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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 | PDFgear | online-convert.com | Switch / compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image compression | Not tested in topic | 90/100 2048 × 2048 · PNG | Compare in task topic → |
| PDF to Word | 82/100 DOCX · Output attached | Not tested in topic | Compare in task topic → |
| PDF compression | 99/100 PDF · Output attached | 94/100 PDF · Output attached | Active task |
| Scanned PDF OCR | Not tested in topic | 94/100 PDF · Output attached | Compare in task topic → |
| PDF merge & split | 99/100 PDF · Output attached | Not tested in topic | Compare in task topic → |
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Browse this task →| Criterion | PDFgear PDF compression 99/100 Seven-aspect task score 100% free and ad-free across web and desktop, shrinking our 1.66 MB PDF by 97.63% down to 39.2 KB in 1.79s while preserving 100% of selectable vector text. Tested export PDF · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-23 | Online-Convert PDF compression 94/100 Seven-aspect task score Online-Convert performed strongly in the 2-page hybrid PDF compression benchmark, completing server-side processing in 12.06 seconds to deliver a 79.0 KB document. It achieved a 95.24% file reduction (20.99x) while retaining 100.0% of all 17 vector text operators and table figures with zero logins and no watermarks. Tested export PDF · Output attached Historical test · 2026-11-05 |
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| Pricing & rules | ||
| Pricing plans | 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 ↗ | Online-Convert free trial credits, Pay As You Go packages and subscriptions · 2026-10-31 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Free Trial2026-10-31 ↗ Free Free Free 16 free trial credits upon signup without payment details Supports evaluation of most conversion and compression tools；Shared standard queue with file size limits；No automatic renewal；Valid until credits exhausted Pay As You Go (240 Credits)2026-10-31 ↗ USD 8 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 240 credits ($0.0333/credit), valid for 1 year Access to all tools, no waiting queue, priority processing Rules [1] [2] [3]Pay As You Go (480 Credits)2026-10-31 ↗ USD 14 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 480 credits ($0.0292/credit), valid for 1 year Full tools access, zero wait queue, ad-free experience Rules [1] [2] [3]Monthly Subscription (2800 Credits)2026-10-31 ↗ USD 29/month — Monthly 2800 credits per month (up to 2800 standard tasks or 350 AI tasks) All features, no waiting queue, batch concurrent processing, no ads；Unused monthly credits do not roll over；Renews monthly, cancel anytime in dashboard；Valid during active billing period Annual Subscription (2800 Credits/mo)2026-10-31 ↗ — Annual price not verified Annual 2800 credits per month; UI states $23.17 USD/month equivalent without full annual total All features, no waiting queue, batch concurrent processing, no ads；Annual billing total not stated upfront; held as null with partial coverage；Renews annually；Valid during annual period 5 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. Anonymous conversions for basic files; 16 free trial credits upon registration; Pay As You Go packs: 240 credits for $8, 480 for $14; monthly subscription $29/mo for 2800 credits; annual plans state monthly equivalents without full upfront invoice total. Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred. Cancellation, sources & verification recordCancellation and refund terms unverified Online-Convert Plans & Pricing ↗ · 2026-10-31 Capture 1 ↗ |
| Free & trial allowance on the test date | All 3 compression levels are 100% free with no daily task caps (up to 50 MB per file) | Anonymous guests can convert everyday small files; registered users receive 16 trial credits |
| Cancellation & refunds | Cancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. | Not verified |
| Disclosure of costs & limits | All 3 compression modes are openly accessible upfront with zero hidden paywalls | Immediate processing upon upload, direct download and delete links provided in result table |
| Task quality | ||
| Measured fixture results | File reduction: 97.63% · Output size: 39.2 KB · Selectable text retained: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes | File reduction: 95.24% · Output size: 79 KB · Selectable text retained: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes |
| Fixture findings | Reduced the 2-page PDF by 97.63% (39.2 KB output) while retaining 100% of all 27 native vector text operator blocks and table text. | 95.24% file reduction (1.66MB to 79KB, 20.99x) with 100.0% retention of vector text and tabular layouts. |
| Original historical observation | PDFgear compressed our 1.66 MB PDF fixture down to 39.2 KB (-97.63%) in 1.79s of server processing while preserving all 27 vector text operator blocks (02_workspace.png, 03_result.png). | Online-Convert compressed the 1.66MB test PDF to 79.0 KB under default settings, smooth image resampling with 100% vector typography preserved (02_result.png, 03_download.png). |
