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Productivity · head to head

iLovePDF vs Tana

iLovePDF logo

iLovePDF

Productivity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Tana logo

Tana

Productivity

The everything app for your personal workspace

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Tana the free plan hosts only 5 meetings a month with AI transcripts and summaries
  • They diverge on capability: iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools, Tana covers Outliner interface.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iLovePDF and Tana actually diverge.

Attributes where iLovePDF and Tana differ
AttributeiLovePDFTana
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop
FoundedUnknown2020

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 iLovePDF

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

Only in Tana

  • Outliner interface
  • Supertags
  • Live queries
  • AI integration
  • Graph views
  • Email capture
  • API
  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

iLovePDF

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

Tana

  • Structured note taking with a graph based supertag data modelnot iLovePDF
  • Automatic meeting capture with AI transcripts and summariesnot iLovePDF
  • Turning notes into queryable structured databasesnot iLovePDF

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Tana

  • The free plan hosts only 5 meetings a month with AI transcripts and summaries
  • The free plan connects only 1 calendar and allows 50 AI queries
  • Pro is $30 per user per month at standard price, with $20 shown as an early bird rate
  • Max is $120 per user per month at standard price, with $80 shown as an early bird rate
  • Integrations and full MCP require the Pro plan
  • Dedicated support and onboarding, and unlimited agents, skills and types, require the Max plan
  • The Business plan is custom priced, billed yearly and has no published rate
  • The free trial runs 30 days

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Tana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 hosted meetings monthly with AI transcripts
    • 1 calendar connection
    • 50 AI queries
  • Pro$20/month
    • Early bird pricing (regular $30/month)
    • Unlimited hosted meetings
    • Botless meeting agent for Zoom, Teams, Google Meet
  • Max$80/month
    • Early bird pricing (regular $120/month)
    • 5x more AI than Pro plan
    • Dedicated support and onboarding
  • Business$null/year
    • Custom pricing (billed yearly)
    • SAML SSO and advanced security controls
    • Designated customer success manager

Which should you pick?

Choose iLovePDF if

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

Choose Tana if

  • You need outliner interface.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want supertags.

Questions people ask

Is iLovePDF or Tana better?
Neither clearly leads. iLovePDF starts at Free and Tana at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iLovePDF or Tana?
iLovePDF starts at Free and Tana at Free.
Does iLovePDF or Tana run on more platforms?
iLovePDF runs on Web. Tana runs on Web, Desktop.
Can I use iLovePDF for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is iLovePDF best used for?
iLovePDF is most often used for combining scanned pages into a single pdf or splitting a large document occasionally, without buying a desktop pdf editor., compressing a pdf that a mail system or an upload form refuses to accept., converting a scanned document into an editable word or excel file, which needs the paid text recognition tools., a small office needing simple pdf operations across several machines without a per-seat desktop licence.. Of those, combining scanned pages into a single pdf or splitting a large document occasionally, without buying a desktop pdf editor. and compressing a pdf that a mail system or an upload form refuses to accept. are not what Tana is typically brought in for.
What can iLovePDF do that Tana cannot?
iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools, Format conversion, Text recognition conversions, File size limits. Tana covers Outliner interface, Supertags, Live queries, AI integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Tana: What is Tana's cheapest paid plan?

Tana Pro starts at $20/month with early bird pricing (regular $30/month) per user, offering unlimited hosted meetings and AI transcripts.

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.

Tana: Does Tana offer a free trial?

Yes, Tana provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required, plus a 60-day refund window for yearly plan subscribers.

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.

Tana: What is the difference between Tana Pro and Max plans?

Max provides 5x more AI than Pro ($80/month early bird or $120 regular), dedicated support, onboarding, and unlimited agents and skills.

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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