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Test scope & comparison notes
These are recorded facts, not a unified ranking. Tested tiers and scope are not consistently recorded. Read pricing with its date and timing with its conditions. Privacy observations reflect visible flows and statements, not a security audit.
Cross-task capability coverage across selected products
Each product is scored independently per task edge; switch tasks below while keeping shared products selected| Task edge | CleverPDF | avepdf.com | Switch / compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF to Word | 83/100 DOCX · Output attached | 76/100 DOCX · Output attached | Active task |
| PDF compression | 73/100 PDF · Output attached | 95/100 PDF · Output attached | |
| Scanned PDF OCR | Not tested in topic | 94/100 PDF · Output attached | Compare in task topic → |
| PDF merge & split | 96/100 PDF · Output attached | 94/100 PDF · Output attached |
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Browse this task →| Criterion | CleverPDF PDF to Word 83/100 Seven-aspect task score Free login-free conversion retains text and tables and offers deletion; a fullscreen ad with a download-like button complicates retrieval. Tested export DOCX · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-18 | AvePDF PDF to Word (by Nutrient / Orpalis) PDF to Word 76/100 Seven-aspect task score Clearly states its two-action free quota upfront and lets guests quickly export a two-page DOCX with full text retention, but flattens tables into plain paragraphs and applies different retention terms to free uploads. Tested export DOCX · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-19 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & rules | ||
| Pricing plans | CleverPDF online PDF-to-Word; desktop licences outside this web scope · 2026-10-20 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Online free2026-10-20 ↗ Free Free Free DOCX or DOC output; free online. Batch and larger files are promoted for the desktop edition; web limits are not listed. 1 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. The web tool is stated to remain free without membership. Desktop software is a separate channel; historical desktop starting prices are not treated as web fees. Cancellation, sources & verification recordCancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ | AvePDF web Free and Annual Premium plans · 2026-10-21 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits AvePDF Free2026-10-21 ↗ Free Free Free Maximum 2 processing actions per 6 hours; max file size 128 MB, up to 10 files per processing across 50+ document tools AvePDF Premium2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 55/year Annual Single-user annual payment of USD 55; unlimited document processing with no hourly limit, max file size 512 MB, up to 100 files per action, no ads and technical support Billed annually as a single USD 55 payment; cancel anytime with a 30-day money-back guarantee 2 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. The official pricing page offers a Free tier (2 actions per 6 hours, 128 MB file limit) and an annual AvePDF Premium tier billed once at USD 55/year, with no standalone monthly plan. Cancellation, sources & verification recordCancel anytime; the official pricing page states a 30-day money-back guarantee. AvePDF official pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗ |
| Free & trial allowance on the test date | 100% free single-file conversion on web (up to 20 MB per file); batch processing and larger files upsell the CleverPDF desktop app | 2 free actions without login (up to 128 MB per file); exports a valid 11,435-byte DOCX with 100% text retention but 0 native tables. |
| Cancellation & refunds | Cancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. | Cancel anytime; the official pricing page states a 30-day money-back guarantee. |
| Disclosure of costs & limits | Genuinely free, but users without an ad blocker face an aggressive full-screen fake download extension modal | Not verified |
| Task quality | ||
| Measured fixture results | Text retained: 100% · Editable table cells: 16 · Page 2 preserved: Yes | Text retained: 100% · Editable table cells: 0 · Page 2 preserved: Yes |
| Fixture findings | Text and editable tables were retained in this test; an extension ad resembled a download prompt. | Both pages of body text and the footer token were preserved; the 4x4 table was flattened into plain paragraphs. |
| Original historical observation | CleverPDF pairs top-tier OpenXML reconstruction (100% text retention + 16-cell native <w:tbl> table + 30-minute auto-delete & instant Delete button in 03_download.png) with an aggressive full-screen green 'DOWNLOAD EXTENSION' ad overlay (03_ad_modal.png) that drags down its interaction restraint score. | Exported a valid 11,435-byte DOCX preserving all text checkpoints and Page 2, but flattening the 4×4 table into plain paragraphs. |
| Suitable uses · historical assessment | Users with an ad blocker who want a 100% free, no-login converter that accurately reconstructs native 16-cell Word tables | Not verified |
| Result & output evidence | ||
| Scans / OCR | The fixture is a text PDF; scans and OCR were not tested | The fixture is a text PDF; scans and OCR were not tested |
| Delivery capabilities | ||
| Recorded export specifications | DOCX · Output attached · No watermark in test | DOCX · Output attached · Check watermark record |
| Historical specification note · not an official maximum | Full 2-page native .docx (15.5 KB, 76 paragraphs + 16-cell native table, watermark-free) | Not verified |
| Watermark observation | No watermark | Not verified |
| Batch & API | Single-file web conversion with Google Drive / Dropbox export; batch processing on desktop | Not verified |
