iLovePDF is excellent and enormous. It is also a service you upload to. This page is for the cases where that is the deciding factor.
| What matters | iLovePDF | AIMerger |
|---|---|---|
| Where your file is processed | Uploaded to their servers | Inside your browser — never uploaded |
| What happens to the file afterwards | Deleted from their servers after processing, per their policy | Nothing to delete — it never left your device |
| Free tier | Free tier with limits on file size and tasks; paid plans lift them | Unlimited for every file, video, audio and data tool |
| Account required | Optional; needed for higher limits | Never |
| Ads | On the free tier | None |
| Works offline | No | Yes — install it as an app |
| AI photo merging | No | Yes — people, pets, products, styles |
| PDF editing, signing, compression, OCR | Yes — a full editing and conversion suite | Compression to a target size, OCR and page numbers: yes, in your browser. Text editing and e-signing: not offered |
Checked September 2026. Competitor plans and limits change; confirm them on iLovePDF's own pricing page before deciding. The one row that does not change is the first: they process files on their servers, AIMerger processes them on yours.
iLovePDF is a full PDF suite. If you need to edit text inside a PDF, convert Word to PDF or e-sign, iLovePDF does those and AIMerger does not. (AIMerger does now compress to a target size, read scans with OCR and add page numbers — all in your browser.) AIMerger is deliberately narrow: it merges things, and it does that without ever seeing your file.
Financial statements, contracts, ID proofs, medical records, anything under NDA — documents where "we delete it afterwards" is not the same as "we never had it". Also anyone who wants no account, no ads and no daily task counter, and anyone who needs to merge with no internet connection.
100% in your browser — contracts, statements and IDs are never uploaded anywhere.
📄 Drop 2–50 PDF files here, or click to choose
Reorder them below with ▲ ▼ (or drag), then merge into a single PDF
🔏 A digitally signed PDF is included: its signature will not be valid in the merged file (the visible signature stays).
🔒 Up to 50 PDFs per merge; the practical size limit is your device’s memory (about 500 MB in total on a computer, less on phones). Password-protected PDFs need the password removed first.
Drop your PDFs onto the box or tap to choose them.
Use the ▲▼ arrows to reorder; ✕ removes anything you don't need.
Press 🔀 Merge PDFs. Everything runs inside your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Press ⬇️ Download merged PDF — no watermark, no daily limit, no signup.
💡 Tip: Need images in a PDF too? Use the free Images to PDF tool first, then merge.
For every file, video, audio and data tool, yes — unlimited, no watermark, no account. AI photo blending has free daily tries and optional credit packs.
A file that is never transmitted cannot be intercepted, retained, breached or subpoenaed from a third party. For contracts, statements, medical and ID documents that is the whole question.
For merging — and now compressing to a target size, OCR and page numbers — yes. iLovePDF also offers text editing, file conversion and e-signing, which AIMerger does not — see the table.
Client-side tools cost almost nothing to run because your device does the work. AIMerger earns from optional AI credit packs instead.
Everything on AIMerger brings things together — here is what pairs with this one.