Honest comparison

PDFRun vs iLovePDF

iLovePDF is one of the largest PDF tool suites on the web, with strong document-conversion tools and native mobile apps. PDFRun is the ad-free, no-watermark, no-account alternative — here is an honest side-by-side.

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Last verified: May 2026. Facts about iLovePDF come from their own pricing and docs pages — links below.

No ads on tool pages

iLovePDF shows display advertising on free tool pages. PDFRun is ad-free across every tier — your tool page is not a billboard.

No watermark, ever

iLovePDF watermarks certain outputs (e.g. PDF-to-PowerPoint, some signing flows) on the free tier. PDFRun never watermarks any output, on any plan.

No account required

Use any PDFRun tool without signing up. iLovePDF gates several tools (sign, advanced batch, larger files) behind account creation.

In-browser privacy mode

On 8 tools (merge, split, rotate, organize, watermark, page-numbers, remove-pages, extract), PDFRun can process your file entirely in your browser — your file never leaves your device. iLovePDF processes server-side only.

Feature comparison

PDFRun vs iLovePDF — by feature

Feature	PDFRun	iLovePDF
Display ads on tool pages	No ads, any tier	Display ads on free tool pages
Watermark on free output	Never watermarked, on any plan	Some free outputs watermarked (varies by tool)
In-browser processing	Yes, on 8 tools — verifiable via Network tab	Server-side only
Account required	No account needed for any free tool	Account required for several tools
Max upload size (free)	25 MB per file	Varies by tool; typically 25–100 MB on free
Number of tools	40+ tools	Approximately 25 tools
PDF editing	Yes (text, images, signatures)	Yes (text, images, signatures)
OCR languages	EN, FR, ES, DE, AR, ZH + auto-detect	20+ languages on Premium
Pricing (paid plan)	Pro from $9/mo; pay-as-you-go credits available	Premium from approximately $7/mo (annual billing)
Pro free trial	7-day Pro trial with full features	Limited free use with watermarks/gates instead of trial
File deletion policy	Files auto-deleted within 1 hour	Files deleted within 2 hours (per docs)
Batch processing	Yes on Pro	Yes on Premium
Browser extension	In development	Chrome and Edge extensions available
Mobile apps	Browser-based (works on phone web)	iOS and Android apps available
Desktop apps	Browser-based	Windows and macOS desktop apps
API access	In development (free tier planned)	REST API on Business plans
Compliance (GDPR/SOC 2)	GDPR-compliant	GDPR-compliant; SOC 2 details available on request

Sources for iLovePDF facts: iLovePDF pricing ; iLovePDF tools overview ; iLovePDF privacy policy .

Why we built PDFRun differently

iLovePDF has been around since 2010 and has earned its place in the PDF-tool category with consistently solid document conversion (the PDF-to-Word and Word-to-PDF flows are particularly good) and a polished native experience across desktop apps, mobile apps, and browser extensions. If your workflow is already built around their ecosystem, switching providers carries real friction — that’s the strongest reason people stay.

The places where the free tiers diverge are subtle but real. iLovePDF runs display ads on its free tool pages — that’s how the free tier funds itself. PDFRun is ad-free at every tier; we made that choice because a tool page covered in ads is a different experience from a tool page that just helps you finish your task. Some free outputs from iLovePDF (notably certain signing flows and PDF-to-PowerPoint conversions) ship with watermarks; PDFRun never watermarks any output, on any plan.

On the privacy side, both products auto-delete files within a couple of hours. But PDFRun goes further on 8 specific tools (merge, split, rotate, organize, watermark, page-numbers, remove-pages, extract): your file is processed entirely in your browser using pdf-lib and never reaches our servers at all. You can verify the claim by opening the Network tab in your browser’s DevTools while running one of those tools — there are zero outbound requests during processing. iLovePDF processes everything server-side; if a file’s sensitive enough that you want it not transmitted at all, PDFRun is the only product in this comparison that can offer that.

iLovePDF wins clearly on native apps, browser extensions, and the desktop product. If your workflow needs offline desktop PDF editing or you want a polished native iOS/Android app, iLovePDF is genuinely the right tool today. Our browser-only approach works cleanly on mobile web (including the touch signature pad), but a native app it is not.

Fair play

When iLovePDF may be the right pick

You need a polished native iOS or Android app for daily PDF work, not a mobile-web experience.
You want a Windows or macOS desktop app for offline PDF editing — useful for sensitive content on networks where browser-based tools may be locked down by IT.
Your team’s workflow is built around the iLovePDF browser extension, mobile apps, or their existing e-signature integration.
You’re processing very large files (over 500 MB) and need a paid tier with higher upload ceilings.
You specifically need ISO 27001 or detailed SOC 2 audit reports for procurement — iLovePDF has formal compliance documentation we don’t yet match.

FAQ

Common questions

Why does iLovePDF show ads on its free pages?

Display advertising is one way free PDF tools fund their operation — alongside watermarks on certain outputs and gates on certain tools. iLovePDF’s free tier covers a lot, but ads are part of the deal. PDFRun runs no ads at any tier; we fund the free tier through Pro subscriptions and pay-as-you-go credits rather than display advertising.

Does iLovePDF watermark my files?

Some free outputs ship with watermarks (notably certain signing flows and PDF-to-PowerPoint conversions); others don’t. The exact set varies by tool and tier. PDFRun never watermarks any output on any plan — that’s the easiest comparison: yes/no rather than which-tools-and-when.

Is PDFRun safe for sensitive documents?

Files travel over HTTPS, are processed on our servers, and are auto-deleted within one hour. We don’t inspect, store, or share content. On 8 tools (merge, split, rotate, organize, watermark, page-numbers, remove-pages, extract), you can pick browser-mode processing and the file never reaches our servers at all — your browser’s DevTools Network tab verifies the claim. If your document is sensitive enough that even our 1-hour deletion feels like more trust than the operation needs, browser-mode is the right pick.

Can I migrate my iLovePDF account to PDFRun?

There’s nothing structural to migrate — neither product stores your files long-term. Just stop using iLovePDF and start using PDFRun. If you had saved workspaces or batch presets in iLovePDF Premium, you’ll need to recreate those in PDFRun Pro (workspaces are a Pro feature). For one-off tool use, no migration is needed.

How much cheaper is PDFRun than iLovePDF Premium?

iLovePDF Premium is approximately $7/month (annual billing) as of May 2026; PDFRun Pro is $9/month. We’re slightly more expensive on the paid tier. The bigger difference is the free tier: no ads, no watermarks, no account gates, plus browser-mode privacy on 8 tools — that’s the value before you ever consider paying.

Does PDFRun have desktop or mobile apps?

No native apps yet — we’re browser-based. The mobile web experience works well (including the touch signature pad), and works on every device with a browser, including Linux and ChromeOS where iLovePDF’s desktop apps don’t run. If you specifically need a native iOS, Android, Windows, or macOS app, iLovePDF has them today.

How do you handle GDPR and EU data residency?

PDFRun is GDPR-compliant; files auto-delete within one hour and we don’t inspect or share content. EU data residency (processing in EU regions only) is on our roadmap for enterprise customers. iLovePDF is also GDPR-compliant and based in the EU (Spain), so they have a slight edge today on EU-data-residency by default.

Try PDFRun free — no signup needed

Drop a PDF in, run any of our 40+ tools, download the result. No watermark, no task limit, no account.

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