Blur Document vs iLovePDF for redacting PDFs
iLovePDF redacts PDFs online and keeps text searchable. Blur Document redacts in your browser with no upload or account. Compare features, privacy and output.
Facts about iLovePDF checked against its own website on
Short answer: iLovePDF is a good pick if you want many PDF tools in one place and a redacted file that stays searchable. Its Redact PDF tool runs online, so your file is uploaded to iLovePDF's servers, which it says keeps files for up to 2 hours.
If the file shouldn't leave your device, Blur Document redacts it in your browser with no upload and no account. It also reads photos and scans and finds IDs and bank details for you. The trade-off: exported pages are rebuilt as images, so the text isn't searchable.
| Blur Document | iLovePDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free plan; Smart redact and more on paid plans |
| Account needed | No | Check their site; mobile redaction needs Premium |
| Where it runs | In your browser; installable, works offline | Website, plus desktop and mobile apps |
| File uploaded | Never | Yes, to iLovePDF's servers |
| File kept on their servers | Not applicable | Up to 2 hours, per their FAQ |
| How content is removed | Page rebuilt from pixels | Text and graphics removed from the PDF |
| Exported text searchable | No, pages become images | Usually, for text-based PDFs; check their site |
| Find all matches | Yes: word, phrase or regular expression | Yes: keyword search |
| Finds personal data automatically | IDs, cards, bank details, emails, phones, faces, QR codes | Credit cards, phone numbers, emails; Smart redact on paid plans |
| Scanned PDFs | Built-in OCR (English text) | Run OCR first to add a text layer |
| Other PDF tools | Rotate, crop, reorder, watermark, compress to a size | Many: merge, split, convert, edit, sign and more |
How each one redacts
iLovePDF's Redact PDF tool lets you search for keywords, detect credit card numbers, phone numbers and emails, mark areas by hand or redact whole pages. iLovePDF says the tool permanently removes text and graphics. Scanned files need OCR first, so there's a text layer to search.
Blur Document rebuilds every page from pixels. Text under a box is gone, metadata is stripped, and the output is read again for anything still legible. The trade-off: the exported PDF's text is no longer selectable or searchable.
Either way, review the result before you send it. The free PDF Redaction Checker flags text left under boxes, metadata and comments.
Uploading vs staying on your device
iLovePDF processes files on its servers. Its FAQ says files are secured while there, kept for at most 2 hours so you can download them, and that you can delete them yourself. For many documents that's fine.
For bank statements, ID cards or medical papers, you may prefer a tool that never sends the file anywhere. Blur Document processes pages in your browser; you can confirm this by turning off your connection after the page loads. Read more in is it safe to use online PDF tools?
When iLovePDF is the better choice
- You need the redacted PDF to stay searchable.
- You also want to merge, split, convert or sign PDFs in the same place.
- You're working with Word or Excel files: Blur Document opens PDFs and images only.
- Your PDF is longer than 50 pages.
Which one should you use?
Choose iLovePDF if
- You want searchable output from a text-based PDF.
- You use many PDF tools and like having them in one place.
- Uploading the file to an online service is acceptable for you.
Choose Blur Document if
- The file must not be uploaded to anyone's server.
- You need ID numbers, bank details or faces found automatically, free.
- You're redacting a photo, scan or screenshot rather than a text PDF.
Try it on your own file. It opens in your browser and is never uploaded.
Open Redact PDFQuestions
Is iLovePDF's redact tool free?
iLovePDF's pricing page lists Redact PDF on its free plan, with Smart redact on paid plans. Check their pricing page for current limits.
Does iLovePDF upload my file?
Yes. It's an online service, and its FAQ says files are kept on its servers for up to 2 hours. Blur Document never uploads files; everything runs in your browser.
Can I check that a redaction worked?
Yes. Open the redacted file in the free [PDF Redaction Checker](/redaction-checker), or see [how to check if a PDF is redacted](/guides/how-to-check-if-pdf-is-redacted).