An iLovePDF alternative that keeps your files on your device
iLovePDF is quick and capable, and it does its work on iLovePDF's servers. If you would rather your documents never left your computer, Burgundy PDF covers the same everyday jobs inside your browser: merge, split, compress, edit, sign, OCR and convert. It is free, with no file-size tiers, no account and no ads.
Merge PDFs · Compress a PDF · Edit a PDF
Checked against iLovePDF's own pages on 25 September 2026 by the Burgundy PDF team. We make Burgundy PDF, so read this as a maker's comparison, not a neutral review. Burgundy PDF is not affiliated with iLovePDF.
At a glance
| Burgundy PDF | iLovePDF (free plan) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your file is processed | In your browser. It is never sent anywhere. | On iLovePDF's servers, as a rule in the European Economic Area |
| How long it is kept | Nowhere to keep it | "deleted within two hours of being processed"; signed documents kept "for a maximum of 5 years" |
| How much you can do | No limit | "Limited document processing" |
| File size | No limit built in; your device's memory is the ceiling | 15 MB to 200 MB, depending on the tool |
| Files per task | As many as the tool takes | Merge 25, Compress 2, OCR 1 |
| Edit the document's own text | Yes | Yes |
| OCR | 82 languages; PDF to Word can OCR first | OCR PDF free (1 file, 15 MB); "PDF to Word (OCR)" is Premium |
| Ads | None | Yes; "Ad-free experience" is a Premium feature |
| Account | None | None needed |
| Works offline | No | Desktop app for Windows and macOS (Premium) |
| Price | Free. There is no paid plan. | Free with the limits above; Premium (opens in a new tab) removes most of them |
iLovePDF's figures are quoted from ilovepdf.com/pricing (opens in a new tab), its security page (opens in a new tab) and its privacy policy (opens in a new tab).
Where your file goes
iLovePDF is open about how it works, and it takes security seriously. It holds ISO/IEC 27001 certification. Its security page says files "are automatically and permanently deleted within two hours of being processed". Its privacy policy says processing happens, as a rule, in the European Economic Area, and that users outside it may be served from "geographic areas closer to your location". The one exception is signed documents, which the same security page says are kept "for a maximum of 5 years".
So with iLovePDF your file does leave your computer, is processed by someone else, and is then deleted. For a lot of documents that is fine.
Burgundy PDF takes a different route. When you open a tool, your browser downloads it as ordinary website code. When you choose a file, the browser reads it from your disk into memory, and nothing sends it anywhere after that. There is no server copy, so nothing needs deleting and no retention policy applies. The documents where this matters are the ones you hesitate over: identity scans, contracts, payslips, medical and bank records.
Sizes, counts and ads
iLovePDF's free plan is organised around tiers. Its pricing table sets a maximum file size for each tool: 15 MB for Office conversions and OCR, 25 MB for PDF to JPG, 40 MB for images to PDF, 100 MB for Merge and Split, and 200 MB for Compress. It also caps files per task: 25 to merge, 2 to compress, 1 to OCR. Premium lifts most of these to 4 GB and shows no ads.
Burgundy PDF has no tiers because it has no plans. No size, page or file-count limit is built into any tool. The real limit is your device's memory: the file is held in memory while a tool works, often more than once, so a very large document can be too much for an old phone. The Help page lists every limit that does exist, each checked against the code. There are no ads on any page.
Tool by tool
| On iLovePDF | On Burgundy PDF |
|---|---|
| Merge PDF | Merge |
| Split PDF | Split, Extract Pages |
| Organize PDF | Organize, Delete Pages |
| Compress PDF | Compress |
| Edit PDF | Editor |
| Sign PDF | Fill & Sign |
| OCR PDF | OCR |
| PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, JPG | PDF to Word, PDF to Excel, PDF to PowerPoint, PDF to JPG |
| Word, JPG, HTML to PDF | Word to PDF, JPG to PDF, HTML to PDF |
| Protect, Unlock | Protect, Unlock |
| Rotate, Crop, Page numbers, Watermark | Rotate, Crop, Page Numbers, Watermark |
When iLovePDF is the better choice
- You need someone else to sign. iLovePDF can "request electronic signatures from others", and its Premium plan adds a "Digital Signature" option. Burgundy PDF signs your own copy only, with everyday signatures (drawn, typed or an image).
- You need a tool we do not have. iLovePDF also offers Repair, PDF to PDF/A, Compare, Redact, Translate and Scan to PDF. We have none of those yet.
- You need to work offline. iLovePDF's desktop apps process files on your computer. Burgundy PDF has no offline mode and no app to install.
- Your file is huge and your device is small. iLovePDF Premium takes files up to 4 GB on its servers. On an old phone or a low-memory laptop, that copes with a very large scan better than a browser tab can.
- You work in a team. iLovePDF has team plans and regional processing. Burgundy PDF has no accounts at all.
Check it yourself
"Nothing is uploaded" should be something you can test, not something you have to believe:
- Open Compress and your browser's developer tools (F12, or right-click → Inspect). Go to the Network tab.
- Clear the list, choose a PDF and run the tool.
- Look through the requests. None carries your file, and none is the size of your document.
The Security page explains what the browser stores locally, and which few requests do leave your device.
Questions
Is there an iLovePDF alternative that works offline?
iLovePDF's own desktop app processes files on your computer, and Sejda Desktop works offline with a free daily allowance. Burgundy PDF does not work offline. Your file still never leaves your computer: the page needs a connection to load, and your document goes nowhere.
Is there a safe iLovePDF alternative for sensitive documents?
iLovePDF is certified and deletes files within two hours, and many people are comfortable with that. If you would rather the file were never on anyone else's computer at all, use a tool that runs in the browser. Burgundy PDF is one, and you can confirm it with the network test above.
Is Burgundy PDF completely free?
Yes. There is no paid plan, no trial, no sign-in, no watermark and no ads. The limit is your device's memory, not a plan.
Can it convert a scanned PDF to Word?
Yes. PDF to Word has a "Run OCR first" option for scans, in 82 languages. How well the layout survives depends on the scan. We have not benchmarked our conversions against iLovePDF's, so if layout fidelity matters, try your file in both.
Can it edit the existing text in a PDF?
Yes. Click a line and retype it. The new words go into the page in the document's own font where possible, and the old ones are removed rather than covered.
Merge PDFs or open the editor. Or see how Burgundy PDF compares with Smallpdf and Sejda.
iLovePDF is a trademark of its owner. Facts about iLovePDF are quoted from ilovepdf.com as it appeared on 25 September 2026. If something here is out of date, tell us at hello@burgundypdf.com and we will correct it.