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Productivity · head to head

DeskTime vs iLovePDF

DeskTime logo

DeskTime

Productivity

Automatic computer activity tracking and productivity analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
iLovePDF logo

iLovePDF

Productivity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DeskTime screenshots are excluded from the Pro plan and start at Premium; 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: DeskTime covers Automatic activity tracking, iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DeskTime and iLovePDF actually diverge.

Attributes where DeskTime and iLovePDF differ
AttributeDeskTimeiLovePDF
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, LinuxWeb
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 DeskTime

  • Automatic activity tracking
  • Application and website tracking
  • Daily reports
  • Weekly summaries
  • Privacy-first design
  • Detailed analytics
  • Goal setting
  • Mobile apps

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.

DeskTime

  • Automatic time tracking of desktop app and website usagenot iLovePDF
  • Measuring team productivity and idle timenot iLovePDF
  • Scheduling shifts and tracking absencesnot iLovePDF

iLovePDF

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

Where each one falls short

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

DeskTime

  • Screenshots are excluded from the Pro plan and start at Premium
  • Integrations and API access require the Premium plan
  • Shift scheduling requires the Premium plan
  • Enterprise is aimed at 200+ users and is priced by quote with no published rate
  • The advertised $6.42 and $9.17 per user rates require annual billing; monthly billing costs more
  • The trial lasts 14 days

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

DeskTime

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Activity tracking
    • Basic reports
    • Weekly emails
  • Pro$9/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced reports
    • Detailed analytics

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 DeskTime if

  • You need automatic activity tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want application and website tracking.
DeskTime review

Choose iLovePDF if

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

Questions people ask

Is DeskTime or iLovePDF better?
Neither clearly leads. DeskTime 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, DeskTime or iLovePDF?
DeskTime starts at Free and iLovePDF at Free.
Does DeskTime or iLovePDF run on more platforms?
DeskTime runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, Linux. iLovePDF runs on Web.
Can I use DeskTime for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is DeskTime best used for?
DeskTime is most often used for automatic time tracking of desktop app and website usage, measuring team productivity and idle time, scheduling shifts and tracking absences. Of those, automatic time tracking of desktop app and website usage and measuring team productivity and idle time are not what iLovePDF is typically brought in for.
What can DeskTime do that iLovePDF cannot?
DeskTime covers Automatic activity tracking, Application and website tracking, Daily reports, Weekly summaries. iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools, Format conversion, Text recognition conversions, File size limits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DeskTime: What are DeskTime's subscription tiers?

DeskTime offers Pro at $6.42/user/month (annual billing) for small teams and startups, Premium at $9.17/user/month (marked Most Popular) for hybrid and growing teams, and Enterprise with custom pricing for 200+ users.

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.

DeskTime: What features differentiate the Premium tier from Pro?

Premium adds screenshots, integrations & API, and shift scheduling compared to Pro's document title tracking and calendar integrations.

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.

DeskTime: How long is the DeskTime free trial?

DeskTime offers a 14-day free trial. No credit card is required to start.

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.

DeskTime: What billing options does DeskTime offer?

DeskTime offers monthly or annual billing. Annual subscriptions include one complimentary month compared to monthly plan pricing. You can pay by credit card or PayPal.

Source
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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