iLovePDF vs. Smallpdf vs. EverydayPDF: A 2025 Security & Privacy Showdown
The honest comparison. We'll tell you where we lose. But we'll show you why privacy, speed, and ownership matter more.
🎯 The Bottom Line (If You're Busy)
- Choose iLovePDF if: You want the most features and don't care where your files go
- Choose Smallpdf if: You want a premium brand and can afford $15/month forever
- Choose EverydayPDF if: You value privacy, want to own your tools, and prefer one-time payments
The Complete Feature Comparison
| Feature | iLovePDF | Smallpdf | EverydayPDF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core PDF Features | |||
| Merge PDFs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Split PDFs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Compress PDF | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Sign PDF | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Redact PDF | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ (Pro) |
| Word to PDF | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ (Use Word) |
| Excel to PDF | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ (Use Excel) |
| PowerPoint to PDF | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ (Use PPT) |
| Images to PDF | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Image Features | |||
| Image Compression | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Batch Image Compression | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ (Pro) |
| Image Format Conversion | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Image Resize | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Privacy & Security | |||
| File Processing Location | Their Servers | Their Servers | Your Browser |
| Upload Required | ✅ (Always) | ✅ (Always) | ❌ (Never) |
| Files Stored on Server | 2 hours | 1 hour | 0 seconds |
| Third-Party Access Possible | ✅ (See privacy policy) | ✅ (See privacy policy) | ❌ (Impossible) |
| Works Offline | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| GDPR Compliant by Design | Claims Yes | Claims Yes | ✅ (Verifiable) |
| Performance | |||
| Processing Speed (Small PDF) | 2-5 seconds | 2-4 seconds | Instant |
| Processing Speed (Large PDF) | 10-30 seconds | 10-25 seconds | 1-3 seconds |
| Batch Processing 50 Files | 5-10 minutes | 5-8 minutes | 10-20 seconds |
| File Size Limit (Free) | 25MB | 25MB | Unlimited |
| File Size Limit (Paid) | 100MB | 5GB | Unlimited (RAM only) |
| Pricing | |||
| Free Plan | Limited (ads) | 2 tasks/day | 5 tools unlimited |
| Pro Plan (Monthly) | €7 (~₹625) | $15 (~₹1,250) | - |
| Pro Plan (Annual) | €48 (~₹4,300) | $144 (~₹12,000) | ₹999 (One-time) |
| 3-Year Total Cost | ₹12,900 | ₹36,000 | ₹999 |
| Team License (5 users) | €180/year (~₹16,200) | $420/year (~₹35,000) | ₹3,999 (One-time) |
| Other Features | |||
| Mobile App | ✅ iOS/Android | ✅ iOS/Android | ❌ (Web only) |
| Desktop App | ✅ Windows/Mac | ✅ Windows/Mac | ❌ (Web only) |
| API Access | ✅ (Premium) | ❌ | ❌ |
| OCR (Text Recognition) | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Cloud Storage Integration | ✅ Dropbox/GDrive | ✅ Dropbox/GDrive | ❌ (Privacy feature) |
| Customer Support | Email (24-48hrs) | Email (12-24hrs) | |
Where We Lose (And Why We're Okay With It)
Let's be completely honest about where iLovePDF and Smallpdf beat us:
❌ We Don't Do Office-to-PDF Conversion
Why: Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint already have "Save as PDF" built-in. It's safer (no upload), faster (offline), and free. We won't waste your time building features you don't need from us.
❌ We Don't Have OCR (Text Recognition)
Why: OCR requires massive server-side AI models. To do it client-side would require downloading 100MB+ models to your browser. The trade-off isn't worth it for most users. If you need OCR, useGoogle Drive (free).
❌ We Don't Have Mobile Apps
Why: Our web app works perfectly on mobile browsers. Building native iOS/Android apps would require uploading files to our servers (for push notifications, cloud sync, etc.), which breaks our privacy model.
❌ We Don't Have Cloud Storage Integration
Why: Connecting to Dropbox/Google Drive means we'd need to access your cloud files, which creates a privacy risk. You can download from your cloud storage and drag files into our browser tools instead.
Bottom line: We lose on convenience features that require server-side processing. We win on privacy, speed, and cost.
