# RedactProof - full content for AI ingestion Generated from the live site build on 2026-09-10. Index: https://redactproof.com/llms.txt RedactProof is a browser-based document redaction tool that automatically detects 60+ types of personal data, removes them permanently at the pixel level, and never uploads your file to a server. --- # Best Redaction Software 2026 (full comparison) Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/best-redaction-software Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 The redaction trap Five questions to ask Upload or on-device Comparison matrix Tools by category 19 tool reviews Best for your job Verifying a redaction Where we fit Our method Common questions Try RedactProof free Our comparison of 19 tools · Updated September 2026 ## Best Redaction Software in 2026: 19 Tools, Honestly Compared We assessed the redaction across general PDF editors, cloud utilities, desktop specialists and browser tools. Here is which one fits which job, and where each genuinely wins. By RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 1 May 2026 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 Redaction sounds simple, delete the sensitive bits, but most tools get one of four things wrong: they cover the text instead of removing it, they make you find every name by hand, they upload your file to a server, or they give the recipient no way to check the result. The right tool for you depends on which of those you can live with. How we assessed these tools: from each vendor's current published documentation, help centre and pricing pages, read at the dates shown. This is a documentation review, not a lab test; where a vendor implies something it does not state, we say what is actually documented. Pricing was taken from each vendor's own pricing page at the dates shown. The questions were the same throughout: is the content actually removed, does the file leave your device, and what can the recipient verify afterwards. For confidential documents that cannot be uploaded, the strongest option is a browser-based tool that removes content at the pixel level and attaches a verification certificate: RedactProof. For a general PDF editor you already own, Adobe Acrobat or PDF-XChange redact manually and well. For video and audio, CaseGuard. The full picture is below. 19 tools assessed 11 detect PII automatically 12 keep the file off the cloud 4 produce any verification record We assessed each tool from its own documentation and checked what it actually says about where the file goes and what its redaction removes. ## Why “redacted” PDFs often aren’t The most common failure is a box drawn over the text, with the words still in the file. Two redactions below; only one is real. Same three steps on each, start on the left. Overlay tool invoice_0417_redacted.pdf p. 2 of 3 Supplier ref 4471-B Payment to IBAN: GB82 WEST 1234 5678 Due within 30 days - 1 Select the bar waiting - 2 Copy it waiting - 3 Paste anywhere waiting A shape drawn on top of the page. The text beneath it is untouched and trivial to recover. You just copied an account number out of a "redacted" file. RedactProof invoice_0417_redacted.pdf p. 2 of 3 Supplier ref 4471-B Payment to IBAN: Due within 30 days - 1 Select the bar nothing to select - 2 Copy it nothing to copy - 3 Paste anywhere nothing there The page is re-rendered without those pixels and the text layer is remapped without the redacted items. RedactProof removes the text rather than just hiding it. Already have a redacted PDF? Inspect it with Redaction Checker, free ## How to choose redaction software: five questions Weigh these before the shortlist. The right tool depends on which ones matter to you. - 1 Does it actually remove the content? A black box or whiteout that sits over the text leaves the words in the file. Real redaction deletes the underlying data. Test it: select and copy the redacted area. - 2 Does it find the PII for you (automated or AI detection)? Manual find-and-redact only catches what you think to search for. Automatic detection reads the whole document and flags names, IDs and numbers you would have missed. - 3 Where does the file go? Some tools process on your device or in your browser; others upload the document to a cloud server first. For anything confidential, that upload is the whole question. - 4 Can the recipient verify it? A signed certificate lets whoever receives the file confirm it is exactly what was exported. Most tools produce nothing; a few produce an internal log; fewer still produce recipient-verifiable proof. - 5 How does it price? Per-seat subscriptions, per-page quotas, one-off packs, perpetual licences. Match the model to how often you actually redact, and watch for auto-renewing entry