SmallPDF is one of the most popular online PDF tools, but its 2 tasks per day limit on the free tier frustrates many users. If you need to compress, merge, or convert more than 2 PDFs daily, you will hit a paywall asking for $12/month.
Similarly, iLovePDF limits free users to 3 tasks per hour, and shows ads. While these are great tools, there are better alternatives if you need:
In this comparison, we will analyze 7 PDF tools - their features, limitations, pricing, and privacy policies - to help you find the best free PDF solution for your needs.
At-a-glance comparison of all 7 PDF tools
| Tool | Pricing | Daily Limit | Watermarks | Signup | Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Edesy | Free (Forever) | Unlimited | Not needed | Excellent | |
SmallPDF | Free (limited) / $12/month Pro | 2 tasks/day | Not needed | Good | |
iLovePDF | Free (with ads) / $7/month Premium | 3 tasks/hour | Not needed | Good | |
PDF24 | Free (Forever) | Unlimited | Not needed | Fair | |
Sejda | Free (limited) / $7.50/month Pro | 3 tasks/hour | Not needed | Good | |
Adobe Acrobat Online | Free (very limited) / $19.99/month | Limited tasks | Required | Good | |
PDF Candy | Free (basic) / $6/month Pro | 1 task/hour | Not needed | Fair |
In-depth look at each PDF tool with pros and cons
Free online PDF tools with complete privacy. All processing happens in your browser - files never leave your device.
Pros
Cons
Popular online PDF tool suite with a freemium model. Offers 21+ tools but limits free users to 2 tasks per day.
Pros
Cons
Feature-rich PDF tool suite with free tier. Shows ads to free users and has hourly task limits.
Pros
Cons
German-made PDF tool suite. Completely free with no limits, but files are processed on servers.
Pros
Cons
Solid PDF toolkit with a reasonable free tier. Limits free users to 3 tasks per hour and 200 pages.
Pros
Cons
Official Adobe PDF tools. Free tier is very limited - most features require Acrobat Pro subscription.
Pros
Cons
Simple PDF tool collection with basic free features. Some tools require premium subscription.
Pros
Cons
Compare features across all PDF tools
| Feature | Edesy | SmallPDF | iLovePDF | PDF24 | Sejda | Adobe | PDF Candy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Compress PDF | |||||||
Merge PDF | |||||||
Split PDF | |||||||
Rotate Pages | |||||||
PDF to Word | |||||||
Word to PDF | |||||||
PDF to JPG | |||||||
JPG to PDF | |||||||
Sign PDF | |||||||
Protect PDF | |||||||
Unlock PDF | |||||||
Add Watermark | |||||||
OCR (Text Recognition) | |||||||
No Daily Limits | |||||||
No Signup Required | |||||||
Files Stay on Device |
Unlike SmallPDF and iLovePDF, Edesy offers truly unlimited PDF tools with maximum privacy
Your PDF files are processed entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is ever uploaded to any server. Your sensitive documents stay on your device.
Unlike SmallPDF (2/day) or iLovePDF (3/hour), Edesy has no task limits. Compress, merge, split as many PDFs as you need - completely free.
No waiting for uploads or downloads. Client-side processing means your PDFs are ready in seconds, not minutes.
Use on any device with a modern browser - Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android. No software installation needed.
All tools are free, unlimited, and process files in your browser
Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size by up to 90%
Merge PDF
Combine multiple PDFs into one
Split PDF
Separate PDF into multiple files
Remove Pages
Delete unwanted PDF pages
Rotate PDF
Rotate pages in any direction
PDF to Word
Convert PDF to editable Word document
PDF to JPG
Convert PDF pages to images
Sign PDF
Add signature to PDF documents
Protect PDF
Add password protection to PDFs
Unlock PDF
Remove password from PDFs
OCR PDF
Make scanned PDFs searchable
Extract Pages
Extract specific pages from PDF
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When comparing SmallPDF alternatives and iLovePDF alternatives, the key factors are daily limits, privacy, and feature availability. SmallPDF offers 2 free tasks per day, iLovePDF offers 3 per hour, while Edesy offers unlimited usage with no restrictions.
Most online PDF tools upload your files to their servers for processing. While they claim to delete files after a certain period, this poses a privacy risk for sensitive documents. Edesy is different - all processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your files never leave your device, making it the most secure option.
For most users looking for a free SmallPDF alternative or iLovePDF alternative, Edesy offers the best combination of features, privacy, and unlimited usage. All major PDF operations are supported, no signup is required, and your files stay completely private on your device.
Common questions about free PDF tools