Iteration Layer vs Unstructured
Unstructured is a data pipeline platform for RAG ingestion — great at ETL, but a different tool than a document-to-markdown API.
Why developers switch from Unstructured
Unstructured is built for ETL pipelines and RAG ingestion — not a simple document-to-markdown API.
Single API call, not a pipeline
Unstructured requires configuring sources, destinations, workflows, and connectors to process documents. We return clean markdown from a single POST request — no pipeline setup, no infrastructure.
Image description field
When you convert an image file, we return both the OCR-extracted markdown and a natural language description of what the image shows. Unstructured returns chunked elements without semantic image understanding.
EU hosting with GDPR compliance
Unstructured is US-based with no EU-only hosting option. We process all documents on EU servers with zero data retention and a Data Processing Agreement available for every customer.
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 | Unstructured |
|---|---|---|
| Markdown output |
Clean markdown
Returns well-structured markdown with preserved headings, tables, and lists from any document |
Element-based
Returns structured JSON elements that can be reassembled into markdown — designed for chunking, not direct markdown output |
| Image description |
Yes
Returns a natural language description of image content alongside OCR markdown for image files |
No
Text extraction only — no semantic description of visual image content |
| API simplicity |
Single endpoint
One POST request with a file returns markdown — no configuration, workflows, or connectors needed |
Pipeline setup
Requires configuring sources, destinations, and workflows before processing documents |
| RAG chunking |
Plain markdown
Returns clean markdown — chunk it yourself or pass it directly to your pipeline |
Built-in
Multiple chunking strategies optimized for vector database ingestion with configurable chunk sizes |
| Source/destination connectors |
API only
Standalone REST API — bring your own storage and pipeline |
30+ connectors
Direct integrations with S3, Google Drive, SharePoint, Pinecone, Weaviate, and more |
| Table preservation |
Markdown tables
Tables are extracted and rendered as clean markdown table syntax |
Element-based
Tables extracted as structured elements with HTML table support for complex layouts |
| Supported input formats |
40+ formats
Process 40+ formats — PDF, Office, EPUB, RTF, LaTeX, email, Jupyter, images, and more — in a single API endpoint |
64+ formats
Supports 64+ file types including email, code files, and specialized formats |
| MCP server |
Yes
MCP server available for integration with AI agents and assistants |
Yes
MCP server available for workflow and partition operations |
| EU hosting |
EU only
All processing happens exclusively on EU-hosted servers |
US-based
Processing infrastructure is US-based with no EU-only hosting option |
| Pricing |
$0.033
1 credit per page |
$0.03/page
15,000-page free tier |
| Infrastructure required |
None
Fully managed API with no deployment or infrastructure to manage |
None
Fully managed cloud platform with optional dedicated instances |
| GDPR / Data privacy |
Zero retention
No files or results stored beyond temporary 90-day logs |
SOC 2 / HIPAA
SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA certified, GDPR support available — but US-based processing |
| Data used for training |
Never
Your data is never used to train or improve AI models — guaranteed for all plans |
Unclear
Public pages do not surface a no-training guarantee for hosted API customer data |
Pricing
Start usage-based. Switch to a subscription when your volume becomes predictable.
Usage-based
Graduated pricing. Your effective rate decreases automatically as monthly usage grows.
- No monthly commitment
- Pay only for credits used
- Automatic volume discounts as usage grows
Predictable volume
Fixed recurring credit packs with lower effective credit prices for steady usage.
- Lower effective per-credit prices
- Fixed recurring credit packs
- Predictable monthly budget
Try Iteration Layer with 100 credits
Start with one shared trial pool before choosing subscription or pay-as-you-go billing.
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