iLovePDF vs PDF2Go (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, iLovePDF grades higher than PDF2Go: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
iLovePDF grades higher on ease of use and platforms. PDF2Go grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money and the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
iLovePDF
Online PDF tools with desktop and mobile apps, free for light use
PDF2Go
Online PDF editor and converter with a Windows, Mac and Linux app
Which one is for you
Pick iLovePDF if
- Fits if you merge, compress or convert a PDF a few times a week
- Works for small teams of up to 25 on $5-a-month per-user licenses
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need to rewrite existing text or build forms, as neither is on record
- Tight if you stay on the free plan, with caps on documents and file size, plus ads
- Watch out: the desktop and phone apps, digital signatures and workflows need Premium; the free desktop app is a reader
- Not for you if you want to try Premium first, as there's no trial
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $9 a user against $5 on a yearly plan, and teams over 25 are quoted
Pick PDF2Go if
- Fits if you do occasional PDF jobs from a browser
- Works for small teams that want automation through Zapier or Make
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, with limited file processing, ads and a standard queue
- Watch out: the desktop app is Apple Silicon only on Mac and is listed from the Pro plan
- Pricey if you add users at 5 euros each a month
- Watch out: credits reset each cycle and do not roll over
- Watch out: plan cards say one person while the FAQ says plans include 2, 5 and 20 users
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAiLovePDFGood | 2.6GPAPDF2GoGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPremium is $5 a user a month on a yearly plan, $60 a year, or $9 month to month. That's the low side of normal for PDF editors, and it covers every tool on web, desktop and phone. Students and teachers can get a year free. | CStarter is $8 a month billed monthly for up to 2 users, close to the $7.99 middle for PDF editors. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe Basic plan is free and does the essentials, with ads. But it caps how many documents you process and how big they are, and the desktop and phone apps need Premium. There's no trial. | CA free plan with most apps, limited file processing, ads and a standard queue, no account needed. You will hit the caps. |
| Features | CMerges, splits, compresses, converts with OCR, redacts, compares, signs and summarizes with AI, plus saved workflows and an API. But the edit tool isn't described as changing existing text, and there's no form builder on record. | BAbout 50 apps covering editing, conversion, signing, redaction, OCR and AI. The listing names no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | A4.76 from 52,031 App Store ratings. Pick a tool, drop in a file, done. There's nothing to learn. | BNo store rating on record. You pick a tool, upload and go, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, with Google Drive, Zapier, Make and WordPress, and the iLoveAPI for developers. Five platforms in all. | BWeb plus Windows, macOS and Linux desktop apps, with Zapier and Make automation on Pro. No phone apps. |
| Best for | quick PDF merges and conversions on any device | browser PDF tools with a free tier |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: iLovePDF and PDF2Go. How we grade
Price against what you get
iLovePDF starts at $5 a month for each person and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. PDF2Go starts at $8 a month and scores 3.0.
iLovePDF scores higher and starts $3 a month lower. Of the other PDF editors on the chart, none scores higher than iLovePDF for less, and 2 score higher than PDF2Go for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- PDF2Go also covers file compression.
At a glance
| iLovePDF | PDF2Go | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per user / month, billed annually ($9 billed monthly) | $8 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 19%) |
| Free plan | Basic plan: the essential tools with a limited number of documents and smaller file size limits per task, with ads; the desktop app works as a free PDF reader. | Access to most PDF2Go apps with limited file processing, no account needed. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | iLovePDF | QaamGo Web GmbH |
| Price read from | ilovepdf.com | pdf2go.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
iLovePDF
- The free plan limits how many documents you can process and the file size per task, and shows ads.
- The desktop and mobile apps, digital signatures and workflows are Premium features.
- Premium can be bought for up to 25 users; larger teams are quoted through the Business plan.
- There is no free trial of Premium on the pricing page; the free plan is the way to try it.
PDF2Go
- Extra users on a paid plan cost 5 euros each per month, a euro price on a dollar page.
