FileDial vs PDF24 Tools
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
PDF24 Tools is a free, ad-funded set of online PDF tools from geek software GmbH in Germany; files go to its EU servers and are deleted within an hour. Its offline app, PDF24 Creator, runs only on Windows. FileDial is a $20 Mac app with 525 tools that work offline. On a Mac, PDF24 is the free choice; FileDial is the offline one.
At a glance
| FileDial | PDF24 Tools | |
|---|---|---|
| Where files are processed | On your Mac, files are never uploaded | PDF24 servers in the EU, deleted within 1 hour |
| Works offline | Yes, every tool works with Wi-Fi off | Only PDF24 Creator, on Windows |
| Platforms | Mac only: macOS 14+, Apple silicon (M1 or newer) | Any browser; Creator on Windows only |
| Mac desktop app | Native Mac app | No; Mac users use the web tools |
| Price | $20 once, lifetime license for 2 Macs, 14-day refund | Free, financed by ads |
| Business use | Same $20 license | Free; companies must sign a data processing agreement |
| Batch processing | Yes, select many files and run one tool on all | Batch tools in PDF24 Creator |
| PDF compression | Light, standard, strong and size targets like Gmail-safe (under 25 MB) | Compress PDF online or in Creator |
| OCR | OCR › Make searchable adds an invisible text layer | OCR online and in Creator |
| File types beyond PDF | Photos, video, audio, documents, spreadsheets, archives | PDF tools with Office and image conversion |
Details about PDF24 Tools come from its own website and documentation, checked 2026-11-09. Prices and features change; check the source links below.
About PDF24 Tools
Free online PDF tools from geek software GmbH, a German company, financed by advertising, with a free Windows desktop app called PDF24 Creator.
Platforms: Any web browser, installable as a phone app; PDF24 Creator on Windows only. Price: Free for private and commercial use, financed by advertising on its websites.. Where files are processed: Online tools process files on servers in EU data centers and delete them within one hour; PDF24 Creator works offline on Windows.
Choose PDF24 Tools if
- You want PDF tools that cost nothing, with no subscription.
- You switch between a Mac, a Windows PC and a phone.
- You also use Windows, where PDF24 Creator gives you free offline tools and a virtual PDF printer.
- Your files are not sensitive and an hour on an EU server is acceptable.
Choose FileDial if
- You are on a Mac and want offline tools, which PDF24 does not offer for macOS.
- Your documents include IDs, contracts or client files that you would rather not upload.
- You work without a connection, on a plane or a restricted network.
- You want photo, video and audio tools in the same app.
Free, with a server step
PDF24 is generous. Its FAQ says the online tools and PDF24 Creator are free for everyone, including companies, paid for by advertising, and have been developed since 2006. On security, it says transfers are encrypted, files are deleted from the processing server within one hour, processing servers are in EU data centers and the operator is geek software GmbH. It also notes that organizations using the online tools must conclude a data processing agreement.
FileDial skips the server entirely. Every tool runs on the Mac, nothing is uploaded and every tool works with Wi-Fi off. For a single non-sensitive file, PDF24 is quicker to reach. For confidential documents, there is no hour on someone else's server to think about.
The Mac gap
PDF24's offline answer is PDF24 Creator, but its own page says it can only be installed on Windows. Mac users are directed to the browser tools instead. That makes PDF24 a very good free choice on Windows, and a web-only choice on a Mac.
FileDial is the offline option on a Mac. Select PDFs in Finder and run Compress › Compress PDF (strong), Combine › Merge PDFs, Organize › Remove blank pages or Convert › PDF to PDF/A; a 42 MB PDF was compressed in about 2 seconds on a MacBook. It costs $20 once after a 1-day trial, which is a real cost against PDF24's free tools.
Questions
Is there a PDF24 app for Mac?
No. PDF24's own page says PDF24 Creator can only be installed on Windows. On a Mac you use PDF24 Tools in a browser, which uploads files. FileDial is a native Mac app that works offline.
How long does PDF24 keep my files?
Its FAQ says files are automatically deleted from the processing server within one hour after processing, on servers in EU data centers, and can be removed manually sooner. FileDial never uploads files.
Is PDF24 really free?
Yes. PDF24 says its online tools and PDF24 Creator are free without restriction, including for companies, and are financed by advertising. FileDial is $20 once after a 1-day trial.