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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 | PDF24 Tools | PDFgear | Switch / compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF to Word | 96/100 DOCX · Output attached | 82/100 DOCX · Output attached | Active task |
| PDF compression | 99/100 PDF · Output attached | 99/100 PDF · Output attached | |
| Scanned PDF OCR | 98/100 PDF · Output attached | Not tested in topic | Compare in task topic → |
| PDF merge & split | 98/100 PDF · Output attached | 99/100 PDF · Output attached |
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Browse this task →| Criterion | PDF24 Tools PDF to Word 96/100 Seven-aspect task score Free login-free conversion retains text and editable tables and provides a deletion control, making it suitable for ordinary text PDFs. Tested export DOCX · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-18 | PDFgear PDF to Word 82/100 Seven-aspect task score Free login-free access includes deletion, but a skippable sharing prompt interrupts conversion and tables retain only visual borders, hindering edits. Tested export DOCX · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-18 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & rules | ||
| Pricing plans | PDF24 online PDF-to-Word · 2026-10-20 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Ad-supported free2026-10-20 ↗ Free Free Free The page states free access without limits; numeric page or file-size limits are not stated. 1 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. The tool page explicitly states free, ad-supported access without limits. Arbitrarily large files and complex scans were not verified; no new performance test was conducted. Cancellation, sources & verification recordCancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ | PDFgear web PDF-to-Word; free desktop alternative noted separately · 2026-10-20 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Web free2026-10-20 ↗ Free Free Free One PDF at a time, up to 100 MB; OCR is claimed by the vendor. Batch processing and no file-size limit are desktop features. 1 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. The official web limit is 100 MB per file. Its OCR claim is not a RealTest scanned-document test. Desktop batch and offline processing are not web capabilities. Cancellation, sources & verification recordCancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ |
| Free & trial allowance on the test date | 100% Free & Unlimited (no daily task limit or page cap) | Both the web tool (including Advanced OCR) and cross-platform desktop/mobile apps are currently 100% free |
| Cancellation & refunds | Cancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. | Cancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. |
| Disclosure of costs & limits | Completely transparent from landing to download with zero post-conversion paywalls | Completely free throughout; only requires clicking 'skip' on the social share modal |
| 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 | Retained text and editable tables without login and offered deletion; scans were not tested. | Text was retained but tables were not editable grids; a sharing prompt appeared during conversion. |
| Original historical observation | In a category notorious for post-conversion paywalls, German utility PDF24 Tools is a breath of fresh air: no login, zero dark patterns, unlimited free conversions, and 100% XML-verified reconstruction of all headings, Page 2 content, and the 16-cell native Word table—plus a button to immediately wipe your file from their server (03_download.png). | PDFgear stays true to its 100% free philosophy—offering both Standard and Advanced OCR modes without login (02_workspace.png) and exporting a 16.0 KB .docx with 100% text retention and instant deletion (03_download.png); its only drawbacks are a 'Share to Continue' prompt with a faint gray 'skip' button (03_share_modal.png) and paragraph-based rather than native <w:tbl> table reconstruction. |
| Suitable uses · historical assessment | Office and academic users tired of '1–2 free tasks/day' or 'credit-card trial walls' who want a 100% free, unlimited PDF-to-Word converter that preserves editable Word tables | Users who detest paywalls and third-party ads or need free OCR text recognition on scanned PDFs |
| 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 · No watermark in test |
| Historical specification note · not an official maximum | Full 2-page native .docx (32 paragraphs + 16-cell native Word table, watermark-free) | Full 2-page unwatermarked .docx (16.0 KB, 39 paragraphs, free OCR mode supported) |
| Watermark observation | Watermark-free | No watermark |
| Batch & API | Supports multi-file batch upload and ZIP export | Single-file conversion on web; unlimited local batch conversion via free Windows/macOS desktop app |
| Recorded free-tier dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Attached file dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Published allowances & file limits · not tested | Ad-supported free: The page states free access without limits; numeric page or file-size limits are not stated. | Web free: One PDF at a time, up to 100 MB; OCR is claimed by the vendor. Batch processing and no file-size limit are desktop features. |
