Iteration Layer vs Extend
Extend Parse converts documents into LLM-ready markdown or spatial output; Iteration Layer keeps markdown conversion as a direct API call.
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Why developers switch from Extend
Extend Parse is full-featured parsing infrastructure; Iteration Layer is a direct document-to-markdown endpoint.
Markdown conversion as the product
Call one endpoint when you need readable markdown for RAG, LLM context, or review workflows without configuring a broader parsing system.
Image descriptions included
Image inputs return OCR text and a natural language image description so visual documents can still enter text-first pipelines.
EU-hosted by default
Keep conversion workloads on EU-hosted infrastructure with zero file retention beyond operational logs.
Feature-by-feature comparison
We went through the docs so you don't have to. Here's how every feature compares — including the ones where we're not the better choice.
| Feature | Iteration Layer | Extend |
|---|---|---|
| Markdown output |
Clean markdown
Returns readable markdown directly from the document |
Markdown target
Parse API supports markdown as a target format |
| Table preservation |
Markdown tables
Tables are rendered as markdown table syntax |
Configurable
Parser supports markdown output and block-level table options |
| Image description |
Yes
Image files include a natural language description alongside OCR text |
Block metadata
Parsed output can include blocks and layout metadata for figures and images |
| Supported input formats |
40+ formats
PDF, Office, EPUB, RTF, email, images, and more |
Documents
Built for document files sent by upload, URL, or file ID |
| Spatial output |
No
Focuses on clean markdown rather than near-layout-preserving text |
Yes
Spatial target preserves layout with whitespace and block metadata |
| MCP server |
Yes
MCP server available for AI agents and assistants |
No
No MCP server documented for AI agent integration |
| Automation integrations |
API, n8n, MCP
Official n8n node, REST API, webhook-friendly responses, and MCP server for agent workflows |
API and SDKs
REST API and SDKs are available for application integration |
| Workflow platform |
API endpoint
Single-purpose document-to-markdown endpoint for application pipelines |
Full platform
Parse can be part of multi-step document workflows with evals and review |
| EU hosting |
EU only
All processing happens exclusively on EU-hosted servers |
Enterprise option
BYOC and private VPC deployments are available for stricter data-residency needs |
| Pricing model |
Per page
Simple, predictable per-page pricing |
Platform pricing
Pricing depends on parse runs, workflow usage, and enterprise requirements |
| Infrastructure required |
None
Fully managed API with no deployment or infrastructure to manage |
None / optional
Managed cloud by default, with self-hosting available for enterprise deployments |
| GDPR / Data privacy |
Zero retention
No files or results stored beyond temporary 90-day logs |
Enterprise controls
SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and deployment controls available for regulated teams |
| Data used for training |
Never
Your data is never used to train or improve AI models — guaranteed for all plans |
Never
Extend states it does not train models on customer data and uses ZDR foundation-model providers |
Pricing
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Developer
For individuals & small projects
Startup
Save 40%For growing teams
Business
Save 47%For high-volume workloads
Or pay as you go from $0.022/credit with automatic volume discounts.
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