The PDF format is becoming increasingly essential, but it can be a real hassle to work with on a daily basis. Merging, compressing, converting, reorganizing… these are all tasks that aren't straightforward if you don't have a professional, paid tool installed on your computer.
Fortunately, there are many online PDF toolkits, and in fact, I've presented quite a few of them on this site: PDF2GB, PDFSmart, SwiftDoo PDF… or the unmissable ILovePDF which needs no introduction. But as is often the case, it can be important to have alternatives in cases where certain services disappear permanently or temporarily.
So PDF24 is a very good alternative to ILovePDF and the whole series of online PDF editors, and this totally free tool has some advantages that could even make the difference.
What is PDF24?
Behind this excellent project, PDF24, is a German company (geek software GmbH) that has focused entirely on simplicity, the protected data and free access.
In fact, this tool has been available online for many years with no hidden fees: no subscription and no paywall… to survive, the small team behind the project integrates very discreet advertising banners on its pages and offers PDF24 Fax, a SaaS service that allows sending/receiving digital faxes via monthly subscriptions.
Similarly, special attention is paid to the protection of your data. You can manually and immediately delete any files imported into the online tool; otherwise, they are deleted from the server after one hour. And if you need even more security, you can download PDF24 Creator, the locally installable version of the PDF tool suite.
Key features of PDF24
There's nothing particularly original about the tools offered by PDF24, but that's not what it's designed for. In fact, you'll find all the classic PDF manipulation tools, including everything you need to:
- Merge / Split PDF
- Compress a PDF without sacrificing quality
- Convert PDF files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Ebooks…)
- Convert PDFs in various file formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Ebooks…)
- Convert images to PDF (HEIC, JPG, PNG, WEBP…) and conversely convert PDFs to images
- Protect a PDF per mot de passe and encrypt
- Delete password of a PDF
- Extract / Delete pages of a PDF
- Extract images of a PDF
- Compare PDF
- Rearrange the pages of a PDF
- Annotate a PDF
- Redact a PDF
- Add page numbers to a PDF
- Sign a PDF
- Add a watermark to a PDF
- Repair a PDF
- OCR : extract text from a PDF
- ...
In short, many excellent and very practical tools that are particularly easy to use. PDF24's interface is a bit dated, but that's a minor drawback, since the important thing is the tool itself!
In addition, PDF24 offers the application for download. PDF24Creator which includes all these tools in a suite that can be installed locally on your Windows PC.
The advantages of PDF24
ILovePDF sometimes imposes limitations in the free version (maximum file size, number of operations per hour, priority queues for subscribers), PDF24 doesn't seem to impose any limitsWhether your use is occasional or intensive, you will never be limited…
Another advantage of PDF24: the policyAs mentioned earlier, the security of your data is a key priority for the developers behind this tool. Therefore, uploaded files are automatically deleted from the servers after one hour, and the company clearly communicates its compliance with the GDPR.
In terms of speed, PDF24 is every bit as good as its rival ILovePDF. Compression is fast, merging is smooth, and converting an Office document takes only seconds. The result is clean, without artifacts or unpleasant surprises in the layout. Minimalism pays off: fewer scripts, more performance.
In the end, PDF24 is a tool perfectly suited to most uses whether you are a student, an individual or even a professional in a small business (large companies tend to block this type of tool).
PDF24 is an alternative to ILovePDF and other online tools.
In short, if you need a reliable and free online PDF tool suite, PDF24 is an excellent solution that holds its own against its direct competitors. This Swiss Army knife of PDFs has most of the tools you need to manipulate all your PDFs, all for free and with your data security in mind.
So, the next time you need to edit a PDF, don't hesitate to check out the PDF24 website!