| Speed & reliability | ||
| Timing observation | Network-observed server wait: 5.8s · End-to-end reference: 6.4s | Network-observed server wait: 10.8s · End-to-end reference: 12.3s |
| Date & fixture | 2026-10-18 · anchor_pdf2word_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) | 2026-10-18 · 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 | No login in this test |
| Sign-in methods | 100% No Login Required | No login or registration required |
| Manual adjustment | Manual erase / adjustment recorded in the historical flow | Not verified |
| Interaction observations | No registration required and no credit-card trial modals; the completion screen provides direct Download and Delete (immediate server wipe) buttons. | Zero third-party banner ads, though clicking 'Convert' pops up a 'Share to Continue — Share this tool on social media to unlock access and continue converting your files' prompt with a faint gray 'skip' link at the bottom (03_share_modal.png). |
| Background & reputation | ||
| Service lifecycle notice | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operator | Geek Software GmbH | PDFgear Tech Pte. Ltd. (pdfgear.com) |
| Recorded origin | Berlin, Germany | Singapore |
| Domain history record | 2006–Present (20-year German document utility benchmark) | 2022–Present (fast-growing free cross-platform PDF suite) |
| Background & reputation assessment | Developed and maintained for nearly 20 years by Geek Software GmbH in Berlin, Germany with stellar reputation across education and enterprise. | Operated by Singapore-based PDFgear Tech Pte. Ltd., widely praised across tech communities for its 100% free Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android apps. |
| 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 | Strictly adheres to German and EU GDPR standards, provides an active 'Delete/Erase' button to physically wipe files from the server immediately, and offers a 100% offline Windows desktop app (PDF24 Creator) for free. | Provides an instant trash-can delete icon right beside 'Download File' and explicitly states 'Your files remain private and will be deleted after leaving our site' (03_download.png). |
| Retention statement | Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record | Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record |
| Evaluation basis | ||
| Pricing transparency | 35 / 35 100% free with zero hidden paywalls, zero daily task caps, and zero page truncation. Uploading our 2-page test PDF (with a 4×4 financial table and dual-column layout) produces a fully editable DOCX in ~5.8s with one-click download (01_landing.png, 02_workspace.png, 03_download.png). | 33 / 35 Genuinely free with no subscription paywall, no registration requirement, no watermark, and even makes its 'Advanced (Enable OCR to recognize text from scans)' mode completely free for guests (02_workspace.png, 03_download.png). |
| Interaction restraint | 29 / 30 No registration required and no credit-card trial modals; the completion screen provides direct Download and Delete (immediate server wipe) buttons. | 19 / 30 Zero third-party banner ads, though clicking 'Convert' pops up a 'Share to Continue — Share this tool on social media to unlock access and continue converting your files' prompt with a faint gray 'skip' link at the bottom (03_share_modal.png). |
| Background & reputation | 19 / 20 Developed and maintained for nearly 20 years by Geek Software GmbH in Berlin, Germany with stellar reputation across education and enterprise. | 18 / 20 Operated by Singapore-based PDFgear Tech Pte. Ltd., widely praised across tech communities for its 100% free Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android apps. |
| Engineering & privacy | 15 / 15 Strictly adheres to German and EU GDPR standards, provides an active 'Delete/Erase' button to physically wipe files from the server immediately, and offers a 100% offline Windows desktop app (PDF24 Creator) for free. | 14 / 15 Provides an instant trash-can delete icon right beside 'Download File' and explicitly states 'Your files remain private and will be deleted after leaving our site' (03_download.png). |
| Task quality | 63 / 65 Underlying word/document.xml inspection confirms 100.0% text retention (4/4 headings, 3/3 special-symbol phrases, Page 2 token verified) and 100% reconstruction of the 4×4 financial table into a 16-cell native Word <w:tbl> object (63.0/65) | 51 / 65 OpenXML inspection confirms 100.0% text retention (all 4/4 headings, 12/12 table values, 3/3 body phrases, and Page 2 code preserved) with 3 background graphics preserving visual table borders, though it does not generate a native Word <w:tbl> table object (51.0/65) |
| Deliverable specifications | 20 / 20 Exports a standard OpenXML (.docx) file (5.7 KB) without login, page limits, watermarks, or daily quota locks (20.0/20) | 18 / 20 Exports a clean 16.0 KB .docx with no login or watermark, plus free optional Advanced OCR mode (18.0/20) |
| Processing speed | 12.5 / 15 Smooth upload and worker queue processing completes in ~5.8s (12.5/15) | |