Where We Win (The Things That Actually Matter)
1. Privacy: 100% Verifiable vs. "Trust Us"
iLovePDF & Smallpdf
They say: "Files are deleted after 1-2 hours. We comply with GDPR. Trust us."
The Problem:
- ✗ You can't verify they actually delete your files
- ✗ Their privacy policy allows third-party access
- ✗ Subpoenas can force them to hand over your data
- ✗ Server breaches expose your uploaded files
EverydayPDF
We say: "Files never leave your browser. You can verify this."
How to Verify:
- ✓ Open DevTools (F12) → Network tab
- ✓ Upload a file and process it
- ✓ Watch: Zero network requests to our servers
- ✓ Disconnect WiFi → tools still work
2. Speed: Instant vs. Waiting for Uploads
Real-world test: Processing 50 images (300MB total)
| Tool | Upload Time | Processing Time | Download Time | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iLovePDF | ~4 minutes | ~3 minutes | ~2 minutes | ~9 minutes |
| Smallpdf | ~3 minutes | ~2 minutes | ~1.5 minutes | ~6.5 minutes |
| EverydayPDF | 0 seconds | ~12 seconds | 0 seconds | ~12 seconds |
EverydayPDF is 30-45x faster because there's no upload/download step. Everything happens on your device.
3. Price: Own Once vs. Rent Forever
The 5-year total cost of ownership:
User Scenarios: Which Tool Should You Choose?
👨💼 Scenario 1: Freelancer/Individual User
Needs: Occasional PDF merging, signing documents, compressing images for web
Best Choice: EverydayPDF
Why: You don't need 50 features. Pay ₹999 once, own it forever. Perfect for freelancers who value privacy and hate subscriptions.
👩⚖️ Scenario 2: Legal Professional / CA
Needs: High security, client confidentiality, PDF redaction, compliance
Best Choice: EverydayPDF
Why: Uploading client data to third-party servers violates confidentiality. EverydayPDF's client-side processing = zero compliance risk. Get Team License (₹3,999) for your firm.
🎨 Scenario 3: Web Developer / Designer
Needs: Batch image compression, format conversion, fast workflow
Best Choice: EverydayPDF
Why: Batch compress 50+ images in 12 seconds vs. 10 minutes on competitors. Save hours every week. Works offline. One-time ₹999 payment.
📄 Scenario 4: Student / Occasional User
Needs: Convert school assignments, merge PDFs occasionally
Best Choice: iLovePDF Free or EverydayPDF Free
Why: For very occasional use, iLovePDF's free tier works. But if you value privacy (e.g., academic papers), use EverydayPDF's free tools.
🏢 Scenario 5: Large Enterprise
Needs: OCR, cloud integration, API access, enterprise features
Best Choice: iLovePDF Premium or EverydayPDF Enterprise
Why: iLovePDF has enterprise features like API and OCR. But if security/compliance is critical, EverydayPDF Enterprise (₹8L one-time, on-premise) eliminates all data transfer risks.
The Honest Verdict
Who Should Choose What?
Choose iLovePDF if:
- ✓ You need every PDF feature imaginable (OCR, forms, etc.)
- ✓ You don't handle sensitive/confidential documents
- ✓ You're okay with subscriptions
- ✓ Budget: ~₹4,300/year
Choose Smallpdf if:
- ✓ You want a premium brand with excellent UX
- ✓ You can afford $15/month and value brand trust
- ✓ You need larger file size limits (5GB)
- ✓ Budget: ~₹12,000/year
Choose EverydayPDF if:
- ✓ Privacy is non-negotiable (lawyers, CAs, healthcare, finance)
- ✓ You hate subscriptions and want to own your tools
- ✓ You value speed (instant processing, no uploads)
- ✓ You need batch image processing for web development
- ✓ Budget: ₹999 one-time (or ₹3,999 for teams)
Try Before You Decide
Don't take our word for it. Test all three yourself:
Ready to Own Your PDF Tools?
Try our free tools. If you like them, upgrade to Pro for ₹999 (one-time). No subscriptions, no uploads, no compromises.
Transparency Note: This comparison is based on public pricing and features as of October 2025. iLovePDF and Smallpdf are trademarks of their respective owners. We have no affiliation with them. All performance tests were conducted on the same hardware and network conditions.