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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
Jennifer spent a decade as an executive assistant and office manager handling every type of business document imaginable. She writes about PDF tools and document workflows for professionals who need reliable solutions without enterprise pricing.
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