PDF24
Every PDF task, free, with no account and no daily counter.
What it is
This is the answer when someone asks for a free PDF tool and you do not want them to hit a paywall ten minutes later. All the common operations are there, the online versions do not require an account, and the Windows desktop app is free as well. It looks dated compared with Smallpdf, and that is the entire trade.
Pricing updated 2026-11-11 Official pricing
PDF24 pricing explained
There is no paid tier to compare: the online tools, the Windows desktop app and the fax service are all free, funded by advertising rather than by a plan. That is why you will not find a pricing page — the honest caveat is that ads sit next to the work area and the interface looks a decade older than Smallpdf. If a document is confidential, use the free desktop build rather than the web tools, because the web version still uploads.
Free-tier limits are taken from the official pricing page on the update date above. They change often — confirm before you commit to an annual plan.
PDF24 key features
Every common PDF operation, free
Merge, split, compress, rotate, extract pages, protect, unlock, watermark and add page numbers — the whole list is free and none of it is behind a login.
OCR in more than thirty languages
Scans become searchable text without a paid tier or a credit counter, which is unusual outside self-hosted tools.
A free Windows desktop app as well
The same tools install locally, so a large or confidential file can be processed on your own machine instead of uploaded.
Compare two PDFs
Side-by-side comparison of two revisions with differences highlighted — a feature most competitor suites keep for their business plan.
PDF/A conversion and repair
Archival output and broken-file repair are included rather than sold separately, which matters for records that must survive a decade.
Webpage to PDF and a fax service
Two legacy features still running: turn a page into a PDF, or send a fax from the same site, of all things.
PDF24: how it works
Ad-funded rather than tier-limited
The business model is advertising plus desktop distribution, so there is no reason to cap daily jobs or stamp a watermark on the output.
Online tools plus a local app
The web version uploads your file; the desktop version keeps it on the machine. Choosing correctly is the whole privacy question here.
No account system to speak of
There is nothing to sign into for the free tools, which also means there is no place to store history, presets or shared team settings.
PDF24 core strengths
No watermark and no daily counter
The most common complaint about free PDF sites does not apply here: output is clean and the tenth file costs the same as the first.
Desktop app closes the privacy gap
The free Windows build processes locally, so you are not forced to trade confidentiality for the zero price.
Rare operations at no cost
Comparison, PDF/A and thirty-language OCR are typically paid features; finding them all free in one place is the real argument.
PDF24 compared with alternatives
| Tool | PDF24 | iLovePDF | Smallpdf | Stirling PDF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Free PDF operations with no account and no watermark | A friendlier grid of every PDF task with a real business tier | A cleaner interface and a stronger desktop experience | Teams that must keep documents on their own servers |
| Pricing shape | Free, ad-supported, plus a free Windows app | Free with limits / Premium $4 per month / Business on request | Free with a daily cap / Pro $9 per month | Free self-hosted / Team $99 per month / Enterprise custom |
| Where files are processed | Web upload, or locally with the desktop app | Server-side processing | Server-side processing | Entirely on your own infrastructure |
Written from the official product pages listed under Sources, not copied from another directory. Prices and limits reflect the update date above; features ship faster than reviews, so treat the list as a starting point and confirm on the official site.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- No account, no watermark, no daily limit on the online tools
- Desktop app is free too, so large files never leave the machine
- Rare features like PDF compare and PDF/A conversion at no cost
Limitations
- Interface looks a decade old and the adverts are hard to ignore
- No eSign workflow to speak of
- Support is essentially documentation only
PDF24 use cases
One-off jobs with no account
Compress a file to send by email without registering anywhere, which is the entire reason people keep this site bookmarked.
Archiving records as PDF/A
Convert filings to the archival standard for long-term storage, with no per-document fee and no licence to renew.
Local processing of sensitive files
Install the desktop app on a work laptop and process contracts that must not be uploaded to any web service.
Spotting changes between two drafts
Compare two revisions of a contract and read the differences in one view instead of opening both and scrolling in parallel.
