Help & FAQ

PDFRift is a suite of free, browser-based PDF tools that run entirely on your device. We offer tools for merging, splitting, compressing, converting, editing, and protecting PDFs — all without uploading your files to any server.

PDFRift runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript libraries like pdf-lib and pdf.js. When you upload a file and process it, everything happens locally on your device. Your files are read, processed, and downloaded — all without ever leaving your browser.

Yes, PDFRift is completely free to try. All tools have a free tier with generous limits (1-3 operations per day for anonymous users, 3 operations per day for free accounts). For unlimited access and advanced features like batch processing and PDF protection, we offer affordable paid plans starting at $0.99 per document or $6.99/month for unlimited use.

No. You can use most PDFRift tools without creating an account. However, creating a free account gives you higher limits (3 operations per day instead of 1) and lets you track your history. To access unlimited features or advanced tools, a paid plan is required.

PDFRift works on any device with a modern web browser, including desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones. It works best on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Since all processing happens in your browser, there’s no app to install.

Currently, PDFRift is available in English. We’re evaluating support for additional languages based on user demand. If you’d like PDFRift in a specific language, let us know at support@pdfrift.com.

We regularly add new PDF tools based on user feedback. Currently, PDFRift offers 11 core tools covering the most common PDF workflows. To suggest a new tool, email support@pdfrift.com.

Your files are not stored anywhere on our servers. All PDF processing happens entirely in your browser on your device. When you close the browser tab, the file is gone. We never store, log, or access your PDF files.

Encryption happens automatically in your browser during transmission to PDFRift’s servers (using HTTPS). Since your files never leave your device, there’s no need for additional encryption — your browser handles the security. For sensitive documents, you can always use PDFRift’s Protect PDF tool to add password protection before using other tools.

No. We never sell or share your personal data. We don’t have a business model dependent on data sales. The only data we collect from paid users is your email, hashed password, and usage counts — all strictly for account management and fair-use enforcement. See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

No. PDFRift’s servers never receive your PDF files. All processing happens in your browser. We cannot and do not see your file contents. We log only the file size (in bytes) and which tool was used, not the file name or contents.

For anonymous users, we don’t track anything beyond basic usage counts in your browser’s localStorage to enforce daily limits. For signed-in users, we track which tools you use and how many operations you’ve performed, solely to enforce plan limits. We don’t use advertising cookies or third-party trackers (except Vercel’s basic server logs).

Yes. Since PDFRift doesn’t store file contents and collects minimal personal data, we comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time from your account settings.

The Edit & Sign PDF tool runs entirely in your browser. Your annotations, signatures, and edits are stored temporarily in your browser’s sessionStorage during editing, but never sent to our servers. When you close the tab, this data is deleted. You can download your edited PDF at any time.

PDFRift supports PDF files natively. For conversion tools, we also support JPG/JPEG for image conversion and DOCX (Word files) for document conversion. More formats are coming soon.

File size limits depend on your plan: Free tier (10 MB), Pay-Per-Doc (50 MB), Pro (150 MB), and Business (500 MB). These limits ensure fast processing and optimal performance. If you need to process larger files, consider splitting your PDF first or upgrading to a higher tier.

There’s no explicit page limit, but it’s determined by file size. A typical 300-page PDF is around 5-10 MB, well within limits for all plans. If your PDF exceeds the file size limit, you can use the Split PDF tool to break it into smaller files.

Batch processing (available in Pro and Business plans) lets you process multiple files at once without uploading them one by one. This saves time when working with many PDFs. Simply select multiple files, and PDFRift will process them sequentially.

Yes. The Edit & Sign PDF tool lets you add text, shapes, and digital signatures to any PDF. You can customize font size, color, and placement. For advanced editing, you might also use Merge PDFs to insert blank pages or Split PDF to reorganize pages.

Yes, but it’s a Pro or Business feature. The PDF to Word tool converts your PDF into an editable DOCX file. Note that complex layouts, images, and formatting may not transfer perfectly — the tool is best for text-heavy documents.

PDFRift’s Compress PDF tool uses smart compression that reduces file size while maintaining visual quality. Most users won’t notice a difference, but highly detailed images or graphics might show slight quality loss. You can always download the original if needed.

Free tier users see a subtle watermark added to their output PDFs. The watermark is small and doesn’t significantly impact the document. To remove watermarks, upgrade to any paid plan.

