iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted: An Honest Comparison
Facts checked on Β· By the PDFTrusted team
iLovePDF is one of the biggest PDF sites on the web, with a huge toolset and apps on every platform. PDFTrusted is a newer, privacy-first alternative that runs everyday tools on your own device.
Here is how they compare on tools, ease of use, privacy, apps, AI and price β including where iLovePDF is the better choice. Competitor facts come from iLovePDFβs own pricing, FAQ and security pages.
Transparency note: PDFTrusted wrote this comparison, so we have tried hard to be fair. Competitor prices and features come from their own public pages, linked in Sources. If anything has changed, tell us and we will update it.
Executive Summary: Our Recommendation
π iLovePDF wins on breadth and scale: redaction, compare, forms, PDF/A, signature requests, files up to 4 GB, batch processing, and desktop and mobile apps β for $48 a year.
π PDFTrusted wins on privacy and simplicity: everyday tools run on your device, the free plan is ad-free with no sign-up, and Pro is $5.99 a month or $49 a year.
We compared them across six areas:
- 1Essential PDF Tools
- 2Ease of Use
- 3Privacy and Security
- 4Devices and Apps
- 5AI Features
- 6Pricing and Free Plan
π‘ Tip: Many people use both: a privacy-first tool for personal files like IDs and bank statements, and a full suite for specialist jobs.
Comparison Summary: iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted
Stars show how strong each product is in that area. π marks the leader when there is one.
PDFTrustedEssential PDF Tools
Widest: Covers almost every PDF job, including specialist tools.
Focused: 37 everyday tools; a few specialist ones still missing.
Ease of Use
Familiar: A clear tool grid that millions already know.
Calm: One job per screen, built for phones first.
Privacy and Security
Certified: ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, uploads deleted within 2 hours.
On-device: Everyday tools never upload; server jobs deleted within 1 hour.
Devices and Apps
Everywhere: Web, Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.
Web-only: Any modern browser on phone or desktop; no native apps.
AI Features
Practical: Summarizer, translation and PDF to Markdown.
Focused: Chat, summarize and questions on up to 200 pages.
Pricing and Free Plan
Low yearly: $48 a year, plus a free year for students.
Low monthly: $5.99 a month or $49 a year; ad-free free plan.
Best for
Heavy users and teams who want the widest toolset, very large files, batch processing and desktop or mobile apps β at a low yearly price.
Visit iLovePDFStudents, professionals and anyone handling personal documents who want everyday PDF jobs done privately on their own device, ad-free, at the lowest monthly price.
Try PDFTrusted freeiLovePDF vs PDFTrusted at a Glance
| Feature | iLovePDF | PDFTrusted |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, limited per tool | Yes, 20 jobs a day |
| Paid plan (monthly) | $7 | $5.99 |
| Paid plan (yearly) | $48 | $49 |
| Max file size (paid) | 4 GB per task | 100 MB |
| Everyday tools on your device | No, server | Yes, 20 tools |
| Server files deleted | Within 2 hours | Within 1 hour |
| ISO/IEC 27001 | Yes | No |
| Signature requests | Yes (iLoveSign) | No, self-sign only |
| Redact / compare | Both | Not yet |
| AI tools | Summarize, translate | Chat, summarize, questions |
| Apps | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android | Browser only |
| Interface languages | 26 | 18 |
Prices in USD for one user, before tax, as listed on October 1, 2026.
What is iLovePDF?
βEvery tool you need to work with PDFs in one placeβ
iLovePDF is one of the most visited PDF websites in the world. It describes itself as the #1 most-used online PDF software and says it processes 16.5 million documents every day.
It is a Europe-based company, fully GDPR compliant and ISO/IEC 27001 certified. Besides the web app it offers desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps for iOS and Android, e-signatures through iLoveSign, and a developer API.
The toolset is the widest of the three: beyond the everyday basics it covers redaction, PDF comparison, PDF forms, cropping, repair, PDF/A, OCR, translation and an AI summarizer.
Best for: Heavy users and teams who want the widest toolset, very large files, batch processing and desktop or mobile apps β at a low yearly price.
What is PDFTrusted?
βFree PDF tools for every task, on any deviceβ
PDFTrusted is a newer, privacy-first PDF toolkit with 37 tools for organizing, compressing, converting, editing, signing, protecting and AI work. It is available in 18 languages and works in any modern browser on phone or desktop.
