An iLovePDF alternative that never uploads your files
iLovePDF has dozens of tools and a generous free plan, but every task starts by uploading your document to its servers. Koy PDF does the most common jobs without that trip: the PDF engine runs in your browser and the file stays with you.
Koy PDF vs iLovePDF
| Koy PDF | iLovePDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the file is processed | On your device, inside the browser | On their servers |
| Does your file leave your device? | Never | Yes, it is uploaded for processing |
| What happens to the file afterwards? | No copy: it never existed outside your device | Deleted after a while, according to their policy |
| Works offline | Yes, after the first visit | No |
| Sign-up or account | No | For some features or to lift limits |
| Free plan limits | None | Tasks per day or file size |
| Preview before processing | Yes: estimated size, pages, parts | No |
| Passwords | Used only in your browser | Travel to the server with the file |
General facts about how server-side services work, taken from their own help and privacy pages. Each has plans and terms that change; check them if you need details.
How can nothing be uploaded?
Traditional PDF tools work the other way around: they upload your file to a server, process it there and send the result back. Your document passes through someone else's computer, on a network you cannot see, and stays there as long as their policy says.
Koy PDF brings the PDF engine to your browser instead of taking your file to the engine. When you open the page, the program that reads and writes PDFs (mupdf, compiled to WebAssembly) is downloaded, and from then on all the work is done by your computer or phone. There is no address to upload files to: it is not a privacy promise, it is the architecture.
You can check it yourself. The counter in the header adds up every byte leaving this tab and stays at 0 B while you work. And if you want to see it with your own tools, open your browser's Network tab and use any feature: you will not see a single request carrying your file. You can even disconnect from the internet and keep working.
- Open the pageThe PDF engine is downloaded to your browser once.
- Load your fileIt is read into your device's memory. It is never attached to a request.
- Download the resultIt is generated locally and goes straight to your downloads folder.
Frequently asked questions
Does iLovePDF keep my files?
According to its policy, it deletes them a while after processing. Meanwhile they exist on its servers. In Koy PDF they never exist outside your device.
Does Koy PDF do the same?
For compressing, merging, splitting, rotating, protecting and unlocking, yes. It does not convert to Word or edit text.
Is it free?
Yes, with no account, no daily limits and no watermark.