| Suitable uses · historical assessment | Users seeking a 100% free, ad-free tool that achieves extreme size reduction (-97.63%) while keeping all vector text selectable | Users seeking to reduce large image-heavy PDFs below 100KB without login while preserving sharp vector text under EU GDPR protections |
| Result & output evidence | ||
| Delivery capabilities | ||
| Recorded export specifications | PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test | PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test |
| Historical specification note · not an official maximum | Full 2-page native vector PDF (39.2 KB · -97.63% · watermark-free · 3 free presets) | Complete 2-page native vector PDF (79.0 KB, 95.24% reduction) |
| Watermark observation | No watermark | No watermark |
| Batch & API | Single-file web tool; batch compression available in the free desktop app | Supports multi-file batch additions and advanced parameter tuning |
| Recorded free-tier dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Attached file dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Speed & reliability | ||
| Timing observation | Network-observed server wait: 1.79s · End-to-end reference: 24.73s | Network-observed server wait: 12.06s · End-to-end reference: 13.56s |
| Date & fixture | 2026-10-23 · anchor_pdfcompress_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) | 2026-11-05 · anchor_pdfcompress_v1 · US-West (California) |
| 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% guest-accessible without login | Direct upload & compress without login |
| Manual adjustment | Not verified | Not verified |
| Interaction observations | No registration required; choose a preset, click Compress, and download a watermark-free PDF from a clean, ad-free workspace. | Not verified |
| Background & reputation | ||
| Service lifecycle notice | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operator | PDFgear Tech Pte. Ltd. (pdfgear.com) | QaamGo Media GmbH |
| Recorded origin | Singapore | Cologne, Germany |
| Domain history record | 2022–Present (fast-growing free cross-platform PDF suite) | Domain registered in 2009 |
| Background & reputation assessment | Developed by PDFgear Tech Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, widely praised for its completely free cross-platform PDF toolkit. | Not verified |
| External reputation record | Not verified | Operated continuously by German registered company QaamGo Media GmbH with transparent EU GDPR disclosures. |
| Engineering & privacy | ||
| Processing location | Uploaded for cloud processing | Uploaded for cloud processing |
| Third-party tracking record | No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist. | Google Analytics · Google AdSense · PayPal · Stripe |
| Engineering & privacy assessment | Uses TLS encryption and purges temporary server files after download, alongside 100% offline desktop and mobile apps. | Not verified |
| Retention statement | Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record | Claims deletion within 24 hours; deletion not independently verified |
| Evaluation basis | ||
| Pricing transparency | 35 / 35 100% free across Low, Medium, and High compression presets with zero login walls, daily limits, ads, or post-compression paywalls (01_landing.png, 02_workspace.png, 03_result.png). | |
| Interaction restraint | 29 / 30 No registration required; choose a preset, click Compress, and download a watermark-free PDF from a clean, ad-free workspace. | |
| Background & reputation | 18 / 20 Developed by PDFgear Tech Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, widely praised for its completely free cross-platform PDF toolkit. | |
| Engineering & privacy | 14 / 15 Uses TLS encryption and purges temporary server files after download, alongside 100% offline desktop and mobile apps. | |
| Task quality | 65 / 65 Deterministic PDF stream inspection: shrinks the 1,659.0 KB fixture down to 39.2 KB (-97.63%, 42.27× ratio) while retaining 100.0% of all 27 native vector text operator blocks (BT/TJ), 4/4 headings, 12/12 table cells, and the Page 2 token (65.0/65) | 65 / 65 Size Reduction: -95.24% (1659 KB → 79 KB, 20.99× ratio) · Selectable Vector Text Retained: 100% · Page 2 Preserved: Yes |
| Deliverable specifications | 20 / 20 Exports a 39.2 KB watermark-free 2-page vector PDF without login, with all three compression presets unlocked for free (20.0/20) | 20 / 20 Clean unwatermarked export (8/8); Export spec: Complete 2-page native vector PDF (79.0 KB, 95.24% reduction) |
| Processing speed | 14.5 / 15 Once upload completes (22.94s), server-side PDF compression finishes in just 1.79s (14.5/15) | 11 / 15 Network-observed server wait: 12.06s (API mode: cloud_online_convert_compress; network upload 1.5s / end-to-end 13.56s shown for reference only, never penalized) |