Its difference is where files go. Twenty everyday tools β merge, split, organize, compress, edit, sign, watermark, protect, unlock, image tools and more β run entirely inside your browser, so those files are never uploaded. OCR, Office conversion and AI run on a secure server, and those files are deleted within one hour.
The free plan has no ads, no watermark and needs no account for basic work. Pro is $5.99 a month or $49 a year and raises jobs to 200 pages, files to 100 MB, and adds 1 GB of storage.
Best for: Students, professionals and anyone handling personal documents who want everyday PDF jobs done privately on their own device, ad-free, at the lowest monthly price.
iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted: Essential PDF Tools
iLovePDF has more specialist tools; PDFTrusted covers the everyday essentials and runs most of them on your device.
PDFTrustedMost people use a handful of tools again and again: merge, compress, convert to and from Word, and sign. We looked at how each product handles those jobs, and what extra tools are there when you need them.
Merging and organizing PDFs: both are easy; PDFTrusted keeps the files on your device
iLovePDF: Merge PDF is a single big βSelect PDF filesβ button with Google Drive and Dropbox import. You drag files into order and download. Free users can merge up to 25 files of up to 100 MB; Premium raises that to 500 files and 4 GB.
PDFTrusted: PDFTrusted merges PDFs and photos (JPG, PNG, HEIC and more) into one file, with page reordering and blank-page insertion. The whole job runs inside your browser, so the files never leave your device. Split, extract, delete, rotate and organize work the same way.
Compressing PDFs: both shrink files well; iLovePDF takes bigger files, PDFTrusted never uploads them
iLovePDF: Compress PDF offers compression levels and accepts files up to 200 MB on the free plan β the most generous free compress limit here. Processing happens on iLovePDFβs servers.
PDFTrusted: PDFTrusted compresses in your browser and shows the size before and after. You choose Extreme, Recommended or Less, which helps with strict upload limits like 100 KB or 200 KB. Free files can be up to 25 MB.
Converting to and from Office: both convert both ways; iLovePDF adds OCR-based conversion
iLovePDF: iLovePDF converts PDF to Word, Excel and PowerPoint and back, plus HTML to PDF and PDF/A. It also offers OCR versions of PDF to Word and PDF to Excel for scanned files. Free Office conversions are limited to 15 MB per file.
PDFTrusted: PDFTrusted converts PDF to Word, Excel and PowerPoint and back, plus OpenOffice files, RTF, HTML, web pages (URL), EPUB, TXT, CSV and ZIP to PDF. Office conversions run on a secure server and the files are deleted within one hour. Free conversions handle up to 20 pages.
Signing and specialist tools: iLovePDF adds signature requests, redaction and compare; PDFTrusted signs privately on your device
iLovePDF: Sign PDF lets you sign yourself or send signature requests to others, with advanced e-signatures and an audit trail through iLoveSign. iLovePDF also offers redaction, PDF compare, PDF forms, crop and repair.
PDFTrusted: PDFTrustedβs Sign PDF lets you draw, type or upload your signature and place it on any page, all inside your browser. It also edits text, adds watermarks and page numbers, protects and unlocks PDFs, and repairs damaged files. Signature requests, redaction and compare are not available yet.
Verdict: iLovePDF wins on breadth: redaction, compare, forms, PDF/A and signature requests are all there. For the everyday set β merge, compress, convert, sign, protect β both do the job well, and PDFTrusted keeps most of those files on your device.
iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted: Ease of Use
Both are easy: one tool per page, one upload button, one download.
PDFTrustedOnline PDF tools win or lose on the first minute. We looked at how quickly a new visitor can find the tool, understand the options and download a result β on desktop and on a phone.
Interface and first-time experience: a tie β both get you from upload to download in a few clicks
iLovePDF: The homepage is a grid of tool cards with short descriptions and category filters (Organize, Optimize, Convert, Edit, Security, PDF Intelligence). Each tool page is a single large button, which makes iLovePDF very quick for people who already know what they want.
PDFTrusted: PDFTrusted uses one job per screen with plain options, large tap targets and a result card showing what changed (for example, the size saved). The same layout works on phones, so finishing a form upload from a mobile browser is as easy as on a laptop.
Languages and help: iLovePDF offers more languages; PDFTrusted localizes each tool page in 18
iLovePDF: iLovePDFβs language menu lists 26 languages, and it has a help center and FAQ covering common questions.
PDFTrusted: PDFTrusted is available in 18 languages, each with native, translated tool pages and URLs. Every tool page includes a step-by-step guide and FAQ, and support is by email (priority on Pro).
