install | InDesign plugin (Mac, Windows; ID 2022–2026) |
| Editable result | Clean, built from the live layout | Editable, reconstructed from the PDF |
| Fonts & styles | Bound by name, real named styles | Recovered from the source file |
| Pricing | $49 once, lifetime | ~$299/year subscription |
| Best for | AI, web and coded designs you have as HTML | Recovering PDFs, PowerPoints and legacy files |
When Recosoft PDF2ID is the right call
If you're starting from a PDF or a PowerPoint, especially recovering documents you can't re-make, PDF2ID is built for exactly that and does it well. idmly doesn't convert those formats at all.
When idmly is the right call
If your design exists as HTML, from an AI tool, hand-coded, or exported from the browser, idmly gives you a native .idml with real named styles and editable charts, for $49 once, no subscription, nothing installed. Two pages convert free so you can test it on your own work first.
Frequently asked questions
Is idmly an alternative to Recosoft PDF2ID?
Can idmly convert a PDF or PowerPoint like PDF2ID?
Which is cheaper?
Does PDF2ID require InDesign?
.idml you open in InDesign or Affinity Publisher, nothing to install.Have the HTML? Skip the PDF and the subscription.
Drop your design in and watch the first two pages come back as a real, editable InDesign file, free.