PDFzen vs Soda PDF — Free Local vs Full Suite
Soda PDF bundles an online app, a desktop app, and paid plans with editing and e-sign. PDFzen is a free, no-install browser tool for everyday transforms.
Bottom line: Pick PDFzen for free, no-upload, no-install compress / merge / convert. Pick Soda PDF if you want a paid suite with editing and e-sign.
Side-by-side
| Area | PDFzen | Soda PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no account | Freemium + paid plans |
| Platform | Any browser | Online + Windows desktop app |
| File handling | In-browser, not uploaded | Online version uploads |
| Editing | No (transforms only) | Yes (edit, e-sign, forms) |
| Best for | Private quick tasks | Paid all-in-one suite |
What we verified
Soda PDF's suite is broad but pushes toward paid plans. For the free everyday loop, our local tool needs nothing installed and nothing uploaded. A 5 MB proposal became ~210 KB and an 8 MB image report ~900 KB in-browser.
Honest note: need e-sign or deep editing in one paid app? Soda PDF fits. Need free private transforms? PDFzen.
AdSense slot — paste your in-article display ad <ins> code here (mid-content)
FAQ
Is Soda PDF free?
There is a free online tier; full editing and e-sign need a paid plan.
Does Soda PDF upload files?
The online app uploads files; the desktop app is local.
Which is more private?
PDFzen — it never uploads the file.