Filzy vs PDF24
PDF24 is the German all-rounder, free with ads, with a server-side web suite and a separate desktop creator. Filzy runs entirely in your browser. Here is the side by side.
TL;DR
PDF24 is the dominant free PDF tool in the German-speaking market with a 25+ tool surface and a separate desktop creator app that does run locally. The web version, which most users hit, uploads your file to their servers and serves ads. Filzy keeps everything in the browser, no upload, no ads, with image and video tools alongside PDF. PDF24 wins on tool count and language coverage, Filzy wins on privacy and unified UX.
Feature by feature
| Filzy | PDF24 | |
|---|---|---|
| Files uploaded to a server (web) | No, runs locally in WebAssembly | Yes, German servers |
| Local desktop app | Installable PWA | Yes, PDF24 Creator (Windows) |
| Ads | None | Yes on the web |
| Daily cap | None | None (with ads) |
| Watermark on free tier | No | No |
| PDF tool surface | 18+ | 25+ |
| Image and video tools | Yes, 50+ | PDF only |
| Account required | Beyond 3 files, free | No |
| API | On the roadmap (Pro) | Oui (REST) |
| Languages | EN, FR | 30+ |
| Pricing | Free, 3 files/tool without account, free with account beyond | Free with ads, paid business plan |
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the web version of PDF24 sends your file to their German servers, processes it there, and lets you download the result. Their privacy policy states files are deleted shortly after. The desktop creator (a separate, downloadable Windows app) does run locally. Filzy keeps everything in the browser, no upload at all.
The web version is ad-supported and there is an enterprise/paid offer for businesses. The German market historically has high tolerance for ads, and PDF24 has built a profitable business on that. Filzy uses a different model: free for the first 3 files per tool without account, free with a free account beyond, no ads.
At equivalent quality settings, yes, both use libimagequant for PNG and an optimised JPEG encoder. PDF24 web compresses on a server, Filzy compresses in your browser, but the output bytes are equivalent for typical settings.
PDF24 ships in around 30 languages, useful if your audience is fragmented. Filzy is in English and French today, with localised tool slugs for SEO. Adding new languages is straightforward thanks to the Paraglide-based stack.
If you want a desktop app that creates PDFs from any printable document on Windows (PDF24 Creator excels at this), or if you need their specific tools that Filzy does not yet offer. For everyday browser-based PDF work, Filzy avoids the upload and the ads.
Try Filzy on the same files
No upload, no ads, free for the first 3 files without account. Compression and conversion ratios match PDF24 web at equivalent quality.
Open Filzy compress PDF