- Subscription credits reset each cycle and do not roll over; add-on packs are bought separately.
- The desktop app is Apple Silicon only on Mac, and is listed from the Pro plan; after a free trial it needs a plan that includes it.
- Plan cards say 'for one person' (Business: per person) while the FAQ says plans include 2, 5 and 20 users.
Key features
iLovePDF
- Merge, split and compress
- Browser tools to combine, split, compress, rotate, repair and number PDF pages, with files picked from the computer or Google Drive.
- Convert with OCR
- Converts PDFs to Word, PowerPoint and Excel with OCR on scans, and converts Office files and images to PDF.
- Edit, sign and redact
- Tools to edit, crop and watermark PDFs, fill forms, sign, redact, compare two files and protect or unlock them; Premium adds digital signatures.
- AI summaries and translation
- Summarizes and translates PDFs with standard or advanced AI; Premium includes 2,000 AI credits.
- Workflows
- Premium can save a chain of tools as a workflow, and integrations with Zapier, Make and WordPress and the iLoveAPI connect it to other apps.
- Offline desktop app
- Apps for Windows and Mac process PDFs offline; without a subscription the desktop app is a free PDF reader.
PDF2Go
- Edit and organize
- Edit, merge, split, rotate, crop, watermark, redact, sign and compare PDFs, and change page layout or create booklets.
- Conversion
- Converts PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, JPG, text, EPUB and PDF/A, and Word, images, EPUB and webpages to PDF.
- OCR and AI apps
- OCR, chat with a PDF, summarize, translate, spellcheck and extract facts; the vendor says it does not train AI on files.
- Credits and batch processing
- Paid plans include monthly shared credits (a standard task is typically 1 credit) and batch processing; add-on credit packs last one year.
- Desktop app
- A desktop app for Windows, Apple Silicon Macs and Linux runs most apps offline; it needs a plan that includes it.
- Automation and sharing
- Zapier and Make automation and document sharing are listed from the Pro plan.
Plans
iLovePDF
Basic$0
Essential tools for light use, with limited document processing and file size caps.
Premium$5
per user / month, billed annually ($9 billed monthly)
For 1 to 25 users: every tool, unlimited processing, web, mobile and desktop, digital signatures, workflows, no ads and 2,000 AI credits.
BusinessCustom
For 25 or more users: Premium plus custom contracts, a dedicated account manager and single sign-on.
PDF2Go
Free$0
Most apps with limited file processing, standard queue and ads.
Starter$8
per month for up to 2 users, billed monthly
64 GB files, batch processing, priority queue, no ads, all apps, priority support and AI tools.
Pro$29
per month for up to 5 users, billed monthly
Starter plus faster queue, 5x the AI usage, document sharing, Zapier and Make automation, desktop app.
Business$89
per month for up to 20 users, billed monthly
Pro plus skip-the-queue, business apps, centralized billing and 20x the AI usage; the page also labels it per person.
Ways to pay less
iLovePDF
- Annual discount
Save 42% with yearly billing
iLovePDF's pricing page lists Premium at $5 per user a month billed annually ($60 a year) against $9 billed monthly, marked as 42% off.
- Education
A year of Premium free for education
Students, teachers and academic staff who join iLovePDF's education program get a full year of Premium at no charge.
PDF2Go
- Annual discount
Save 19% with yearly billing
The pricing page has a Monthly and Yearly toggle marked Save 19% on yearly billing; the monthly prices are shown by default.
- Education
Free paid apps for students and teachers
Verified students and educators get the paid apps free for non-commercial educational use, renewable while enrolled or teaching.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, iLovePDF or PDF2Go?
As of Nov 13, 2026, iLovePDF starts at $5 per user / month, billed annually ($9 billed monthly), and PDF2Go starts at $8 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 19%). One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, iLovePDF or PDF2Go?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both iLovePDF and PDF2Go have a free plan.
Which platforms do iLovePDF and PDF2Go run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only iLovePDF lists iOS and Android apps and only PDF2Go lists a Linux app. Both list a web app and macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.