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Productivity · head to head

Capacities vs iLovePDF

Capacities logo

Capacities

Productivity

A studio for your mind with object-based notes

From
Free
Rated
-
iLovePDF logo

iLovePDF

Productivity

Browser toolbox for merging, splitting, compressing and converting PDFs, processed on the vendor's servers

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Capacities pro plan pricing not prominently displayed on website; iLovePDF processing happens on the vendor's servers, so every file is uploaded to a third party, which rules the tools out for client documents, personal data and anything under a confidentiality obligation no matter how briefly the file is held.
  • They diverge on capability: Capacities covers Object-based notes, iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Capacities and iLovePDF actually diverge.

Attributes where Capacities and iLovePDF differ
AttributeCapacitiesiLovePDF
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2020Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Capacities

  • Object-based notes
  • Daily notes
  • Properties and relations
  • Graph view
  • AI assistant
  • Readwise
  • Web clipper
  • GDPR

Only in iLovePDF

  • Single-purpose tools
  • Format conversion
  • Text recognition conversions
  • File size limits
  • Desktop and mobile applications
  • Digital signatures
  • PDF/A output
  • No account needed

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Capacities

  • Productivitynot iLovePDF
  • Collaborationnot iLovePDF
  • Task managementnot iLovePDF
  • Organizationnot iLovePDF

iLovePDF

  • Combining scanned pages into a single PDF or splitting a large document occasionally, without buying a desktop PDF editor.not Capacities
  • Compressing a PDF that a mail system or an upload form refuses to accept.not Capacities
  • Converting a scanned document into an editable Word or Excel file, which needs the paid text recognition tools.not Capacities
  • A small office needing simple PDF operations across several machines without a per-seat desktop licence.not Capacities

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Capacities

  • Pro plan pricing not prominently displayed on website
  • Smaller community and ecosystem compared to Notion or Obsidian
  • Limited third-party integration marketplace

iLovePDF

  • Processing happens on the vendor's servers, so every file is uploaded to a third party, which rules the tools out for client documents, personal data and anything under a confidentiality obligation no matter how briefly the file is held.
  • The free tier is bounded by file size per tool rather than by feature, with Office conversions capped at 15 MB, so the large scanned documents most likely to need converting are precisely the ones most likely to be refused.
  • The conversions that require text recognition, meaning scanned PDF to Word or Excel, are held for the paid plan, and those are the conversions people genuinely struggle with, while the free ones mostly handle files that were digital already.
  • It is a per-account consumer subscription with no organisational administration, so a company that comes to depend on it ends up with staff holding personal subscriptions and no control over what is uploaded or by whom.
  • The API is a separate product with its own pricing, so a workflow prototyped by hand on the website cannot simply be automated under the same subscription and has to be costed again.

Pricing, plan by plan

Capacities

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited spaces and objects
    • Device synchronization
    • Unlimited custom object types
  • Pro$10/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Unlimited notes
    • Advanced graph views
  • Believer$149.88/year
    • Everything in Pro
    • Beta access to new features

iLovePDF

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Access to essential iLovePDF tools
    • Limited document processing
    • 1 account
  • Premium$7/month
    • Full access to all iLovePDF tools
    • Unlimited document processing
    • 1-25 accounts
  • Premium Annual$48/year
    • Same as Premium plan
    • 42% discount compared to monthly billing
  • Business$null/mo
    • Custom pricing (contact vendor for quote)
    • Scalable solutions for businesses
    • 25+ accounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Capacities if

  • You need object-based notes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want daily notes.

Choose iLovePDF if

  • You need single-purpose tools.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want format conversion.

Questions people ask

Is Capacities or iLovePDF better?
Neither clearly leads. Capacities starts at Free and iLovePDF at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Capacities or iLovePDF?
Capacities starts at Free and iLovePDF at Free.
Does Capacities or iLovePDF run on more platforms?
Capacities runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. iLovePDF runs on Web.
Can I use Capacities for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Capacities best used for?
Capacities is most often used for productivity, collaboration, task management, organization. Of those, productivity and collaboration are not what iLovePDF is typically brought in for.
What can Capacities do that iLovePDF cannot?
Capacities covers Object-based notes, Daily notes, Properties and relations, Graph view. iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools, Format conversion, Text recognition conversions, File size limits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Capacities: What platforms does Capacities support?

Capacities is available on Web, Desktop (macOS, Windows, Linux), and Mobile (iOS, Android), allowing seamless work across devices.

Source
iLovePDF: Do I need an account?

Not for the basic free tools, though they are subject to per-tool size limits and restrictions on batch processing.

Capacities: Does Capacities have a free plan?

Yes, Capacities offers a free plan with unlimited spaces, objects, and blocks, device synchronization, unlimited custom object types, and 5GB media uploads total.

Source
iLovePDF: Is it safe for confidential documents?

Files are uploaded to the vendor's servers for processing. For client material, personal data or regulated documents, use a tool that works locally on the machine instead.

Capacities: What AI features does Capacities include?

Capacities includes an AI Assistant available on Pro and higher plans for brainstorming, summarization, and contextual Q&A about your notes.

Source
iLovePDF: What does Premium add?

Access to every tool including text-recognition conversions and PDF/A, much larger files, unlimited processing, desktop and mobile applications, digital signatures, workflows and no adverts.

iLovePDF: Can I use it inside my own application?

Only through the separate developer API, which is priced independently, so plan the automation cost separately from the consumer subscription.

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