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iLovePDF limits you to 25MB files. SmallPDF gives you 2 tasks per day. Both upload your documents to their servers. Here is a free alternative with no limits, no signup, and no upload — your PDFs process locally in your browser.
Compress, merge, and split PDFs — no limits, no signup.
Open Free PDF Tools| Feature | iLovePDF Free | SmallPDF Free | WildandFree (Free) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily task limit | ✓ Unlimited | ✗ 2 tasks/day | ✓ Unlimited |
| File size limit | ✗ 25MB | ~Varies by task | ✓ No limit |
| Account required | ~Optional (limits without) | ✗ Required for some | ✓ No account ever |
| Compress PDF | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Merge PDF | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Split PDF | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Batch processing | ~Limited on free | ✗ 2/day cap | ✓ One at a time, unlimited |
| File upload to servers | ✗ Yes — their servers | ✗ Yes — their servers | ✓ No — browser processing |
| Price to remove limits | $7/month | $12/month | ✓ Free — no limits to remove |
| File deletion policy | 2 hours after processing | 1 hour after processing | ✓ N/A — never uploaded |
| OCR capability | ✓ Yes (paid) | ✓ Yes (paid) | ✓ Yes (free) |
| Watermark on output | ✓ None | ✓ None | ✓ None |
To be fair, these tools do things our free tools do not:
For compress, merge, split, and basic PDF operations — there is no reason to pay. Free tools handle these perfectly.
| What Happens | iLovePDF / SmallPDF | Browser-Based Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Upload | PDF goes to their servers (EU/US) | PDF stays on your device |
| Processing | Their servers compress your file | Your browser compresses the file |
| Storage | Stored 1-2 hours, then deleted (they say) | Never stored anywhere |
| Access | Their employees could theoretically access | Only you have access |
| Breach risk | If their servers are breached, files at risk | No server = nothing to breach |
| GDPR compliance | They are GDPR compliant | N/A — no data processing occurs |
All the PDF tools you need — free, no limits, no upload.
Try It Free