Verdict: Both are easy. iLovePDF is very fast for people who know its grid; PDFTrusted feels calmer on a phone and explains each result.
iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted: Privacy and Security
iLovePDF is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and deletes uploads within 2 hours; PDFTrusted avoids uploading everyday files at all.
PDFTrustedBank statements, IDs, contracts and medical letters all pass through PDF tools. Security has two parts: how well a provider protects files on its servers, and whether the files need to reach a server in the first place.
Where your files are processed: PDFTrusted processes everyday tools on your device; iLovePDF uses its servers
iLovePDF: Files are uploaded over HTTPS with encryption and processed on iLovePDFβs servers. Premium and Business add regional file processing, so you can choose where your files are handled (7 and 11 regions).
PDFTrusted: Twenty everyday tools β merge, split, organize, rotate, compress, edit, sign, watermark, page numbers, protect, unlock, repair and image conversions β run inside your browser using your device. For those jobs the file is never uploaded. OCR, Office conversion and AI need a server and are sent over HTTPS.
Retention, encryption and certifications: iLovePDF has formal certification; PDFTrusted deletes server files sooner
iLovePDF: iLovePDF holds ISO/IEC 27001 certification and is fully GDPR compliant. Its FAQ says files are kept a maximum of 2 hours so you can download them, then removed, and you can delete them yourself after each task.
PDFTrusted: Server-side jobs are cleaned up after processing and deleted within one hour at most. PDFTrusted does not keep a document archive unless you choose to save files to Pro Storage. It does not yet hold an ISO/IEC 27001 certificate.
Verdict: For certified compliance and regional processing, iLovePDF is strong. For keeping everyday files off servers entirely, PDFTrusted has the edge.
iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted: Devices and Apps
iLovePDF offers desktop and mobile apps; PDFTrusted runs in the browser on any device.
PDFTrustedSome people live in the browser; others want an app on the desktop or phone, with offline access and a scanner. Here is what each product offers beyond its website.
Web, desktop and mobile: iLovePDF covers more platforms; PDFTrusted needs nothing installed
iLovePDF: iLovePDF has desktop apps for Windows and Mac (also in the Mac and Microsoft stores) and mobile apps for iOS and Android with scan to PDF. Premium unlocks full access across web, desktop and mobile.
PDFTrusted: PDFTrusted has no app to install. Every tool is designed to work in a phone browser with large controls, and on-device tools keep working even on slow connections once the page has loaded. There is no native scanner app yet.
Verdict: iLovePDF clearly wins on apps. PDFTrusted is a good fit if you would rather not install anything and mostly work in a browser.
iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted: AI Features
iLovePDF offers summarize and translate; PDFTrusted offers chat, summaries and study questions.
PDFTrustedAI tools that summarize long reports, answer questions or translate documents are now a standard part of PDF suites. We compared what each offers and how much you can use it.
What the AI tools can do: PDFTrusted adds chat and study questions; iLovePDF adds translation
iLovePDF: iLovePDF offers an AI Summarizer and Translate PDF in Standard and Advanced modes, plus PDF to Markdown for feeding documents into other AI tools. Premium includes 2,000 AI credits.
PDFTrusted: PDFTrusted offers Chat with PDF, Summarize PDF and a question generator for study and review, each with Standard and Advanced AI. Free covers up to 15 pages; Pro handles up to 200 pages per job. Translation is not available yet.
Verdict: Pick iLovePDF if translation matters most; pick PDFTrusted for chatting with a document and turning it into study questions.
iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted: Pricing and Free Plan
PDFTrusted is cheaper monthly ($5.99 vs $7); iLovePDF is $1 cheaper yearly ($48 vs $49).
PDFTrustedAll three have a free plan and a paid plan for individuals. The real difference is what the free plan allows, how much monthly billing costs compared with yearly, and what each paid plan bundles.
iLovePDF plans
| Plan | Basic | Premium | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $7/monthor $4/month billed yearly ($48/year) | Custom25+ users |
| Includes |
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Note: Premium covers 1β25 users on the same plan. iLovePDF also offers a free year of Premium for students and academics.
PDFTrusted plans
| Plan | Free | Pro | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0forever | $5.99/monthor $49/year | Customcustom volume |
| Includes |
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Note: Payments run through our payment provider, with invoices on every paid plan. Cancel any time.