| Recorded free-tier dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Attached file dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Published allowances & file limits · not tested | Online free: DOCX or DOC output; free online. Batch and larger files are promoted for the desktop edition; web limits are not listed. | AvePDF Free: Maximum 2 processing actions per 6 hours; max file size 128 MB, up to 10 files per processing across 50+ document tools |
| Speed & reliability | ||
| Timing observation | Network-observed server wait: 8s · End-to-end reference: 9.2s | Network-observed server wait: 1.78s · End-to-end reference: 2.54s |
| Date & fixture | 2026-10-18 · anchor_pdf2word_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) | 2026-10-19 · anchor_pdf2word_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) |
| Repeated tests & reliability | No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded. | No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded. |
| Interaction experience | ||
| Account requirements | No login in this test | Not verified |
| Sign-in methods | No login or registration required | No login required within the 2-action free quota |
| Manual adjustment | Not verified | Not verified |
| Interaction observations | Severe deceptive interstitial ad trap: clicking 'Start conversion' immediately triggers a full-screen Google AdSense vignette modal featuring a giant green 'DOWNLOAD EXTENSION — 2 Easy Steps: 1. Click Download 2. Add Trusted Spot Extension' button (03_ad_modal.png) that hijacks the user's download flow and opens a third-party tab requesting browser notification permissions; users must click the tiny 'Close' button in the top-right corner to reveal the real blue Download button (03_download.png). | No forced popup at download; page displays a browser-language prompt, Nutrient acquisition notice, and Nudocs AI banner. |
| Background & reputation | ||
| Service lifecycle notice | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operator | CleverPDF.com | Orpalis / Nutrient (GdPicture SDK) Web Tool |
| Recorded origin | Global Online PDF Suite | Not verified |
| Domain history record | 2017–Present (9-year online PDF converter) | Not verified |
| Background & reputation assessment | Operated by CleverPDF.com since 2017, offering 44 online PDF utilities alongside CleverPDF for Mac/Windows desktop software. | Operated by Orpalis (now Nutrient / GdPicture.NET SDK) as the official web showcase for its document SDK. |
| External reputation record | Not verified | Not verified |
| Engineering & privacy | ||
| Processing location | Uploaded for cloud processing | Uploaded for cloud processing |
| Third-party tracking record | Not verified | Not verified |
| Engineering & privacy assessment | Provides an instant trash-can 'Delete' button right next to Download and explicitly guarantees automatic server removal within 30 minutes (03_download.png). | On-page Privacy notice states uploaded files are accessible for up to 30 minutes and can be manually deleted, while explicitly distinguishing free users from "We do not retain files for AvePDF Premium subscribers". |
| Retention statement | Claims deletion within 30 minutes; deletion not independently verified | Claims deletion within 30 minutes; deletion not independently verified |
| Evaluation basis | ||
| Pricing transparency | 30 / 35 Web PDF-to-Word conversion (.docx and .doc) is genuinely 100% free with no login, no paywall, no page truncation, and no watermark (02_workspace.png, 03_download.png). | 28 / 35 Top banner clearly discloses "You have 2 free actions left" and "Max file size: 128 MB" before upload; within that quota, guests convert and download the 11.2 KB DOCX directly without a login wall. |
| Interaction restraint | 10 / 30 Severe deceptive interstitial ad trap: clicking 'Start conversion' immediately triggers a full-screen Google AdSense vignette modal featuring a giant green 'DOWNLOAD EXTENSION — 2 Easy Steps: 1. Click Download 2. Add Trusted Spot Extension' button (03_ad_modal.png) that hijacks the user's download flow and opens a third-party tab requesting browser notification permissions; users must click the tiny 'Close' button in the top-right corner to reveal the real blue Download button (03_download.png). | 20 / 30 No forced popup at download; page displays a browser-language prompt, Nutrient acquisition notice, and Nudocs AI banner. |
| Background & reputation | 15 / 20 Operated by CleverPDF.com since 2017, offering 44 online PDF utilities alongside CleverPDF for Mac/Windows desktop software. | 15 / 20 Operated by Orpalis (now Nutrient / GdPicture.NET SDK) as the official web showcase for its document SDK. |
| Engineering & privacy | 13 / 15 Provides an instant trash-can 'Delete' button right next to Download and explicitly guarantees automatic server removal within 30 minutes (03_download.png). | 7 / 15 On-page Privacy notice states uploaded files are accessible for up to 30 minutes and can be manually deleted, while explicitly distinguishing free users from "We do not retain files for AvePDF Premium subscribers". |
| Task quality | 60 / 65 Outstanding OpenXML reconstruction: 100.0% text retention (4/4 headings, 3/3 body phrases, Page 2 verified) and 100% native Word <w:tbl> table reconstruction (4 rows, 16 cells, 12/12 data values intact) (60.0/65) | 48 / 65 Exported a valid 11,435-byte DOCX (55 paragraphs): 4/4 headings, 12/12 table cell strings, 3/3 body phrases, and the Page 2 marker are 100% preserved, but the 4×4 financial table is flattened into plain paragraphs (native <w:tbl> table_count=0). |
| Deliverable specifications | 18 / 20 Exports a complete, unwatermarked 15.5 KB .docx (or .doc) with zero login friction once the ad overlay is closed (18.0/20) | 16 / 20 Guests directly download a valid watermark-free DOCX (11.2 KB) without signing in, subject to the 2-action free quota and lacking native Word table objects. |
| Processing speed | 14.5 / 15 2026-10-21 single-sample network timing: /en/file/upload took 0.76s, and server preparation/conversion (/en/file/prepare-file-for-tool to /en/tools/pdf-to-word-action) took 1.78s (end-to-end 2.54s). | |
