Professional PDF Toolbox
Compress, merge, convert, watermark, sign—handle every PDF task right in your browser. No signup, no uploads.
Popular tools
Featured tools · Free · No signup
Smart PDF Workflows
Small tasks the big PDF sites usually bury
Built around submission, privacy, printing, and scan cleanup moments where a single converter is not enough.
Upload Ready Checker
Check size limits, metadata, form fields, page sizes, and risky PDF markers before submission.
Privacy Inspector
Review author data, creator software, forms, attachments, links, and active content before sharing.
Duplex Print Helper
Prepare files for double-sided printing with blank pages, parity checks, covers, and separators.
View all workflows
Open the full collection for scan cleanup, print layout, metadata cleanup, annotations, crop, resize, and more.
PDF Upload Ready Checker
01Check size, metadata, forms, and upload risks before submission
PDF Privacy Inspector
02Review PDF metadata, forms, links, attachments, and active content
Duplex Print Helper
03Prepare PDFs for double-sided printing with blank pages
PDF Scan Cleanup Kit
04Check scanned PDFs for cleanup, size, and printing issues
Remove PDF Annotations
05Remove comments, highlights, links, and markup annotations
Split PDF by Bookmarks
06Split PDFs into files using detected bookmarks
PDF Print Layout
07Create 2-up or 4-up layouts for printing
Merge PDF
08Combine multiple PDFs into one file
Organize PDF
09Insert or replace PDF pages, add blanks, reorder, duplicate, and extract pages
Crop PDF
10Crop PDF page margins without rendering pages as images
Resize PDF
11Resize PDF pages to A4, Letter, or Legal
Reverse PDF Pages
12Reverse pages when scans or merged documents are backwards
Split PDF
13Split PDFs by page range
PDF to Image
14Export PDF pages as high-quality images
Image to PDF
15Combine multiple images into a PDF
Compress PDF
16Reduce PDF file size
Rotate PDF
17Rotate PDF page orientation
Add Watermark
18Add text or image watermarks to PDFs
Delete Pages
19Remove unwanted pages from PDFs
Page Numbers
20Add page numbers to PDF pages
Encrypt PDF
21Password-protect your PDF files
Decrypt PDF
22Remove PDF open passwords
Remove PDF Metadata
23Clear common title, author, and creator metadata
Flatten PDF
24Flatten editable form fields into fixed PDF content
Batch Rotate
25Rotate multiple PDFs at once
Batch Compress
26Compress multiple PDFs at once
Batch Watermark
27Add watermarks to multiple PDFs at once
Word to PDF
28Convert Word documents to PDF
PDF to Word
29Extract text from PDF to Word
Excel to PDF
30Convert Excel spreadsheets to PDF
Sign PDF
31Add electronic signatures to PDFs
Use Cases
Step-by-step solutions for real problems
Compress PDF for Gmail
Gmail blocks attachments over 25 MB. Shrink scans and reports before sending.
Merge PDFs for Job Applications
Combine resumes, cover letters, and portfolios into one application file.
Sign a PDF Contract
Add your signature to freelance or rental agreements without printing.
Convert Word to PDF for Resumes
Lock in formatting so recruiters see exactly what you intended.
Split PDF Ebook Chapters
Extract individual chapters from a large book or manual.
Watermark Client Drafts
Mark design drafts and proposals as "Draft" before client review.
Knowledge Hub
Go deeper than button clicks
PDF vs Word
Five real differences that matter when you need a document to look the same everywhere.
Is Browser-Based Processing Safe?
How to tell if an online PDF tool actually keeps files on your device.
Why Is My PDF So Large?
Scans, photos, and fonts all add weight. Learn what compresses and what does not.
PDF Password Protection
Open passwords, permissions passwords, and when encryption actually helps.
Why PDF Is Hard to Edit
The format was designed for stable output, not easy editing. Here is what that means.
Printing PDFs Correctly
Fix white margins, cropping, and color shifts before you hit print.
FAQ
Common questions
Compare PDF Tools
Not sure whether to use an online tool, desktop software, or a subscription service? We break down the real trade-offs — file upload, privacy, cost, and feature depth — so you can choose the right tool for the job.
| Factor | sotool (browser) | Desktop software | Online upload tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| File upload | None — files stay local | None — runs on your computer | Uploaded to remote servers |
| Cost for basic tasks | Free | $80–$240/year | Free tiers with limits |
| Best for | Quick, private tasks | Heavy editing, OCR, automation | Occasional use on any device |
| Signup required | No | Usually no | Often yes |
Why sotool
Private by design, free to use
Most online PDF tools upload your files to a server. We built sotool so your documents stay on your device.
No Upload Required
Files are loaded into your browser and processed locally. They never touch a server.
Free, No Strings Attached
No signup, no credit card, and no watermark on output files. Use it as much as you need.
Open-Source Core
The merge and split utilities are open source. Inspect the code or use them in your own projects.
What you actually get
| Feature | sotool | Typical upload tools |
|---|---|---|
| File upload required | No | Yes |
| Signup or credit card | No | Often required |
| Watermark on output | No | Common on free tiers |
| Open-source core | Yes | Rarely |
Ready to get started?
All tools are completely free. No account required. Just open the site and start using.
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