pdfdots as a PDFgear alternative
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PDFgear has become a popular answer to the question "is there a free PDF editor that is actually free?" PDFgear says its core software costs nothing, needs no sign-up and shows no ads. It ships native apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone and iPad, and Android, plus web tools and a Chrome extension. That is a strong offer, and we will say clearly where it beats us.
People still look for alternatives, usually for one of three reasons. Some want to know where their files go when they use the online tools. Others are unsure how long "free" will last, since PDFgear has written that it may charge for some advanced features in the future. And some simply want a browser-based toolkit with private cloud storage that works the same on a laptop and in a phone app.
pdfdots is built around that last group. Most of our 37 tools run inside your browser tab, so the document never reaches us, and the few that need a server run on our machine in Germany and delete the file right after. Below we compare the two feature by feature, explain when PDFgear is the better choice, and show how to do the usual PDFgear tasks in pdfdots.
pdfdots vs PDFgear at a glance
| Feature | pdfdots | PDFgear |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan (3 tasks a day); optional paid plans from $2.99/month | Core software marketed as free; PDFgear says it may charge for some advanced features later |
| Account | Free account required (Google or e-mail) | No registration needed for online tools or desktop apps |
| Ads | None | None, according to PDFgear |
| 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 | Online editor runs in the browser; some online tools, such as compression, upload to AWS servers in the US; desktop app works mostly locally |
| File size | Up to 10 MB on the free plan; 25 MB to 250 MB on paid plans | Up to 100 MB online; no stated limit in the desktop app |
| Platforms | Web, plus the PDF Dots app for iPhone and Android with the same account | Web, Windows, Mac, iOS/iPadOS, Android and a Chrome extension |
| Editing existing text | Edit PDF adds text, drawings, highlights and white-out; it does not change existing text | Desktop app edits existing text and images |
| OCR | OCR PDF in the browser, for searchable scans | Free desktop OCR (30+ languages), output to Word, TXT or RTF |
| Sending for signature | Studio: ordered signers, reminders, audit trail; 3 requests a month free | Through eSignGear, a separate product; free plan sends 2 documents a month |
| Cloud storage | My files: 100 MB free, encrypted at rest in Germany | Desktop app works with your local files |
How the two differ in practice
In our view PDFgear's strongest product is its Windows and Mac app. According to PDFgear, it edits existing text and images, creates and fills forms, redacts permanently, supports certificate-based digital signatures and batch-converts to more than 30 formats, mostly on your own machine and even offline. It also includes PDFgear Copilot, an AI assistant that runs tasks from plain-language requests.
pdfdots is browser-first. You open a tool, drop in a file, and the page does the work with JavaScript and WebAssembly. There is nothing to install, which helps on a work laptop where you cannot add software or on a Chromebook. The trade-off is that you need a free account and the free plan is deliberately small: 3 tasks a day and files up to 10 MB. In return you get private storage, fillable templates for common documents like invoices, NDAs and resumes, and a signing workflow inside the Studio.
On the web specifically, the two are closer than they look. PDFgear's online editor also processes files in the browser, and PDFgear lists 37 online tools grouped into editing, converting, organizing and signing. The difference is that some PDFgear online tools, such as compression, upload files to AWS servers in the US, while our browser tools, Compress PDF included, never upload the file at all.
When PDFgear is the better choice
We would rather you pick the right tool than ours. PDFgear is the stronger option in these cases:
- You want a full desktop PDF editor on Windows or Mac at no cost and are happy to install software.
- You need to change the existing text of a PDF, not just add to it; our Edit PDF works like a pen on top of the page.
- You need offline work, for example batch conversions on a plane or on a machine without internet.
- You never want to create an account, even a free one.
- You regularly process files larger than our plan limits; PDFgear's online tools accept up to 100 MB and its desktop app states no limit.
- You need certificate-based digital signatures (ours is a simple electronic signature) or want to design your own fillable forms in a desktop editor.
- You like the idea of an AI assistant that performs PDF tasks from a typed request.
- You want a mobile app with a large user base: at the time of writing in October 2026, PDFgear's iOS app is rated 4.7 from 8.8K ratings and its Android app 4.5 from 48.4K reviews.
