pdfdots as an iLovePDF alternative
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iLovePDF is one of the best known PDF sites on the web, and for good reason: the interface is clear, the tool list is long, and it has desktop and mobile apps. People usually start looking for an alternative for one of three reasons. They hit a limit on the free tier, they do not want a paid subscription for a few jobs a month, or they would rather not upload a sensitive document to a remote server.
We built pdfdots around that last point. Most of our tools, including Merge PDF, Split PDF, Compress PDF and Sign PDF, process the file inside your own browser tab, so the document never reaches us. Below we compare the two services feature by feature, explain where iLovePDF is stronger, and show how to do the usual iLovePDF tasks in pdfdots.
pdfdots vs iLovePDF at a glance
| Feature | pdfdots | iLovePDF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan (3 tasks a day); optional paid plans from $2.99/month | Free tier with limits; paid Premium plans for more |
| Account | Free account required | Basic tools usable without an account |
| Where files are processed | Most tools run in your browser; Office conversions, PDF/A, grayscale and HTML to PDF run on our server in Germany and are deleted right after | Files are uploaded to their servers for processing and deleted after a period, per their documentation |
| File size | Files up to 10 MB on the free plan, larger on paid plans | Larger limits and batch sizes on paid plans |
| Ads | None | Free web version may show promotional content |
| Number of tools | 37 tools | A comparable, broad set of tools |
| OCR | OCR PDF, runs in the browser | OCR available, tied to their plans |
| Apps | PDF Dots mobile app with the same account | Desktop and mobile apps |
What changes when the file stays in your browser
With a typical online PDF service, the flow is: upload, wait, download. With pdfdots the flow for most tools is: pick the file, the page does the work with JavaScript and WebAssembly, you save the result. There is no upload step, so a 200-page scan does not have to travel over a slow hotel connection before anything happens.
The honest caveat is that your own computer does the work. On an older phone, a very large Compress PDF job can be slower than on a powerful server. For everyday documents we find the difference small, and the privacy gain is large: payslips, medical letters and signed contracts never sit in someone else's storage.
When iLovePDF is the better choice
We would rather you use the right tool than ours. iLovePDF is a good fit in these cases:
- You need a quick task on a shared computer and do not want to sign in anywhere.
- You rely on their desktop app or on integrations with cloud drives in a team setting.
- Your team already pays for their business plan and uses shared workflows.
- You send documents for signature every day and need team templates, bulk sending or integrations; pdfdots Studio has a simpler send-for-signature flow (ordered signers, an audit trail and a certificate page) that suits occasional contracts.
Doing your usual iLovePDF tasks in pdfdots
Most people use a small set of tools over and over. Here is where they live in pdfdots. Merge PDF combines files in the order you drag them. Compress PDF shrinks files for email and uploads without sending them anywhere. PDF to Word and Word to PDF use our server in Germany because they need office conversion software; the file is deleted as soon as the result is sent back. JPG to PDF and PDF to JPG run fully in the browser.
If you want to keep results, click Save to my files. The free plan includes 100 MB of storage (more on paid plans), encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM on servers in Germany, and the same files are available in the PDF Dots mobile app.
Why we ask for an account, and what the free plan covers
A required account can feel like friction, so we want to explain it. It lets us rate-limit abuse of the server tools, give you private storage, and count the free plan's 3 tasks a day, without ads or selling data. We do not send newsletters. You can delete the account and every stored file at any time from the Studio.
The iLovePDF jobs people ask us about most
When people tell us why they moved from iLovePDF, the same handful of jobs keeps coming up. Here is how we would run each one in pdfdots, in the order that wastes the fewest steps, and where the file is actually processed.
- A stack of receipts for an expense claim: Merge PDF first, then Compress PDF on the merged file. Both run in your browser, so nothing is uploaded, and on the free plan that is two of your three tasks for the day.
- A contract you need to edit in Word: PDF to Word runs on our server at Hetzner in Nuremberg, Germany, and the file is deleted right after. Free accounts can send files up to 10 MB; server conversions stay capped at 50 MB even on Silver and Gold.
- A scanned letter you want to quote from: OCR PDF in the browser first, then copy the text or convert it with PDF to Word.
- A document that several people must sign: send it for signature from Studio, with ordered signers, e-mail invites carrying a private link, automatic reminders, an audit trail and a certificate page. It is a simple electronic signature, and the free plan includes 3 sign requests a month.
- A report to brand before sending: Add Watermark and Add Page Numbers, both local, then Protect PDF if it needs a password.
Tools to try instead
Frequently asked questions
Is pdfdots really free compared to iLovePDF Premium?
For light use, yes. The free plan gives you all 37 tools, 3 tasks a day and files up to 10 MB. Paid plans start at $2.99 a month, and Silver and Gold have no daily limit. We cannot match every iLovePDF Premium feature, but the common tasks are covered.
Does pdfdots upload my PDFs like iLovePDF does?
Most pdfdots tools do not upload anything; they run in your browser. Office conversions, PDF/A, grayscale and HTML to PDF are the exceptions. Those files go over HTTPS to our server in Germany and are deleted right after the result is returned.
Is there a file size limit?
Yes. The free plan accepts files up to 10 MB each; higher plans accept larger files. Very large jobs in browser tools also depend on your device's memory.
Can I use pdfdots on my phone?
Yes, in a mobile browser or through the PDF Dots app, which uses the same account and the same My files storage.
Is there an iLovePDF alternative that does not upload my files?
Yes. In pdfdots, Merge PDF, Split PDF, Compress PDF, Sign PDF, OCR PDF, Redact PDF and most other tools process the document inside your browser tab, so it never reaches our server. Only Office conversions, PDF/A, grayscale and HTML to PDF go to our server in Germany, and those files are deleted right after the result is returned.
Can I send a PDF to several people for signature without paying?
Yes, within the free plan's 3 sign requests a month. From Studio you add the signers, set their order, and each one gets an e-mail with a private signing link and automatic reminders. The finished file includes an audit trail and a certificate page. It is a simple electronic signature, not a qualified one.