What the free plan includes: iLovePDF allows bigger free files; PDFTrustedβs free plan is ad-free
iLovePDF: The free Basic plan includes essential tools with limits per task β for example 25 files per merge, and files up to 100 MB for merge or 15 MB for Office and OCR. An ad-free experience is listed as a Premium feature.
PDFTrusted: The free plan includes 20 everyday jobs and 3 advanced uses (OCR, Office, AI) a day, files up to 25 MB, OCR up to 5 pages and AI up to 15 pages. There are no ads, no watermark and no sign-up needed for basic work.
Verdict: Yearly, the two are practically tied. Monthly, PDFTrusted saves you about $1 a month. iLovePDFβs Premium includes much higher file limits, desktop apps and signature requests, so heavy users get a lot for the price.
iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted: Pros & Cons
iLovePDF
Pros
- Widest toolset of the three, including redact, compare, crop, forms and PDF/A
- Premium allows files up to 4 GB per task and batch processing
- Desktop apps for Windows and Mac plus iOS and Android apps
- ISO/IEC 27001 certified and GDPR compliant
- Cheapest yearly plan here: $48 per year
- Free Premium year for students and academics
Cons
- Free plan limits batch size and file size per tool (as low as 15 MB for Office and OCR)
- Ad-free experience is listed as a Premium feature
- Monthly billing costs $7, noticeably more than the yearly rate
- Files are uploaded for processing and kept up to 2 hours
PDFTrusted
Pros
- Twenty everyday tools run fully in your browser β those files are never uploaded
- Free plan with no ads, no watermark and no sign-up needed
- Lowest monthly price: $5.99 per month
- Server jobs (OCR, Office, AI) are deleted within one hour
- Built for phones as much as desktops
- AI chat, summarize and question generation with Standard and Advanced modes
Cons
- Smaller toolset: no redact, crop, compare, translate, PDF/A or form filler yet
- No desktop or native mobile apps β it runs in the browser
- No signature requests or audit trail; signing is for your own signature
- Pro files top out at 100 MB and 200 pages per job
- Newer brand without an ISO/IEC 27001 certificate
Final Verdict: iLovePDF vs PDFTrusted and Who Each Is Best For
Best for: Heavy users and teams who want the widest toolset, very large files, batch processing and desktop or mobile apps β at a low yearly price.
PDFTrustedBest for: Students, professionals and anyone handling personal documents who want everyday PDF jobs done privately on their own device, ad-free, at the lowest monthly price.
The right choice depends on what you do with PDFs every week.
If you need specialist tools, huge files or native apps, iLovePDF is the stronger product. If your work is everyday merging, compressing, converting and signing β especially of personal documents β PDFTrusted does it privately and ad-free.
Use iLovePDF if:
- You need specialist tools like redaction, PDF compare, forms or PDF/A
- You process large batches or files bigger than 100 MB
- You want desktop apps for Windows or Mac and native mobile apps
- You need signature requests with an audit trail
- You are a student or academic β iLovePDF offers a free year of Premium for education
Use PDFTrusted if:
- You want everyday files (merge, compress, sign, protect) processed on your own device, never uploaded
- You want a free plan with no ads, no watermark and no sign-up
- You want the lowest monthly price: $5.99
- You work in one of 18 languages with native, localized tool pages
- Your documents are up to 200 pages and 100 MB
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good free alternative to iLovePDF?
PDFTrusted is a free alternative for everyday PDF work. Its free plan gives 20 jobs a day with no ads, no watermark and no sign-up, and tools like merge, compress, sign and protect run on your device instead of uploading files.
Is PDFTrusted cheaper than iLovePDF?
Monthly, yes: $5.99 versus $7. Yearly, iLovePDF is $1 cheaper ($48 versus $49). iLovePDF Premium includes higher limits such as 4 GB files and desktop apps.
Is iLovePDF safe?
iLovePDF is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and GDPR compliant. Its FAQ says files are encrypted in transit and removed from its servers within 2 hours. PDFTrusted avoids uploading everyday files at all.
What does iLovePDF have that PDFTrusted doesnβt?
Redaction, PDF compare, PDF forms, crop, PDF/A, translation, signature requests, batch processing, very large files, and desktop and mobile apps.
How we compared and sources
We used each productβs public website as a regular visitor would, and took every price, limit and security claim from the companyβs own pages on October 1, 2026. Star ratings are our editorial judgment of how well each product serves that area, and we gave competitors the top score wherever they lead. Screenshots show each productβs public pages as they appeared that day.
iLovePDF and Smallpdf are trademarks of their respective owners. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.