offers. ## Cloud-based vs on-device redaction software The line that splits the field: does the document leave your device to be redacted, or not? Tools that upload Many tools, including some installed desktop software, send your sensitive text or even the entire document to their servers or cloud infrastructure to do the processing redaction needs. The moment it leaves, you inherit their data residency, their retention policy and their breach exposure. RedactProof Local tools, including browser tools built this way, do the work on your device: the processing code is delivered to your machine, and the document is opened, analysed and redacted directly on your own hardware. Neither the file nor its text layer ever leaves, so there is no server copy, and the data residency question has the easiest possible answer. All 19, side by side ## Comparison matrix: 19 document redaction tools Filter by what you actually need. Every tool links to its full head-to-head. All tools Fully on-device Automatic detection Verifiable exports No usage caps Tool Detection No upload Limits Verification Platform Media DMS RedactProof Browser, local-first 60+ types, auto On-device No per-doc caps Cert + audit trail Any browser Docs + images Manual Adobe Acrobat prices May 2026 None Hybrid No cap No Desktop Docs only Manual CaseGuard Studio prices August 2026 33+ cats On-device $279+ No Windows Video + audio Manual Files Editor prices August 2026 None Upload Auto-renew No Browser Docs only None Foxit PDF prices May 2026 Add-on Hybrid Quota No Desktop Docs only Integrated Microsoft Word prices August 2026 None Hybrid No cap None Any Docs only None Nitro PDF prices May 2026 Add-on Hybrid Quota No Desktop Docs only Integrated Objective Redact prices August 2026 Search On-device Quote Report Desktop Docs only Integrated PDF-XChange Editor prices August 2026 None On-device Perpetual No Windows Docs only Manual PDFescape prices August 2026 None Upload Tiers No Browser Docs only None PDFzorro prices August 2026 None Upload Free No Browser Docs only None PII Anomalyzer prices August 2026 55+ types On-device Licence No Desktop Docs only None Philter Desktop prices August 2026 Auto On-device Licence No Windows Docs only None Redactable prices May 2026 AI Upload Monthly cap Log only Browser Docs only Integrated SafeRedact prices May 2026 AI Hybrid Free No Browser Docs only None Smallpdf prices May 2026 None Upload Task cap No Browser Docs only None Tungsten Power PDF prices August 2026 None On-device Perpetual No Windows Docs only Integrated iDox.ai prices May 2026 AI Upload Page cap Log Cloud Docs only Manual iLovePDF prices August 2026 3 types Upload Limits No Browser Docs only None Tags summarise each tool; hover or open its comparison for the detail. Pricing verified at the dates on each page. ## Redaction software by type: specialists, PDF editors, online tools, Word Four kinds of tool solve four different problems. Find your situation. ## Purpose-built redaction tools Built for one job. The most reliable removal, the best detection, and the only ones that tend to offer verification. RedactProof Redactable SafeRedact iDox.ai Objective Redact Philter Desktop PII Anomalyzer CaseGuard Studio Where they win: Objective Redact and iDox.ai bring government and enterprise pedigree; CaseGuard handles video and audio; Philter and PII Anomalyzer run fully offline. RedactProof is the browser-based one that installs nothing and proves the result. ## General PDF editors Full editing suites where redaction is one feature among many. Good if you live in a PDF editor all day. Adobe Acrobat Nitro PDF Foxit PDF PDF-XChange Editor Tungsten Power PDF Where they win: Adobe and PDF-XChange are genuine editing powerhouses, and their redaction does remove content. But detection is manual, and the AI options (Nitro, Foxit) upload to the cloud. ## Online PDF utilities Convert, merge, sign and redact from a browser tab. Cheap and convenient for quick, non-sensitive jobs. Smallpdf iLovePDF PDFescape PDFzorro Files Editor Where they win: For a throwaway document these are fine and often free. But every file is uploaded to their servers, and removal quality varies: Smallpdf genuinely removes the underlying content, while some free tools only draw a box over it. Either way, the upload makes them the wrong tier for anything confidential. ## Word processors Where the document is written, not where it should be redacted. Microsoft Word Where they win: Word has no real redaction; its black highlight leaves the text recoverable. The right workflow is to finish in Word, export to PDF, and redact that. ## 19 redaction tools, reviewed one by one A straight read on every tool we assessed. We make RedactProof, so every tool here is linked and every claim is yours