PDFLime vs iLovePDF: Which is Better in 2025?

Both PDFLime and iLovePDF offer comprehensive PDF tools, but they differ significantly in privacy, pricing, and approach. Here's everything you need to know.

Quick Comparison

The Privacy Difference

PDFLime processes everything locally in your browser. Your files never leave your device, ensuring complete privacy. This is perfect for:

• Confidential business documents
• Personal financial records
• Medical documents
• Legal contracts
• Any sensitive information

iLovePDF uploads your files to their servers for processing. While they claim to delete files after processing, your documents still pass through their infrastructure.

Feature Comparison

Core Tools (Both Offer)

• Merge PDFs
• Split PDFs
• Compress PDFs
• PDF to Image
• Image to PDF
• Rotate pages
• Add watermarks
• Extract pages

PDFLime Advantages

• ✓ Complete privacy (no uploads)
• ✓ Unlimited free use
• ✓ No file size limits
• ✓ No account required
• ✓ Works offline
• ✓ Open source
• ✓ No ads

iLovePDF Advantages

• ✓ OCR (text recognition)
• ✓ More conversion formats
• ✓ Mobile apps
• ✓ Desktop applications
• ✓ Cloud storage integration
• ✓ E-signatures (premium)

Pricing Breakdown

PDFLime

• Free Forever: All features, unlimited use, no restrictions

iLovePDF

• Free: Limited tasks, 15 MB file limit, ads
• Premium ($4/month): Unlimited tasks, larger files, no ads
• Pro ($7/month): Batch processing, desktop apps, priority support

Annual Cost: iLovePDF Premium costs $48-84/year. PDFLime saves you this entire cost while offering better privacy.

Performance

PDFLime: Processing speed depends on your device. No upload/download time means you can start immediately. Modern devices handle most tasks in seconds.

iLovePDF: Server-side processing provides consistent speed but requires uploading and downloading files. Large files can take several minutes.

Use Cases

Choose PDFLime if you:

• Handle sensitive or confidential documents
• Want unlimited free use
• Need to process large files
• Value privacy and security
• Don't want to create an account
• Need offline PDF tools
• Prefer open source software

Choose iLovePDF if you:

• Need OCR for scanned documents
• Want mobile apps
• Need many conversion formats
• Want cloud storage integration
• Don't mind paying for premium features
• Need desktop applications

Security & Compliance

PDFLime: GDPR and HIPAA compliant by design. Since files never leave your device, there's no data breach risk. Perfect for regulated industries.

iLovePDF: Claims GDPR compliance and uses encryption, but files are still transmitted and temporarily stored on their servers. Requires trust in their security practices.

The Verdict

For most users, PDFLime is the better choice because it offers:

• Superior privacy with client-side processing
• Unlimited free use (vs limited free tier)
• No file size restrictions
• Offline capability
• Open source transparency
• Zero cost forever

iLovePDF is worth considering only if you specifically need OCR, mobile apps, or extensive conversion formats - and are willing to pay $48-84/year and sacrifice privacy.