CleverPDF

Active

Country: Hong Kong (HK)
Founded: 2017
Developer: CleverPDF (Hong Kong-based)
Pricing: Freemium
Open source: No
Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Indexes

PDF Tools

Overview

CleverPDF is a PDF manipulation tool available as both a free online service and downloadable desktop applications. It provides 24 PDF tools organized into three categories: PDF conversion (to/from Office, iWork, EPUB, images), PDF creation, and PDF utilities (compression, merging, splitting, encryption, watermarking). The online version requires no installation and processes files on secure servers with automatic deletion after 30 minutes, while desktop versions offer offline functionality, batch processing, and support for larger files.

Key Features

PDF Conversion - Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, iWork, EPUB, and image formats; convert from these formats to PDF
PDF Compression - Reduce PDF file size by adjusting image quality and DPI settings
PDF Merging and Splitting - Combine multiple PDFs into one or extract specific pages from PDF files
PDF Encryption and Decryption - Add password protection to PDFs or unlock encrypted documents
Watermarking - Add text or image watermarks to PDF documents with flexible positioning options
Batch Processing - Process multiple files simultaneously on desktop versions
Page Management - Rotate pages, reorder pages via drag-and-drop, add page numbers, and delete pages
Image Extraction - Extract images from PDF files or convert between image formats

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Free (Online)	$0	All online PDF tools with limitations: PDF conversion limited to 3 pages per file, PDF utilities limited to 10 pages per file, image conversion and extraction unlimited
Free (Desktop)	$0	Desktop version with same limitations as online version
All-in-1 (Desktop)	$39.99 USD (one-time)	Unlimited file size and page processing, batch processing, all 24 PDF tools, offline access, 24/7 customer support, 30-day money-back guarantee
Converter (Desktop)	$29.99 USD (one-time)	Unlimited PDF conversion tools, batch processing, offline access, 24/7 customer support, 30-day money-back guarantee

Platforms & Requirements

CleverPDF operates as a web application at cleverpdf.com accessible from any browser, and offers native desktop applications for Windows and macOS. Mobile apps are available on iOS and Android. Desktop versions do not require internet connection and support larger files and batch processing compared to the online version. The online version has file size and page limitations in the free tier.

Integrations & Ecosystem

Batch file processing
File import/export (Office formats: Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
iWork format support (Pages, Numbers, Keynote)
EPUB format support
Multiple image format support (JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF, TIF)
Drag-and-drop file interface
Multi-language support (English plus 16 additional languages)

Alternatives

App	Difference
Adobe Acrobat DC	Professional-grade PDF editor with advanced annotation and form creation; significantly higher cost with subscription model
PDFtk	Command-line PDF manipulation tool; requires technical knowledge and lacks graphical interface
Smallpdf	Online PDF tool with similar features; different pricing model and user interface approach
ILovePDF	Competitor online PDF tool offering similar conversion and utility features with comparable free tier limitations

Reputation

CleverPDF is generally well-regarded for providing a comprehensive set of PDF tools at no cost online, with users appreciating the offline desktop option for privacy-sensitive documents. The application is noted for ease of use with a simple three-step process for most operations. Strengths include the breadth of tools, batch processing capability, and privacy assurance through local processing. Criticisms center on free tier limitations (3-page conversion limit, 10-page utility limit) that encourage paid upgrades, and occasional conversion quality issues with complex PDF documents requiring custom solutions.

Sources (10)