1. Availability
Availability is an integral part of any software or application to run. Being available all the time takes the point of any comparing app or software. Same is the case with online and offline PDF converters. Free online PDF converter can be available to you on any compatible device as long as you have a stable internet connection. An online tool on your browser can make things easy wherever you go, or you can access it on another computer given the chance. Offline PDF converters, however, are available with or without the internet as they are installed on your computer or phone so you can open and convert the PDF where the internet can’t be accessed. It’s a fifty-fifty situation.
2. Quality
Quality should never be compromised in anything especially when converting PDFs. Comparing online and offline PDF converters in terms of quality will see offline PDF converters winning. Free online converter isn’t meant for heavy and complex conversions nor for too much formatting. It can easily make your document mess up big time because of its simplicity. Offline PDF converters are much more reliable because of all the packages and files that help the PDF to convert without any trouble. Even the most complex documents can be converted. Offline PDF converters also have additional features especially if you buy a pro version of a PDF software.
3. Speed
It’s empirical that offline and installed PDF converters are much faster than online PDF converters. Sure, you need your device with you if you want to convert but it is faster to convert because the PDF and the software are in the device you have. The free PDF editor online tool is slower than the offline one because you have to upload first and then it has to process the PDF using the quality of the internet.
4. Features
Online and offline PDF converters differ in the features that they provide. Of course, online converters have limited features depending on the converter but most of them cannot merge or split, convert much file formats, accept multiple files so you have to upload and wait for them to convert one by one. All of these features are present in the offline converter at least to an extent. Free offline PDF converters may have limitations too unless you buy a Pro/Premium version to have all these features unlocked but even without the Premium it has more features than the online converter at least all aforementioned ones.
5. Privacy
The biggest concern among many is privacy. Of course, the online converter will have you upload your document for conversion and into their server for conversion. Now, there is no guarantee that your document will be deleted from their servers thus compromising your data to an unknown source. Some of the online converters even have you sign up to their website which means more information being uploaded there. Offline PDF converters are installed and ready to be used on your device for everything. The software doesn’t require the internet nor signup, so the document stays on your device. Online PDF converters have a much bigger privacy concern than offline.