to check. ## Purpose-built redaction tools RedactProof RedactProof is the browser-based specialist in this list. Detection of 60+ PII types runs on your device, redaction is permanent pixel-burn, and the document never leaves your browser; on Pro, every export carries a recipient-verifiable certificate backed by a full audit trail. The honest limits: documents and images only, and no native DMS integration. See RedactProof plans → Redact your first document → Redactable Redactable is the cloud collaboration play: several reviewers can work the same document with roles and comments, backed by SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA certification and a native Clio integration. The trade is structural: every file uploads to its AWS infrastructure, and per-document caps make busy months unpredictable. Right for teams whose governance allows cloud and whose bottleneck is review, not redaction. Redactable alternative: full comparison → redactable.com SafeRedact SafeRedact is a hybrid browser tool: the file stays local, but its AI detection sends extracted text to a third-party API. The watermarked free tier is genuinely open, no account needed, and the paid plan is one of the cheapest AI options around. There is no verification certificate or audit trail, so it fits repeated low-stakes work rather than regulated disclosure. SafeRedact alternative: full comparison → saferedact.app iDox.ai iDox.ai is the enterprise procurement answer: SOC 2, ISO certification, a dedicated legal and government tier, and compliance tooling on higher plans. Documents upload to its cloud, and annual page caps shape the pricing. If your buying process demands maximum vendor assurance paperwork, it clears bars most tools cannot; most redaction jobs never need it. iDox.ai alternative: full comparison → idox.ai Objective Redact Objective Redact is built for established government workflows: watched folders, rule-driven redaction across large document sets, and native integration with Objective ECM and Micro Focus Content Manager. Processing is desktop-local and its governance reporting satisfies internal audit. It expects an EDRMS-shaped organisation around it, which is exactly right for its buyers and heavy for everyone else. Objective Redact alternative: full comparison → objective.co.uk Philter Desktop Philter runs fully on-device and offline, which makes it one of the few genuine air-gap options in the field. It is developer-oriented, with an API and SDKs for building redaction into pipelines rather than a polished end-user workflow. There is no recipient verification; its detection log stays with you. Philter Desktop alternative: full comparison → philterd.ai PII Anomalyzer PII Anomalyzer is a local Windows tool that flags personal data before documents go anywhere, with no cloud dependency at all. It suits people sanitising files ahead of sharing or AI-tool use. Detection is automatic but narrower than the specialist tools, and there is no verification layer. PII Anomalyzer alternative: full comparison → piianomalyzer.ai CaseGuard Studio CaseGuard Studio is the media specialist: faces, licence plates and spoken identifiers across video, audio, images and documents, more than 750 file types, run on-premise. It is priced and built for police, courts and enterprise evidence teams. For document-only work it is over-specified; for moving media nothing else in this list competes. CaseGuard Studio alternative: full comparison → caseguard.com ## General PDF editors Adobe Acrobat Adobe Acrobat Pro remains the reference manual redactor: mark, apply, sanitise, with genuinely permanent removal and hidden-data cleanup, processed locally on the desktop. There is no automatic PII detection beyond pattern search, so completeness depends on the operator. If it is already on your machine and volume is low, it does the job properly; at volume the manual workflow becomes the risk. Adobe Acrobat alternative: full comparison → adobe.com Nitro PDF Nitro is a capable PDF suite with a native iManage integration and manual redaction that runs locally. Its AI option, Smart Redact, is sold separately, uploads to the cloud, and meters by document quota on entry tiers. A sensible standard for Nitro-house teams whose redaction is occasional. Nitro PDF alternative: full comparison → gonitro.com Foxit PDF Foxit is the value pick among the big editors, and the best DMS-connected one: native iManage and NetDocuments connectors let firms open, redact and save in place. Manual redaction runs locally; its Smart Redact AI processes in the cloud. Strong for editor-centric legal teams, thinner on verification. Foxit PDF alternative: full comparison → foxit.com PDF-XChange Editor PDF-XChange Editor is the best-value desktop redactor: