COMPARE
Filum vs iLovePDF vs Smallpdf
This page publishes only what we have measured. No unverified quality claims. Where data is inferred from observable behavior, it says so.
| Metric | Filum | iLovePDF | Smallpdf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-party requests per page | 2 | 22 | 44 |
| On-device processing | Yes — split, merge, rotate, sign, organize, watermark, crop, redact, and more run entirely in your browser | No — all operations upload to their servers | No — all operations upload to their servers |
| PDF to JPG output quality | 300 DPI | ~300 DPI | ~300 DPI |
| Account required | Never | No (free tier) | For some features |
| Number of tools | 50 | ~25 | ~25 |
| File tracking / analytics on conversions | None — on-device tools process data that never reaches a server | Files are uploaded and processed server-side | Files are uploaded and processed server-side |
Sources and methodology
- Third-party requests per page: Measured 2026-06-15 via browser network panel on each tool's homepage. Lower is better.
- On-device processing: INFERRED from network traffic analysis. Filum's client-side tools make zero outgoing requests during operation.
- PDF to JPG output quality: Measured 2026-06-13 on identical A4 PDF. All three produce pixel-correct output at the stated DPI.
- Account required: VERIFIED: every Filum tool is accessible without registration.
- Number of tools: Filum count is exact (from registry, updated live). Competitor counts are approximate — measured 2026-06-15, may have changed.
- File tracking / analytics on conversions: On-device tools (the majority of Filum's toolkit) have zero server visibility of your document.
Claims marked INFERRED are derived from observable network behavior, not from source code review. Claims marked VERIFIED were tested directly. Competitor data is a snapshot — the products evolve.
The honest summary
On output quality (DPI, fidelity for the tools we share), all three products are comparable — the converters we have tested produce similar results. Where Filum differs is in architecture: the tools most likely to involve sensitive documents (sign, redact, crop, organize, split, merge) are built to run on your device. There is nothing to upload, no deletion promise to trust. Format conversion (Word, Excel, EPUB to PDF) uses a secure server that processes and immediately deletes your file — the same as competitors, with comparable output quality.
The gap in third-party requests (2 vs 22–44) is real and measurable. What it means: Filum loads less tracking infrastructure from external domains. Whether that matters to you depends on your threat model.