Sejda Alternative: Free PDF Tools Without Per-Task Limits

Why people look for a Sejda alternative

Sejda's own pricing page says the free web plan has page and hourly limits, limited file uploads and tool-specific limits. It doesn't list the exact numbers there, and they can change, so check their site for the current limits before you rely on any figure you read elsewhere, including here. That is how a quick job can turn into an upgrade prompt halfway through a batch.

The other common reason is where the file goes. According to Sejda's own pages, its web tools process files on Sejda's servers, while Sejda Desktop processes files locally on your computer. For many files the web version is fine. For a contract or an ID scan, some people would rather not upload at all, and Sejda Desktop is one way to avoid that.

What Sejda does well

• A wide toolset in one place, with web tools for a long list of PDF jobs.
• A desktop app. At the time of writing (October 2026), Sejda's desktop page lists installers for Windows, Mac and Linux, plus a Chromebook installation guide, and says the desktop app processes files on your own computer without uploading them.
• Paid plans for heavy use. Sejda's pricing page lists paid plans that remove the page and hourly limits, allow files up to 500 MB, process multiple files at once, and OCR documents up to 100 pages.
• No sign-up needed to start. Its pricing page lists the free plan as no signup required.

These are details from Sejda's own pages as we read them in October 2026. Plans change, so treat their site as the source of truth.

What PDFCraftly offers instead

• No per-task or hourly cap. You can run a tool as many times as you like.
• No sign-up and no watermark on results.
• Browser-only processing. Your PDF is processed on your device and isn't uploaded. See are online PDF tools safe? for how to verify that.
• 200 MB per file on every tool, and the same limit for everyone.
• One page, any system. It runs in the browser, so it also works on a Chromebook or Linux PC, as described in PDF editor for Chromebook and Linux, which also lists what the browser approach cannot do.

The tool list covers the everyday jobs: Merge PDF, Split PDF, Compress PDF, Organize PDF, Sign PDF, Fill PDF Forms, Protect PDF and Unlock PDF.

Editing and OCR compared

Edit PDF changes existing text and adds text, drawings, arrows, images and shapes. OCR PDF makes scanned documents searchable in 14 languages, and it runs in your browser too. The first use of a language downloads its data, after which the processing is local. For a walkthrough, see how to make a scanned PDF searchable.

We haven't measured accuracy or speed against Sejda, and we won't claim either is better. If OCR quality on a difficult scan matters, try the same page in both and compare the results.

What PDFCraftly doesn't have

• No Word or Excel conversion. If you need editable Office files from a PDF, use a service that offers it.
• No desktop app. Everything runs in the browser.
• No cloud storage integration. You choose local files and save downloads.
• No account, so no saved history or shared workspace.

Who should still use Sejda

Choose Sejda if you want a desktop app that works with your files locally, if you need features we don't have, or if you would pay for a plan with larger files and batch processing. Choose PDFCraftly for one-off jobs where you don't want to sign up, count tasks or upload anything.

PDFCraftly isn't affiliated with Sejda. Plans and limits change, so check their site for current limits. Comparing other services? See the iLovePDF alternative and the Smallpdf alternative.

Common problems and fixes

Sejda asks me to upgrade in the middle of a job.

Their free web plan has page, hourly and tool-specific limits, listed on their pricing page without exact figures. You can wait, upgrade, or use a tool without such caps for the job at hand.

I don't want my document uploaded.

Use a tool that processes the file on your device. PDFCraftly does this in the browser. Sejda also describes a desktop app that processes files locally.

I need a PDF as an editable Word file.

PDFCraftly doesn't convert to Word or Excel. Use a service that does, and check what it does with your file first.

A scanned PDF isn't searchable.

Run OCR PDF, which works in 14 languages. If the result is poor, rescan at a higher resolution, or compare another OCR tool on the same page.

Frequently asked questions