Verified 23 July 2026
FileGizmo vs online PDF editors
Choose by the job and data boundary. This table does not turn different features into a single winner.
| Question | FileGizmo | Sejda | Smallpdf | iLovePDF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online file path | Processed in your browser; no FileGizmo file upload | Official page describes encrypted upload and deletion after processing | Official editor instructs users to import or drag and drop a file | Official editor uses an upload workflow |
| Current free limit | No FileGizmo task counter, page quota, or watermark; device memory is practical | 200 pages or 50 MB; three tasks per hour | Free access has limited document downloads | Basic has limited processing; Edit PDF lists one file per task |
| Add text, images, and marks | Included | Included | Included for free accounts | Edit PDF listed in Basic |
| Rewrite existing PDF text | Not claimed or shipped | Advertised | Direct text editing requires Pro | Advertised; pricing lists Edit PDF in Basic |
| Crash recovery | Local edit-state autosave, explicit Restore/Discard, seven-day expiry | Not compared: no primary-source claim was strong enough to publish | ||
Where FileGizmo is deliberately narrower
FileGizmo adds new text and visual objects but does not rewrite arbitrary existing text streams. Embedded fonts, subset encodings, shaping, and positioned glyph commands make that job unreliable without a deeper PDF engine. It also labels opaque rectangles Cover rather than Redact because the underlying content is not destroyed.
Use the original source document when you need a faithful paragraph correction. Use a purpose-built, verified redaction application when confidential information must be removed. FileGizmo’s advantage is the local processing boundary, crash recovery, unlimited product policy, and touch/keyboard editing—not a claim to perform every PDF operation.
Primary-source receipts
- Sejda PDF editor — editor features, upload description, and current free-service limits.
- Smallpdf PDF editor — free additions and the Pro requirement for direct existing-text editing.
- Smallpdf pricing — limited free downloads and Pro feature positioning.
- iLovePDF pricing — Basic limited processing and Edit PDF task size.
- iLovePDF editor — upload workflow and editing scope.
Vendor offers can change. The linked page controls when it conflicts with this dated summary.