7 PDF to EPUB converters on a real published research paper

By EPUBTurn · Updated 6 October 2026

Compare EPUBTurn, Calibre, CloudConvert, Convertio, PDF24 Flow, Zamzar and pdf2ereader on a real published research PDF. EPUBTurn’s reviewed export kept passage order and numeric context but clipped Figure 1’s lower axis labels.

On this page

The real paper used for this comparison
How the EPUBTurn result was made
Seven converters, three named reading checks
What EPUBTurn retained—and what was clipped
Calibre
Convertio
PDF24 Flow
pdf2ereader
Choose a permitted workflow, then judge its content
The source, raw files and your next check

The real paper used for this comparison

Seven routes can produce very different reading files from the same research PDF. We compared a real ten-page Nature Communications excerpt with dense columns, a multi-panel figure and numerical results. Four default competitor downloads were available; two other routes could not proceed at their existing free limits. EPUBTurn produced a reviewed result after manual equation corrections.

We publish EPUBTurn. The comparison uses the source and saved results so you can inspect the evidence.

How the EPUBTurn result was made

EPUBTurn’s initial automatic workflow stopped on page 7. Three equation image boundaries were manually corrected before a reviewed result was made. Competitor files use their stated defaults. The remaining figure defect was not repaired.

Seven converters, three named reading checks

The seven are EPUBTurn, Calibre, CloudConvert, Convertio, PDF24 Flow, Zamzar and pdf2ereader. We check column order, Figure 1’s panels and caption, and exact values with their population conditions. Four competitor outputs are available. CloudConvert and Zamzar reached free access limits; their missing files have no reading-quality score. EPUBTurn’s reviewed result retained the passage order and numeric associations, with a partial Figure 1 crop.

Published pages 1–10: three inspectable tasks. Unavailable downloads have no quality score.
Provider	Column order	Figure 1 panels/caption	Values with population conditions
Calibre	Issue: interleaved	Issue: panels absent	Partial: disrupted association
Convertio	Issue: interleaved	Issue: panels absent	Partial: disrupted association
PDF24 Flow	Issue: interleaved	Issue: panels absent	Partial: disrupted association
pdf2ereader	Issue: interleaved	Issue: panels absent	Partial: disrupted association
EPUBTurnOur converter	Retained: ordered passages	Partial: lower axes clipped	Retained: values with conditions
CloudConvert	No output: free access limit
Zamzar	No download: free access limit

What EPUBTurn retained—and what was clipped

EPUBTurn’s reviewed file kept the left passage before the right continuation and preserved the inspected Results values with their population conditions. Figure 1 retained the map, density curve and scatterplot with the caption. Its crop nevertheless cut off lower x-axis ticks and titles in panels B and C. Count that figure as partial and keep the PDF for those labels.

Original source page 2: two columns with a numeric result continuing across the break. Open full-size image

Reviewed EPUBTurn result: passage order and numeric context retained — Reviewed export: left and right passages remain ordered. Open full-size image

Original source page 3: complete Figure 1 with its lower axes and caption. Open full-size image

Reviewed EPUBTurn result: Figure 1 panels retained with clipped lower x-axis labels — Reviewed export: map, density and scatterplot retained; lower x-axis labels clipped. Open full-size image

Calibre

Calibre’s default output placed the right-column interval inside the left opening and omitted Figure 1’s visual panels. Numeric text remained, but the interleaving disrupted its context. Compare the untouched output with EPUBTurn’s reviewed result; the different review conditions remain part of this comparison.

Calibre: Untouched default output: caption text remains without Figure 1’s visual panels. — Untouched default output: caption text remains without Figure 1’s visual panels. Open full-size image

Convertio

Convertio’s default output placed the right-column interval inside the left opening and omitted Figure 1’s visual panels. Numeric text remained, but the interleaving disrupted its context. Compare the untouched output with EPUBTurn’s reviewed result; the different review conditions remain part of this comparison.

Convertio: Untouched default output: caption text remains without Figure 1’s visual panels. — Untouched default output: caption text remains without Figure 1’s visual panels. Open full-size image

PDF24 Flow

PDF24 Flow’s default output placed the right-column interval inside the left opening and omitted Figure 1’s visual panels. Numeric text remained, but the interleaving disrupted its context. Compare the untouched output with EPUBTurn’s reviewed result; the different review conditions remain part of this comparison.

PDF24 Flow: Untouched default output: caption text remains without Figure 1’s visual panels. — Untouched default output: caption text remains without Figure 1’s visual panels. Open full-size image

pdf2ereader

pdf2ereader’s default output placed the right-column interval inside the left opening and omitted Figure 1’s visual panels. Numeric text remained, but the interleaving disrupted its context. Compare the untouched output with EPUBTurn’s reviewed result; the different review conditions remain part of this comparison.

pdf2ereader: Untouched default output: caption text remains without Figure 1’s visual panels. — Untouched default output: caption text remains without Figure 1’s visual panels. Open full-size image

Choose a permitted workflow, then judge its content

Local control, upload permission and access conditions can decide a workflow before content quality. Those practical factors remain separate from the three inspected reading tasks.

Browser captures use a 1280 × 900 view at 100% zoom. No native reader or device was tested. This paper has no scan or table-grid test; no accuracy or speed ranking is claimed.

The source, raw files and your next check

Source: Hadj-Hammou et al. (2024), Global patterns and drivers of fish reproductive potential on coral reefs, Nature Communications 15:6105, doi:10.1038/s41467-024-50367-0. CC BY 4.0. We used original pages 1–10, omitting the final reference/licence page. No source wording was rewritten. Converted files and screenshot excerpts are adaptations.

Choose a passage that reveals your actual problem: a column transition, a useful chart or an exact result with its condition. Try an EPUBTurn sample and compare the included pages with the source. Up to ten automatic pages may omit the feature you need; an omitted feature remains unchecked.

Files used in this guide

Download the source files, conversion results or worksheets referenced here. Each label identifies the source document or the converter used.

Published source excerpt, pages 1–10 EPUBTurn reviewed published-paper EPUB Calibre untouched published-paper EPUB Convertio untouched published-paper EPUB PDF24 Flow untouched published-paper EPUB pdf2ereader untouched published-paper EPUB