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InkOut PDF vs iLovePDF for Redacting PDFs
iLovePDF is a large online PDF suite. Its Redact PDF tool runs on iLovePDF's servers: you upload the file, and iLovePDF says processed files are deleted within two hours. It also offers Smart Redact, which suggests sensitive information to redact. InkOut PDF only redacts, and it does so in your browser without uploading the file, then checks the export. Choose iLovePDF for a broad toolset and automatic suggestions; choose InkOut PDF if the file must stay on your device.
Last checked: 2026-10-20. iLovePDF's features and policies can change; see the sources below.
Quick comparison
| InkOut PDF | iLovePDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Redaction only, plus a free redaction checker | Full PDF suite; Redact PDF is one tool (source) |
| Where your file goes | Processed in your browser; never uploaded | Uploaded to iLovePDF for processing (source) |
| File retention | Nothing to retain: the file never reaches a server | "Automatically and permanently deleted within two hours of being processed"; you can also delete files manually from the download screen (source) |
| Automatic suggestions | No. You draw boxes or (Pro) search for keywords | Smart Redact suggests sensitive information, and you review each suggestion before applying it (source) |
| Free use | Up to 5 pages per file, manual boxes, automatic check | Free plan with "limited document processing" (source) |
| Paid plan | Pro: $4.99 24-hour pass (one-time) or Pro Monthly at $7.99 per month (InkOut PDF pricing) | Premium: US$9 billed monthly, or US$60 billed annually, as shown on iLovePDF's pricing page on 2026-10-20; may vary by region (source) |
| Output | Redacted pages rebuilt as images with the boxes burned in; metadata isn't carried over | Not described on the pages we checked. We haven't tested its output |
| Automatic check of the output | Yes. Checks redacted pages for extractable text and scans the whole output file for the text you covered; download stays disabled if a check fails | Not described on the pages we checked |
| Security statements | No upload; no ads shown and no cookies set by InkOut (privacy) | HTTPS encryption in transit and at rest, ISO/IEC 27001 certification, GDPR compliance, according to iLovePDF (source) |
Where your file goes
InkOut PDF processes the PDF in your browser. In our own test on 2026-10-20, opening, redacting and downloading a file sent no upload requests: the only network requests were for the site's own code.
With iLovePDF, you upload the file and it's processed on iLovePDF's infrastructure. iLovePDF says it doesn't retain user documents, deletes processed files within two hours and lets you delete them sooner from the download screen (iLovePDF security). For many documents that's fine. For files you'd rather never leave your device, use a tool that works locally.
Free limits and pricing
InkOut PDF is free for files up to 5 pages with manual boxes. Pro adds unlimited pages, keyword redaction and multiple files, for $4.99 as a 24-hour pass (one-time, no subscription) or $7.99 per month as Pro Monthly (renews monthly, cancel anytime). iLovePDF has a free plan with limited processing; Premium removes the limits and works across web, mobile and desktop (iLovePDF pricing).
Output and checks
InkOut PDF rebuilds each redacted page as an image, so text on those pages can't be selected or searched afterwards, and after export it scans the whole output file for the text you covered before you download. Whichever tool you use, search the final file for the redacted words, or run it through the free redaction checker.
When to choose iLovePDF
- You want one suite for many PDF tasks.
- You'd like automatic suggestions for what to redact (Smart Redact).
- You're comfortable with your file being uploaded and deleted under iLovePDF's policies.
When to choose InkOut PDF
- You don't want the file to leave your device.
- You want an automatic check of the export before you download it.
- You need a one-off job and prefer a 24-hour pass to a subscription.
FAQ
Does iLovePDF store my file?
iLovePDF says it doesn't retain user documents and that processed files are automatically and permanently deleted within two hours, or sooner if you delete them from the download screen. The file is still uploaded to iLovePDF to be processed. InkOut PDF never uploads it.
Is iLovePDF redaction free?
iLovePDF's free plan includes limited document processing; Premium removes the limits. InkOut PDF is free for files up to 5 pages with manual boxes.
Can redacted text be recovered?
Not if the tool actually removed it. Text that was only covered by a shape can be copied out. Whichever tool you use, search the exported file for the redacted words, or run it through a redaction checker.
Which is better for confidential documents?
If the file must stay on your device, InkOut PDF is built for that. If you're comfortable with uploading under iLovePDF's security and deletion policies, either can work. Always check the output.
Sources (checked 2026-10-20)
- iLovePDF, Redact PDF tool page ("Upload your file", Smart Redact, "You can review every suggested redaction before applying it"): https://www.ilovepdf.com/redact-pdf
- iLovePDF, Security page (deletion within two hours, manual deletion, "does not retain user documents", HTTPS in transit and at rest, ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR): https://www.ilovepdf.com/help/security
- iLovePDF, Pricing (Free: "Limited document processing"; Premium: 9 US$ billed monthly / 60 US$ billed annually; "Access across Web, Mobile, and Desktop"): https://www.ilovepdf.com/pricing
- Not used: ilovepdf.io (not the official iLovePDF site).
- InkOut PDF: https://inkoutpdf.com/pricing, https://inkoutpdf.com/privacy, https://inkoutpdf.com/terms §3