Doing your usual PDFgear tasks in pdfdots
Compress PDF shrinks a file for e-mail entirely in your browser, so nothing is uploaded. Merge PDF and Split PDF also run in the browser, and Organize PDF lets you drag page thumbnails into a new order. Edit PDF lets you add text, drawings, highlights and white-out to an existing document, and Fill PDF Form handles fillable fields. For scans, OCR PDF recognises the text in the browser and makes the scan searchable.
Conversions to and from Word, Excel and PowerPoint need office software, so they run on our server in Germany (Hetzner, Nuremberg) and the file is deleted as soon as the result is returned. If you sign documents, Sign PDF places your own signature in the browser, and the Studio can send a document to several people in order, with reminders, an audit trail and a certificate page. Each signer gets an e-mail invitation with a private link, reminders go out automatically, and everyone gets an e-mail when the document is complete. It is a simple electronic signature, not a qualified e-signature.
Privacy: where your files go
With PDFgear it depends on the tool. The online editor says no file data is uploaded. The compression page says files are processed on AWS servers in the US, and it gives several different statements about when uploaded files are deleted, from closing the browser to 20 minutes after leaving the site. PDFgear's privacy policy names the United States as its server location and sets no fixed retention period. AI features send data to Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, and only after you give explicit consent in the app. The policy also allows third-party analytics and advertising tracking, including Google Analytics.
With pdfdots the rule is short. Browser tools keep the file on your device. Server tools send it to our machine in Germany and delete it right after the result is returned. Files you choose to keep in My files are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM on servers in Germany. We show no ads and do not sell data. Neither approach is wrong; they simply suit different comfort levels, and it is worth knowing which tool does what before you open a sensitive contract.
Why we charge, and what the free plan covers
PDFgear has explained that investment funding covers its costs and that it is considering charging for some advanced features, with no timeline. We chose a different model: a small free plan and low-priced paid plans that cover our server and storage costs. The free plan gives you 3 tasks a day, files up to 10 MB, 100 MB of storage, 3 sign requests a month and 1 saved signature. Bronze costs $2.99 a month or $23.99 a year for 20 tasks a day, 25 MB files, 1 GB storage and 10 sign requests a month. Silver at $5.99 a month or $47.99 a year removes the daily limit and accepts 100 MB files with 10 GB storage, and Gold at $11.99 a month or $95.99 a year adds 250 MB files, 50 GB storage and unlimited sign requests.
Tools to try instead
Frequently asked questions
Is PDFgear really free?
PDFgear markets its core desktop, mobile and online tools as free, with no ads and no premium versions. In an article last updated in April 2024 it also said it may charge for some advanced features, such as cloud AI tools, in the future, with no timeline set. Check PDFgear's own site for the current terms.
Is pdfdots free like PDFgear?
pdfdots has a free plan, but it is limited: 3 tasks a day, files up to 10 MB and 100 MB of storage, with a free account. Paid plans start at $2.99 a month, and Silver and Gold have no daily task limit.
Does pdfdots upload my files?
Most pdfdots tools run in your browser and upload nothing. Office conversions, PDF/A, grayscale and HTML to PDF are the exceptions: those files go to our server in Germany and are deleted right after the result is returned.
Does pdfdots have a desktop app like PDFgear?
No. pdfdots runs in any modern browser, and the PDF Dots mobile app for iPhone and Android uses the same account and My files storage. If you need an installed Windows or Mac editor that works offline, PDFgear is the better fit.
Which is better for OCR?
PDFgear's free desktop OCR supports 30+ languages and outputs Word, TXT or RTF; PDFgear describes direct searchable-PDF output as in development. pdfdots OCR PDF runs in the browser and makes a scan searchable, without installing anything.
Can I send a PDF to other people for signature?
In pdfdots, yes: the Studio supports ordered signers, reminders, an audit trail and a certificate page, with 3 requests a month on the free plan. Each signer gets an e-mail invitation with a private link, and reminders are sent automatically. PDFgear handles this through eSignGear, a separate product whose free plan sends 2 documents a month.