1FileTool vs PDFgear
Two desktop PDF apps. The difference is where the AI runs, and how much else the app can do.
1FileTool
1FileTool is a native desktop app with 265+ tools, 39 of them for PDF, across macOS, Windows and Linux. The editing runs locally and so does the AI — background removal, read aloud, PII detection and redaction all work on-device after a one-time model download. Pro is a one-time purchase; the free tier is 8 files a day with everything unlocked.
PDFgear
PDFgear is a free PDF editor for Mac, Windows and iOS with a clean interface, real editing, conversion, and an AI chat assistant for asking questions about a document. It costs nothing and asks for no account, which is a strong offer. The AI features work by sending document content to a server, and the app is PDF-only.
1FileTool vs PDFgear, feature by feature
An honest, side-by-side look at how the two stack up.
Cost
Price
- 1FileTool
- $29 once (free tier included)
- PDFgear
- Free
Subscription
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
Account required
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
- For AI features
Where the AI runs
AI processing location
- 1FileTool
- On your device
- PDFgear
- On a server
Document content sent to a provider
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
- For AI chat
Works with no internet
- 1FileTool
- Including AI tools
- PDFgear
- Editing only
Per-use AI cost or quota
- 1FileTool
- None
- PDFgear
- Fair-use limits
PDF capability
Merge, split, compress, convert
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
Edit text and objects in a page
- 1FileTool
- Watermark, annotate, page ops
- PDFgear
- Full text editing
AI chat about a document
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
True redaction (content removed)
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
PII detection
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
OCR
- 1FileTool
- Scanned PDF to editable DOCX
- PDFgear
- Also outputs searchable PDFs
Breadth
Beyond PDF (image/video/audio/text)
- 1FileTool
- 265+ total tools
- PDFgear
Saved multi-step workflows
- 1FileTool
- Workflow Recipes
- PDFgear
Watched folders
- 1FileTool
- Smart Folders
- PDFgear
MCP access for AI assistants
- 1FileTool
- 64 operations
- PDFgear
Platforms
macOS app
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
Windows app
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
Linux
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
iOS app
- 1FileTool
- PDFgear
The verdict
There is no single winner — it depends on what you need.
Choose 1FileTool if…
- You want AI file work that never sends the document anywhere.
- Your job list goes past PDF into images, video, audio and archives.
- You need to permanently remove sensitive text, not annotate over it.
- You want to automate the repeat jobs with recipes and watched folders.
- You are on Linux, where PDFgear has no build.
Choose PDFgear if…
- You want a capable PDF editor that costs nothing at all.
- You want to chat with a document and are comfortable with that content going to a server.
- You need full in-page text editing, which goes further than 1FileTool’s PDF tools.
- You want a searchable-PDF OCR output, or an iOS app.
Frequently asked questions
Is PDFgear really free?
Yes — the PDF editing, conversion and page tools are free with no subscription, which is a genuinely good deal and worth saying clearly. The trade is that its AI features send document content to a server, and the app only handles PDFs.
How is 1FileTool’s AI different from PDFgear’s?
It runs on your machine. Background removal, read aloud, audiobook conversion, voice cleanup and PII detection all work after a one-time model download you can inspect, cancel or delete. There is no API key, no quota, and no document leaving your computer.
Which one edits PDF text better?
PDFgear. It offers fuller in-page text and object editing than 1FileTool, whose PDF tools focus on structural work — merge, split, compress, convert, watermark, protect, redact and page operations.
Why pay for 1FileTool if PDFgear is free?
Only if you need more than PDF, or need the AI to stay local. If a free PDF editor with cloud AI chat covers your work, PDFgear is the better fit and we would rather you use it than be disappointed.
Keep exploring
Keep your files safe. Process them locally.
Get all 265+ offline tools with a one-time purchase — no subscription, no uploads.