Iteration Layer vs Placid
Placid templates are visual platform state — designing one means logging into Placid, not editing a file.
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Why developers switch from Placid
Placid templates are platform state, not code — you can't store them in your repository.
Templates as code
Placid templates are created and managed in the Placid visual editor. They are platform state — not files in your repository. Our layer model is JSON defined in your codebase, versioned in git, and reviewable in pull requests.
AI operations built in
Placid composes static layers. We apply background removal and smart crop with object detection to individual layers as part of the same generation request, with no extra configuration.
Markdown text layers
Placid does not support Markdown in text layers. We do — bold, italic, links, and lists render natively within a text layer, without needing separate element positioning.
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 | Placid |
|---|---|---|
| Template definition |
JSON layers
Templates defined as JSON layer arrays — versionable and diffable |
Visual editor
Templates created and managed in the Placid visual editor as platform state |
| Layer composition |
Per layer
Independent text, image, and shape layers composited pixel-perfectly |
Template vars
Dynamic content via template variables defined in the visual editor |
| Output formats |
4 formats
PNG, JPEG, WebP, and PDF output |
3 formats
PNG, JPEG, PDF, and video output supported |
| Version control |
Full git history
Templates are code files with complete version history and pull request reviews |
None
Templates are platform state and cannot be version-controlled |
| AI operations |
Included
Background removal and smart crop with object detection available per layer |
None
No AI-based image operations available — composes static layers only |
| Markdown in text layers |
Yes
Bold, italic, links, and lists render natively within text layers |
No
No markdown support in text layers |
| Visual editor |
Developer-focused
JSON layer API designed for developers |
Built-in
Visual template editor accessible to non-developers |
| No-code integrations |
SDKs + MCP
TypeScript, Python, and Go SDKs plus an MCP server for AI agent integration |
Zapier + Make
Strong integrations with Zapier and Make for no-code automation workflows |
| EU hosting |
EU only
All processing happens exclusively on EU-hosted servers |
EU-based
Austria-based company with EU hosting |
| Language support |
Any language
REST API callable from any programming language with HTTP support |
Any language
REST API accessible from any programming language |
| Pricing model |
Per image
Pay-per-use pricing based on the number of images generated |
Monthly plan
Monthly plan based on image generation volume with per-image overage |
| Infrastructure required |
None
Fully managed API with no deployment or infrastructure to manage |
None
Fully managed SaaS platform with no infrastructure to manage |
| GDPR / Data privacy |
Zero retention
No files or results stored beyond temporary 90-day logs |
EU company
Austria-based company subject to EU data protection regulations |
Pricing
Start with free trial credits. No credit card required.
Developer
For individuals & small projects
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1,000 credits / monthThat's either: 1,000 image transformations 500 document generations 500 image generations 500 sheet generations 200 document extractions (5-page docs) 200 markdown conversions (5-page docs)
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All APIs included
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Free trial credits per API
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Email support
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Budget caps per key
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Optional auto top-up
Startup
Save 40%For growing teams
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5,000 credits / monthThat's either: 5,000 image transformations 2,500 document generations 2,500 image generations 2,500 sheet generations 1,000 document extractions (5-page docs) 1,000 markdown conversions (5-page docs)
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All APIs included
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Free trial credits per API
-
Priority support
-
Budget caps per key
-
Optional auto top-up
Business
Save 47%For high-volume workloads
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15,000 credits / monthThat's either: 15,000 image transformations 7,500 document generations 7,500 image generations 7,500 sheet generations 3,000 document extractions (5-page docs) 3,000 markdown conversions (5-page docs)
-
All APIs included
-
Free trial credits per API
-
Priority support
-
Budget caps per key
-
Optional auto top-up
Start building in minutes
Free trial credits included. No credit card required.