PDF24 Review: The Free PDF Tool That Doesn't Ask for Your Card

PDF24, made by German company Geek Software GmbH, has stayed relevant for one reason: it's actually free, not "free with limits." Between its browser-based tool suite and its downloadable PDF24 Creator app for Windows, it's a favorite among people who got burned once by a subscription they didn't mean to sign up for. This PDF24 review covers both sides of the product and where a lighter, browser-only tool like NanPDF fits alongside it.

What Is PDF24?

PDF24 is a free PDF toolkit available as an online tool suite and as a Windows desktop application, PDF24 Creator. It covers merging, splitting, compressing, converting, editing, signing, and OCR, plus a virtual PDF printer that lets you "print" any document to PDF from within Windows.

Key Features

• Online tools for merge, split, compress, convert, rotate, and protect
• PDF24 Creator desktop app with a virtual PDF printer for Windows
• OCR for scanned documents
• Basic e-signing of PDFs
• No cost for the vast majority of its features

Pricing Overview

PDF24's core value proposition is that it's free — both the online tools and the desktop app are available without a subscription. There's no Premium tier gating major functionality the way most competitors structure their pricing. The trade-off shows up in interface polish and occasional ads on the web version rather than in paywalled features.

Performance

The desktop app is genuinely fast for local processing since it's not shuttling files through a browser upload, and the virtual printer feature is a convenient shortcut for converting any printable document to PDF. The online tools are slower than some polished competitors but handle standard tasks reliably.

Security

Online tool files are processed on PDF24's servers and stated to be deleted after a short window; the desktop app processes files locally, which is the stronger option for sensitive documents since nothing leaves your machine. If privacy is the priority, the desktop app is the better half of this product.

Ease of Use

The desktop app's interface looks dated compared to modern competitors, and the online tools carry ads that can make the page feel busier than necessary. Functionally, though, most tools are still just a few clicks from upload to download.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Genuinely free, no forced subscription
• Desktop app processes files locally
• Windows virtual PDF printer is handy
• Broad tool coverage

Cons:

• Interface feels dated
• Ads present on the free web tools
• Windows-only for the desktop app
• Less polished than premium competitors

Who Should Use PDF24?

Windows users who want a permanent, no-cost desktop PDF tool — especially the virtual printer feature — get real value from PDF24. Mac and Linux users, or anyone who wants a cleaner browser-only experience, may prefer a web-native tool instead.

PDF24 vs NanPDF: Feature Comparison

• Merge & split PDF — PDF24: yes. NanPDF: yes.
• Compress PDF — PDF24: yes. NanPDF: yes.
• PDF to Word/Excel/PowerPoint — PDF24: yes. NanPDF: yes.
• Image to PDF / PDF to image — PDF24: yes. NanPDF: yes.
• Password protect / unlock PDF — PDF24: yes. NanPDF: yes.
• OCR — PDF24: yes. NanPDF: yes.
• Rotate PDF — PDF24: yes. NanPDF: yes.
• Requires a desktop install for the full feature set — PDF24: yes, via Creator app. NanPDF: no, fully browser-based.
• Cost — PDF24: free. NanPDF: free.

When NanPDF Is a Suitable Alternative

PDF24's biggest strength — local desktop processing — is also its biggest friction point if you're on a Mac, Chromebook, or a locked-down work PC where you can't install software. NanPDF covers the same merge, split, compress, convert, and OCR ground entirely in the browser, with no installer and no ads. Check out Merge PDF or OCR PDF directly, and see our guide to OCR accuracy if you're deciding between tools for scanned documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PDF24 completely free?

Yes, both the online tools and the PDF24 Creator desktop app are free to use without a subscription.

Is PDF24 only available on Windows?

The desktop app, PDF24 Creator, is Windows-only. The online tools work on any operating system through a browser.

Is PDF24 safe to use for sensitive files?

The desktop app processes files locally, which is safer for sensitive documents than any browser-based upload, including PDF24's own web tools.

Does PDF24 have ads?

The free online tools display ads; the desktop app is largely ad-free.

What is PDF24's virtual PDF printer?

It's a printer driver installed with PDF24 Creator that lets you convert any printable document to PDF by "printing" to it from any Windows application.

Is there a good browser-based alternative to PDF24?

Yes, NanPDF offers overlapping tools entirely in-browser without requiring a desktop install.

Does PDF24 support OCR?

Yes, it includes OCR for converting scanned documents into searchable, selectable text.

Final Verdict

PDF24 remains one of the few tools in this space that doesn't quietly funnel you toward a subscription, and the desktop app's local processing is a genuine privacy advantage. But if you want that same free, ad-light, no-install experience on any operating system, a browser-first tool like NanPDF is worth having bookmarked alongside it. Run OCR on a scanned PDF for free without installing anything.