The best free PDF tools (that are actually free)
Most 'free PDF tools' are marketing for a subscription: two tasks a day, a watermark, or a trial clock. This list is only tools where the free is real — you can use them indefinitely without paying — with the honest catch for each, because free always has one. One entry is our own product, and it's labelled as such.
1. mypdf
Our productFree, no account, and most tools never upload your file (that's us)
Full disclosure: mypdf is our product, which is why it's first on our own list — judge accordingly. The pitch is simple: every tool is free with no account and no daily limits, and most tools run entirely in your browser, so your file is processed on your own device and never uploaded to any server, including ours. The few tools that do need a server (OCR, Office conversion, compression) delete the file immediately after processing.
It covers the everyday jobs — merge, split, compress, convert, OCR, sign, watermark, page numbers, protect/unlock — and it's open-source and self-hostable via Docker, so the privacy claims are checkable rather than a promise.
Browse the toolsPros
- Every tool free, no account, no task or size limits
- Most tools process files in your browser — nothing is uploaded
- Open-source and self-hostable
- No ads
Cons
- Web only — no mobile or desktop apps
- No in-place editing of existing PDF text (you add content on top)
- Smaller tool count than the biggest suites
2. PDF24
The most generous of the established suites — genuinely free
PDF24 is the rare big-name suite with no premium tier at all: 30+ online tools, free, no account. Its Windows desktop app (PDF24 Creator) even works offline, which makes it the strongest privacy option on this list for Windows users. The web tools upload your file to PDF24's servers for processing, like most online suites.
Pros
- Completely free, no limits, no account
- Very large tool count
- Offline Windows desktop app
Cons
- Desktop app is Windows-only
- Online tools upload your files
- Utilitarian design
3. Stirling PDF
The self-hosted powerhouse for people with their own server
Stirling PDF is the best-known open-source PDF suite: 50+ tools you run on your own hardware via Docker. Files never leave infrastructure you control, which is as private as it gets — if you're comfortable operating a server. There's no official hosted version, so it's a tool for homelabbers and teams rather than someone who just needs to merge two files right now.
Pros
- Open-source with a huge tool count
- Files stay on your own server
- Active community
Cons
- You have to deploy and maintain it yourself
- No official hosted instance
- Overkill for casual use
4. PDFgear
Free desktop apps with real editing
PDFgear is a genuinely free suite whose best product is its desktop and mobile apps, including in-place text editing — a feature that's usually paid. The desktop app processes files locally; the web tools upload. It's closed-source and free presumably as a growth strategy, but as of today the free is real.
Pros
- Free, including in-place editing in the desktop app
- Desktop app processes files locally
- Apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Cons
- Requires installing an app for the good parts
- Closed source
- Web tools upload files
5. TinyWow
Free everything-tools, funded by ads
TinyWow is a free grab-bag: PDF tools plus image, video, and AI writing utilities, no account needed, funded by ads (with a paid ad-free tier). Files are uploaded to its servers and deleted after a short period. For non-sensitive quick jobs across many formats, it's handy; for private documents, the upload plus ad-tech model is the trade-off.
Pros
- Completely free with no account
- Covers many formats beyond PDF
Cons
- Ads throughout
- Files are uploaded
- Jack of all trades rather than PDF-deep
6. Sejda
The budget pick for actually editing PDF text
Sejda's standout feature is one most online tools don't have: its editor changes the existing text of a PDF in place, in the browser — the thing people usually buy Acrobat for. The free tier allows a few tasks per day with size caps, and the paid plans include short passes, which is friendlier than a subscription for one-off projects.
Pros
- True in-place PDF text editing
- Fair pricing including short passes
- Desktop app available
Cons
- Free tier has daily task and size limits
- Web tools mostly upload your files
FAQ
- Are these tools really free, or free trials?
- Really free: mypdf, PDF24, Stirling PDF, PDFgear, and TinyWow have no trial clock and no per-task paywall. Sejda is the exception on this list — its free tier allows a few tasks per day, but it earns a place for its in-place text editing.
- What's the catch with free PDF tools?
- Each has one: TinyWow shows ads, PDF24's best privacy option is Windows-only, Stirling PDF requires running your own server, PDFgear is closed-source, and mypdf (ours) is web-only with no in-place text editing. The list above spells each out.
- Which free tool is best for sensitive documents?
- One where the file never reaches a third-party server: mypdf's in-browser tools, PDF24's offline Windows app, or a self-hosted Stirling PDF.