Filenary vs iLovePDF: Which Should You Use for Private Files?
Both are free, both run in a browser tab — but only one of them ever sees your files. Here is the honest breakdown.
iLovePDF built its name on PDF utilities: merge, split, compress, convert. Its model is classic web SaaS — you upload the file, their servers do the work, the result comes back for download. Filenary exists as the counter-model: every tool runs as WebAssembly inside your own browser, so the upload leg simply does not exist.
The practical difference is sharpest exactly when documents matter most. A passport scan, a signed contract or a medical report behaves very differently in the two models: it is either transient content on a third party's infrastructure (deleted on a schedule you do not control) or bytes that never left your device. Marketing pages about 'automatic deletion' cannot make those two situations equivalent.
One limitation of iLovePDF is structural rather than policy: it is a PDF company. Compress a video, convert HEIC to JPG, extract an MP3 — none of those live in its catalogue. Filenary covers image, audio, video and document work next to the PDF tools.
| Feature | Filenary | iLovePDF |
|---|---|---|
| Where files are processed | Your browser (WebAssembly) | iLovePDF servers |
| Upload required | No — files never leave the device | Yes — every tool starts with an upload |
| File types | Image, PDF, audio, video, documents | PDF-focused toolset |
| Sign-up | Never | Required to raise free limits |
| Free usage | No caps, no watermarks | Daily limits; Pro unlocks higher caps |
| Works offline after load | Most tools do | Never (server round-trip required) |
| Large-file ceiling | Device memory only | Upload caps per plan |
| Embed tools on your site | Yes — built-in embed code | No |
| Pricing model | Free | Freemium + Pro/Elite subscriptions |
Verdict
Choose iLovePDF if your life is PDF-only, you like a mature upload-flow feature set, and your documents are fine with a server round-trip.
Choose Filenary when the file is personal (ID scans, contracts, health documents, family video), when the file type is not a PDF, or when upload caps and sign-ups are the reason you left the bigger tools. The honest trade: there is no account, no history in the cloud and no scheduled automation — this is software that runs where you are.
Filenary vs iLovePDF: FAQ
- Does iLovePDF upload my files?
- Yes. Every iLovePDF tool works by receiving your file on their servers before processing it. Their policy describes automatic deletion after a period, but the upload itself is unavoidable by design.
- Is browser-side conversion actually private?
- Yes — with a twist of physics. When the conversion happens inside your tab, the bytes are never sent anywhere, so there is nothing for any server to store, leak, or be subpoenaed for. Your browser's network tab stays empty during the conversion.
- Can iLovePDF do what Filenary does?
- Only for the PDF slice. Image, audio and video work — HEIC conversion, video compression, MP3 extraction — is outside iLovePDF's catalogue.
- What is the best free iLovePDF alternative?
- Depends on the job: Filenary if you want private, browser-side work with no caps; PDF24 for desktop freeware; CloudConvert if you need hundreds of exotic formats and APIs.
- Is Filenary really unlimited?
- There is no sign-up, no per-task billing and no watermarks. The limit is your own hardware — a huge video file is constrained by your device's memory, not by a pricing page.