Honest comparison
iLovePDF Alternative That Never Uploads Your Files
iLovePDF is a polished, mature PDF suite — and like most online PDF sites, it works by uploading your file to its servers, processing it there, and sending the result back. VNG’s PDF tools take the opposite approach: the whole job runs inside your browser tab, so your document never leaves your device. Here is the honest comparison.
Side by side
Competitor rows are based on iLovePDF’s own public documentation; VNG rows only describe tools that are live today.
| Feature | iLovePDF | VNG tools |
|---|---|---|
| Where your file goesiLovePDF privacy policy describes server-side processing and file deletion windows | Uploaded to iLovePDF servers for processing; auto-deleted after a stated retention window | Never leaves your device — processed in the browser tab |
| Verifiable privacyObservable in any browser’s DevTools | You trust their deletion policy | Watch the Network tab: no file request exists to trust |
| Account / signup for basic tasksiLovePDF free tier as publicly documented | Not required for basic tasks; limits without one | Never required |
| Free-tier file size / task limitsiLovePDF pricing page | Free tier caps file size and tasks; Premium removes limits | No server limits — bounded only by your device’s memory |
| PriceiLovePDF pricing page | Free with limits; Premium subscription for full use | Free |
| Works after the page loads, even offlineArchitectural: server-side vs client-side processing | No — every task needs their servers | Yes for PDF tools — processing is local once the page is open |
Where iLovePDF is ahead
A comparison you can trust has to cut both ways. If you need these, iLovePDF is the better fit today:
- OCR (recognizing text in scans) — iLovePDF has it; VNG does not.
- Editing existing PDF text in place — their editor is more featured; VNG’s full PDF editor is still in development and is not advertised as live.
- Mobile and desktop apps — iLovePDF ships native apps; VNG is web-only.
- Breadth — iLovePDF covers more PDF task types overall.
The VNG tools in this comparison
No upload
Organize PDF Pages
Merge, reorder, rotate, and delete PDF pages locally — no upload.
Open toolNo upload
Split PDF & Extract Pages
Pull specific pages out of a PDF or split every page into its own file — no upload.
Open toolNo upload
Compress PDF
Compress scanned and image-heavy PDFs in your browser — no upload, no limits.
Open toolNo upload
Sign PDF
Draw a signature and place it on any PDF page locally, then download.
Open toolNo upload
Convert Images to PDF
Turn JPG, PNG, or WebP images into a single PDF in your browser.
Open toolFrequently asked questions
Is iLovePDF safe to use?
iLovePDF publishes a privacy policy stating uploaded files are processed on its servers and deleted after a retention window. That is a trust-based model. VNG tools remove the question: files are processed in your browser and never uploaded, which you can verify in the DevTools Network tab.
What can VNG’s free PDF tools do today?
Merge, reorder, rotate and delete pages, split and extract pages, compress image-heavy PDFs, place a drawn signature, and convert images to PDF — all client-side. VNG does not yet offer OCR or in-place text editing, and says so honestly.
Are VNG tools really free?
Yes. Because processing happens on your device instead of on servers, there is no per-task server cost to recover, so there are no task caps or premium tiers on these tools.