FileDial vs iLovePDF
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
iLovePDF offers free web PDF tools with per-task limits, a Premium plan, and desktop apps for Mac and Windows that process files locally; web files are deleted within two hours. FileDial is a Mac app with 525 offline tools for PDFs, photos, video and audio, priced at $20 once. Choose iLovePDF for Windows, teams and a free tier; choose FileDial for broader file types.
At a glance
| FileDial | iLovePDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where files are processed | On your Mac, files are never uploaded | Web: its cloud, deleted within 2 hours; desktop: locally |
| Works offline | Yes, every tool works with Wi-Fi off | Desktop app yes; web tools no |
| Platforms | Mac only: macOS 14+, Apple silicon (M1 or newer) | Web, Mac, Windows, mobile |
| Price | $20 once, lifetime license for 2 Macs, 14-day refund | Premium US$9/month or US$60/year; Business custom |
| Free tier | 1-day free trial of every tool, no card | Free web plan with limited tools and batch sizes |
| Free batch limits | No batch limits | Free: merge 25 files, compress 2 files per task |
| Team use | Single user, 2 Macs per license | Premium up to 25 users; Business 25+ |
| File types | PDFs plus photos, video, audio, documents, archives | PDF and Office formats, images to PDF |
| PDF editing | Pages › Edit PDF… adds text, images, shapes and drawing to a new copy | Edit, sign, organize, OCR tools |
| Automation | Recipes chain tools; watched folders run a recipe on new files | Business plan offers unlimited batch processing |
Details about iLovePDF come from its own website and documentation, checked 2026-11-09. Prices and features change; check the source links below.
About iLovePDF
A popular PDF toolkit available as free web tools, desktop apps for Mac and Windows, and mobile apps.
Platforms: Web; desktop for Mac and Windows; mobile (Premium covers web, desktop and mobile). Price: Basic: free with limits. Premium: US$9 billed monthly or US$60 billed yearly (US pricing, varies by region). Business: custom.. Where files are processed: Web: processed on its cloud infrastructure and deleted within two hours. Desktop app: files handled locally and offline.
Choose iLovePDF if
- You need the same tools on Windows, Mac, the web and your phone.
- You share a plan with a team; Premium covers up to 25 users.
- You only need a few PDF tasks and the free web tier fits.
- You need e-signature requests sent to other people.
Choose FileDial if
- You want every tool offline without managing a subscription.
- You also handle photos, video, audio, spreadsheets and archives.
- You prefer picking tools from a dial in Finder rather than opening an app or website.
- You want results saved beside the original, with Undo on every result.
Web tools versus the desktop app
iLovePDF is really two products. The web tools upload your PDF to its cloud infrastructure; its security page says processed files are automatically and permanently deleted within two hours, and signed documents are kept up to five years. The desktop app for Mac and Windows is different: iLovePDF says it processes heavy PDF tasks offline and handles files locally on your computer. If privacy is your concern, the desktop app is the fairer comparison.
FileDial is local by design. Every one of its 525 tools runs on the Mac and works with Wi-Fi off. You select files in Finder, hold the right Option key and release on a tool, such as Compress › Compress PDF, Combine › Merge PDFs or Sign & Lock › Add password…, and the result appears as a new file beside the original.
Free limits and pricing
iLovePDF's free Basic plan is generous for occasional jobs, but it caps tools, file sizes and batch sizes; for example, its pricing page lists merging up to 25 files and compressing 2 files per task on the free plan. Premium removes the limits and is billed monthly or yearly, and covers web, desktop and mobile.
FileDial has no ongoing free tier. You get a 1-day trial with every tool and no card, then pay $20 once for a lifetime license on 2 Macs. Batch runs have no tier: select 300 photos or 40 PDFs and run one tool on all of them. A batch of 300 photos converted in 5 seconds on a MacBook.
Beyond PDFs
iLovePDF focuses on PDFs and Office conversion. FileDial covers more file families: 169 tools for photos, 134 for video, 84 for audio and 55 for archives, alongside 155 for PDFs. If your week includes HEIC to JPG, shrinking a screen recording or converting WAV to MP3, one app covers it. If you need Windows or a shared team plan, iLovePDF is the better fit.
Questions
Does iLovePDF keep my files?
iLovePDF's security page says files processed on its web platform are automatically and permanently deleted within two hours, and signed documents are kept up to five years. Its desktop app processes files locally. FileDial never uploads files.
Is iLovePDF free?
The Basic web plan is free with limits on tools, file size and batch size. Premium is a paid subscription. FileDial has a 1-day free trial, then costs $20 once.
Does iLovePDF work on Windows?
Yes. iLovePDF has web tools and desktop apps for Mac and Windows. FileDial is Mac only and needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple silicon Mac.