iLovePDF is one of the best-known PDF toolsets. This comparison uses only what iLovePDF states on its own pages and Google Play listing. “Not verified” means we didn’t find it there; it doesn’t mean the feature is absent. Prices and limits change; check iLovePDF’s site before you decide.
At a glance
| PDFTuck | iLovePDF | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Single-purpose Android compressor | PDF toolset: compress, merge, split, convert, OCR, sign, protect, watermark |
| Platforms | Android 7.0+ | Web, Android, iOS, Windows, Mac |
| Type a target size | Yes, in KB or MB | Not verified |
| Compression choices | Target size, or High quality / Balanced / Smallest file | Extreme, Recommended, Less (web) |
| Where the PDF is processed | On the phone; not uploaded | Web: iLovePDF’s servers, deleted within two hours. Desktop app: can work offline (Premium). Mobile app: not verified |
| Account | None | Not verified as required |
| Free use | Free with ads | Free tier with limited tools and processing; Premium from US$4/month billed yearly at the time of checking |
| Security statements | No certifications | ISO/IEC 27001:2022, GDPR, encryption in transit and at rest (vendor-stated) |
| Availability | Closed testing; not yet public on Google Play | Available |
Where iLovePDF is the better choice
- Many tools, one place. Merge, split, convert, OCR, sign, protect and more, on every major platform.
- Batch work. Several files at once.
- Desktop and offline on a computer. Its desktop app can process locally on paid plans.
- Formal security commitments, including ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and regional processing on paid plans.
Where PDFTuck works differently
- A typed limit instead of levels. “Extreme / Recommended / Less” don’t tell you whether the file will be under 500 KB. In PDFTuck you type 500 KB, and it reports success only when the measured file fits.
- No upload on Android. Compression happens on the phone and works offline.
- One job, no account.
Things to know about PDFTuck
To hit a small target, pages may be turned into images, so searchable text, links and form fields may not be kept, and digital signatures are not valid in the copy. Password-protected PDFs aren’t supported. The app is free with Google ads.
Which should you use?
If you regularly merge, convert or sign PDFs, iLovePDF covers far more ground. If you just need a PDF under a specific limit on your Android phone without sending it anywhere, PDFTuck is the narrower, more direct tool.