iLovePDF alternatives for Android: PDF tools without an upload
The best iLovePDF alternative for Android is PDFriend, our app. It merges, splits, compresses, signs, locks and unlocks a PDF on the phone, with no upload, no account and no daily limit. It also turns images and scans into a PDF with A4 or Letter pages, which iLovePDF does not offer.
Why do people look for an iLovePDF alternative?
The searches tell the story: "iLovePDF alternative offline", "local" and "safe". iLovePDF started as a web service. Its Android listing names Premium for unlimited use, and it does not state where the files are processed. People with private files, or with no network, want the same tools on the phone.
We searched Google Play in the US store for "ilovepdf", "merge pdf", "compress pdf", "pdf editor". Each fact about another app comes from its own Google Play listing, checked on 10 October 2026. When a listing does not say something, the table says Not stated. That does not mean the app lacks it. Ratings and installs change every day.
PDFriend is our app. We put it first as our pick, then the other apps in alphabetical order. The facts about PDFriend come from the app itself. PDFriend is on Android and iPhone. We have no business relationship with the other developers.
Which iLovePDF alternative do we pick, and why?
Our pick: PDFriend. We make PDFriend, so here is exactly why it wins for this task. The tables below show the facts.
- The tools that people use most, on the phone: merge, split, organize pages, compress, sign, fill a form, lock and unlock.
- No upload and no account. The app makes every file on the device.
- No daily limit on the tools that are not Pro.
- A size limit for upload forms with PDFriend Pro: 100 kB, 200 kB, 500 kB, 1 MB or your own number.
- JPG to PDF built in, with A4, Letter and other page sizes, and a scanner for paper.
How do the alternatives score?
These points are why people leave iLovePDF. PDFriend meets all of them.
| App | Files stay on the phone | No account needed | No daily task limit | Page size choice (A4, Letter) | One-time purchase option | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDFriend (our app) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | 5 of 5 |
| iLovePDF | Not stated | Not stated | ✗ No | Not stated | Not stated | 0 of 5 |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 0 of 5 |
| PDFgear | Not stated | Not stated | ✓ Yes | Not stated | Not stated | 1 of 5 |
| Smallpdf | ✗ No | Not stated | ✗ No | Not stated | Not stated | 0 of 5 |
| Xodo | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 0 of 5 |
The alternatives side by side
| App | "Contains ads" label | Paid plan (from the listing) | Where the files are made | Account or cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDFriend (our app) | Yes | PDFriend Pro: Yearly subscription or Lifetime one-time purchase | On the phone, no upload | No account, no cloud |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Yes | Subscription, with a 7-day free trial | Not stated | Links OneDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive |
| PDFgear | No | None listed: the listing says all functions are free | Not stated | Not stated |
| Smallpdf | No | PRO: monthly or yearly subscription, 1 task each day without it | On Smallpdf servers, deleted after 1 hour | Google Drive, Dropbox and others |
| Xodo | No | In-app purchases | Not stated | Sync with cloud services |
| App | Merge | Compress | Sign a PDF | Page size choice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDFriend (our app) | Yes, in the order that you set | 3 levels, plus a size limit in kB (Pro) | Draw once, saved on the phone, use again | A4, Letter, Legal, A3, A5, B4, B5, Fit to image and more |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Yes | Yes | Fill & Sign, listed as a feature without a subscription | Not stated |
| PDFgear | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Not stated |
| Smallpdf | Yes | Yes | Yes, and request signatures from others | Not stated |
| Xodo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated |
Each alternative in one paragraph
PDFriend (our app)
PDFriend has 22 tools for PDF work on the phone, from Image to PDF and Smart Scan to Merge, Split, Compress, Lock and Unlock. Since version 1.0.4, it also converts Word and PowerPoint files to PDF, and PDF files to Word and PowerPoint, on the phone. The editing tools save a new file and keep the original. PDFriend Pro removes the ads and adds text recognition and a size limit for Compress, as a Yearly plan or a Lifetime purchase. PDFriend on Google Play and on the App Store.
Adobe Acrobat Reader
The Acrobat Reader listing names Fill & Sign as a feature without a subscription, and a 7-day trial of the paid features, such as editing text and images. It names merge, compress, OCR and links to OneDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive. Google Play shows the "Contains ads" label. Adobe Acrobat Reader on Google Play.
PDFgear
PDFgear is a PDF editor and reader. Its listing names merge, split, compression and Office conversion. It does not state where it processes the files, and it names no scanner and no page size choice for images. PDFgear on Google Play.
Smallpdf
Smallpdf is the closest to iLovePDF: a web service with an app. It states 1 tool task each day without PRO, and it uploads files and deletes them after 1 hour. Read iLovePDF vs Smallpdf. Smallpdf on Google Play.
Xodo
Xodo is a PDF reader and editor with signing, merge, split and compression. It names sync with cloud services, sells its paid features as in-app purchases, and does not state where it processes the files. Xodo on Google Play.
How do you do the iLovePDF tasks in PDFriend?
- Merge PDF: tap Merge PDF, pick the files, set the order. See how to merge PDF files.
- Compress PDF: tap Compress, pick the file, choose a level. See how to compress a PDF.
- Split PDF: open the PDF, then Split PDF in the menu. See how to split a PDF.
- Sign PDF: open the PDF, then Annotate and sign. See how to sign a PDF.
- JPG to PDF: tap Image to PDF. See how to convert JPG to PDF.
- Protect PDF: tap Lock. See how to put a password on a PDF.
- Word to PDF: tap More, then Word to PDF. See how to convert Word to PDF.
- PDF to Word: tap More, then PDF to Word. See how to convert a PDF to Word.
Our verdict
PDFriend gives you the iLovePDF tools that people use every day, on your phone: no upload, no account and no daily limit, plus images and scans to PDF in real page sizes.
The comparison in numbers
- 5 alternatives compared, from 4 Google Play searches in the US store.
- 1 app states that it uploads files: Smallpdf.
- 1 app states that it makes the files on the phone: PDFriend.
- 1 app states a choice of page sizes: PDFriend.
- 22 tools in PDFriend (version 1.0.4). The other apps checked on 10 October 2026.
Questions and answers
What is the best iLovePDF alternative for Android?
PDFriend, our app. It merges, splits, compresses, organizes, signs, locks and unlocks a PDF on the phone, with no upload and no account, and it turns images and scans into a PDF with real page sizes.
Is there an iLovePDF alternative that works offline?
Yes, PDFriend. It does all its PDF work on the phone, with no upload. It is the only app in this comparison that states it.
Which iLovePDF alternative has no limits?
PDFriend: the tools that are not Pro have no limit at all. Smallpdf states 1 tool task each day without PRO, and iLovePDF puts unlimited use in Premium.
Which alternative is safest for private files?
PDFriend. It never uploads your files and has no account. Smallpdf uploads files and deletes them after 1 hour.
Can an iLovePDF alternative compress a PDF to 200 kB?
Yes, PDFriend. With Pro, choose 100 kB, 200 kB, 500 kB or 1 MB, or type your own number. The app keeps the best quality that fits, on the phone.