Preflight that keeps
your PDFs grounded
Detection-only PDF preflight engine. Inspect color spaces, fonts, images, transparency, overprint, and page geometry — without ever modifying a single byte.
$ curl -X POST https://api.grounded.dev/v1/jobs \
-H "Authorization: Bearer grd_..." \
-F file=@brochure.pdf
{
"job_id": "f47ac10b-...",
"status": "pending",
"checks": 196,
"profile": "grounded-default"
}Everything you need for PDF preflight
Built for print production teams, packaging houses, and publishing workflows that demand precision without compromise.
196 Inspection Checks
Color spaces, fonts, images, transparency, overprint, page geometry — every detail that matters for print production.
PDF/X-4 Conformance
Full ISO 19005 validation with veraPDF integration. Verify conformance levels from PDF/X-1a through PDF/X-4.
Zero Modifications
Detection-only architecture. We inspect, report, and recommend — but never alter your original files.
Async Processing
Submit jobs via REST API and get results via webhooks or polling. Built on Celery for reliable background processing.
Custom Flight Plans
Configure which checks run, set severity levels, and define tolerance thresholds with reusable preflight profiles.
Multi-Tenant API
API key authentication, per-tenant rate limits, team isolation, and webhook delivery for every account.
How it works
Three steps from upload to actionable preflight report.
Upload
Taxi to the runway
Submit your PDF via the REST API with your chosen flight plan (preflight profile). Files are stored securely in encrypted cloud storage.
Analyze
Pre-departure checks
Our engine runs 196 inspection checks: color spaces, font embedding, image resolution, transparency, overprint, page geometry, and PDF/X-4 conformance.
Results
Flight status report
Get a detailed findings report via webhook or polling. Each finding includes severity, page location, inspection ID, and remediation guidance.
Simple, transparent pricing
Start free. Scale as your preflight volume grows.
Free
Try Grounded with basic limits.
- 10 jobs / day
- 10 MB max file size
- 1 custom flight plan
- 196 inspection checks
- Community support
Starter
For small teams and freelancers.
- 100 jobs / day
- 50 MB max file size
- 5 custom flight plans
- Webhook delivery
- Email support
Pro
For production workflows.
- 1,000 jobs / day
- 100 MB max file size
- 20 custom flight plans
- Priority webhook delivery
- Priority support
Enterprise
For high-volume operations.
- 100,000 jobs / day
- 500 MB max file size
- 100 custom flight plans
- Dedicated infrastructure
- SLA & onboarding