Yes. Both free and paid PDFRift plans allow commercial use. You can process PDFs for clients or business purposes without restrictions (subject to fair-use limits on the free tier).

Free: 1-3 operations/day, 10MB files, with watermark.
Pay-Per-Doc: $0.99 per document, 50MB files, no watermark.
Pro: $6.99/month, unlimited operations, 150MB files, batch processing.
Business: $18.99/month, everything in Pro plus 500MB files, team seats, and API access.

With Pay-Per-Doc, you purchase credits to process individual documents. Each tool operation costs $0.99. No subscription required. Simply click “Process” on a tool, select your payment method, and your document is processed immediately. Credits don’t expire.

Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time from your account settings. If you upgrade mid-month, you’ll be charged the prorated difference. If you downgrade, your next billing cycle reflects the new price.

You can cancel your subscription anytime from your account settings. Your access will continue until the end of your billing cycle. After cancellation, you’ll revert to the free tier. No penalty or cancellation fee.

We offer a full refund within 14 days of purchase if you’re not satisfied. For subscription plans, you can cancel anytime — you won’t be charged for future months. For specific refund requests, email support@pdfrift.com.

PDFRift accepts all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) via Stripe. We may add more payment methods (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) in the future.

Currently, we offer a 1-3 operation free tier to try PDFRift before committing to a paid plan. We may introduce limited free trials for Pro and Business plans in the future.

API access is available with the Business plan ($18.99/month). The API lets you integrate PDFRift tools directly into your applications. See our API documentation or email support@pdfrift.com for details.

Yes. The Business plan includes team seats (starting with 5 seats) so multiple users can share the same account and limits. Team members can have separate logins and profiles.

Currently, PDFRift pricing is billed monthly. We’re exploring annual billing discounts for the future. If annual billing interests you, let us know at support@pdfrift.com.

Check the following:
1. Is your file a valid PDF? Try opening it in Adobe Reader or another PDF viewer.
2. Is your file smaller than the limit for your plan? (Free: 10MB, Pro: 150MB, etc.)
3. Try a different browser or clear your browser cache.
4. Check your internet connection.
If the issue persists, email support@pdfrift.com with details.

PDFRift processes files locally in your browser, so speed depends on your device and the file size. Very large files (100+ MB) may take longer. Tips to speed up:
1. Use the Compress PDF tool first to reduce file size.
2. Split large PDFs into smaller chunks.
3. Close other browser tabs to free up memory.
4. Try a different browser or device.

If your browser blocked the download, check your download settings or try a different browser. Some corporate firewalls block certain file types — if that’s the case, try uploading to a personal device or temporarily disabling VPN/proxy. Contact your IT admin if the issue persists.

This is rare, but if it happens:
1. Try the operation again with the original file.
2. Try a different tool or browser.
3. If the file is valid in other PDF viewers, the issue may be with how your viewer displays it.
4. Email support@pdfrift.com with the original file (or a sample if it’s sensitive).

Free tier users get 1 operation per day (anonymous) or 3 per day (signed-in). To get unlimited operations, upgrade to a paid plan. With Pro or Business, you can process unlimited PDFs per month. See our pricing page for options.

Partially. You can load PDFRift while online, and then process files offline (since all processing happens in your browser). However, to upload files or download results, you’ll need internet connectivity.

Yes, PDFRift is mobile-friendly and works on phones and tablets. File uploads and processing work the same way as on desktop. Some users prefer the desktop experience for complex tasks like batch processing, but mobile is fully supported.

If you’re logged out unexpectedly, it may be due to:
1. Clearing browser cookies or cache — this logs you out.
2. Your browser auto-clearing cookies on close.
3. A session timeout after extended inactivity.
Simply log back in. Your data and account are safe.

Click the “Forgot Password?” link on the login page. Enter your email, and PDFRift will send you a password reset link. Click the link and create a new password. The link expires after 1 hour for security.

Email support@pdfrift.com and provide as much detail as possible (e.g., approximate sign-up date, last tool used, payment method on file). We’ll help you regain access or recover your account.

Please email security@pdfrift.com (rather than support@pdfrift.com) with full details. Do not share the vulnerability publicly. We take security seriously and will respond within 48 hours and work with you on a fix.

If you don’t find your answer here, email support@pdfrift.com. We read every message and typically respond within 24 hours. You can also check our About page for more information about how PDFRift works.