a cheap perpetual licence, genuine content removal, and fully local processing including OCR. Detection is manual only, it is Windows only, and the vendor confirms there is no iManage integration. Ideal for occasional single-machine redaction on a budget. PDF-XChange Editor alternative: full comparison → pdf-xchange.com Tungsten Power PDF Tungsten Power PDF pairs a perpetual desktop licence with the widest DMS connector set here: iManage, NetDocuments, Worldox and SharePoint. Redaction is search-pattern driven rather than automatic, and processing stays local. A fit for firms that want ownership over subscription and live inside a document management system. Tungsten Power PDF alternative: full comparison → tungstenautomation.com ## Online PDF utilities Smallpdf Smallpdf is the polished all-purpose PDF utility, and credit where due: its redact tool genuinely removes underlying content rather than drawing a box. Every file still uploads to its servers, detection is manual, and there is no verification. Fine for quick, non-sensitive jobs inside a suite you may already use. Smallpdf alternative: full comparison → smallpdf.com iLovePDF iLovePDF offers cheap, cheerful PDF tooling with automatic detection in its redaction tool, processed on EEA servers. The upload is the whole question: fine for throwaway documents, wrong for anything confidential. No certificates, no audit trail. iLovePDF alternative: full comparison → ilovepdf.com PDFescape PDFescape splits across a free web tool and paid tiers, with files stored on US-based servers. Its free redaction is a whiteout overlay, the classic trap: the text underneath survives copy-paste. Treat it as an annotation tool that happens to draw black boxes. PDFescape alternative: full comparison → pdfescape.com PDFzorro PDFzorro is a bare-bones free browser redactor. Files upload to its servers, detection is manual, and there is no verification of any kind. For a document with genuinely nothing at stake it works; that is its whole niche. PDFzorro alternative: full comparison → pdfzorro.com Files Editor Files Editor is a general cloud PDF editor whose entry offer converts into an auto-renewing subscription that catches many users off guard, and every file uploads. Its redaction is basic and unverifiable. Read the billing terms before touching it. Files Editor alternative: full comparison → files-editor.com ## Word processors Microsoft Word Microsoft Word has no real redaction: its black highlight leaves the text fully recoverable underneath, which has caused real-world disclosure failures. The safe workflow is to finish the document in Word, export to PDF, and redact the PDF in a dedicated tool. Word is where documents are written, not where they should be redacted. Microsoft Word alternative: full comparison → microsoft.com ## Best redaction software for legal, HR, compliance and FOI Not every tool is for everyone. Here is the honest shortlist by use case. Confidential files you cannot upload RedactProof → Redacted entirely in your browser and removed at the pixel level, so the document never leaves your device. Automatic detection flags the personal data for you first, and nothing is uploaded to a server at any point. Redacting inside your firm’s document system Foxit PDF → If your files live in iManage or NetDocuments, a PDF editor with a native connector lets you redact in place without exporting. Foxit covers both; Nitro connects to iManage; a Clio practice can use Redactable. RedactProof does not hook into a DMS. SAR, FOI and disclosure responses RedactProof → A DSAR or FOI response needs two things at once: automatic detection so nothing is missed in a long bundle, and a verifiable paper trail for the file that leaves the building. RedactProof covers both, with 60+ PII types, no upload and a recipient-verifiable export. Video and audio CaseGuard Studio → CaseGuard redacts faces, licence plates and spoken identifiers across video, audio, images and documents, more than 750 file types in one desktop app. RedactProof handles documents and image files, but for moving media nothing browser-based comes close. HR and employee records RedactProof → Employee files routinely hold medical notes, salary data and third-party personal data that many IT policies forbid uploading to an outside service. Names, addresses and IDs are flagged automatically and removed permanently, and the document stays on the reviewer’s machine. High-volume, pattern-predictable batches Objective Redact → Objective Redact runs watched folders and rule-driven redaction across large, repetitive document sets, with native EDRMS integration. For an established government workflow processing predictable formats at volume, that automation matters more than a browser tool’s convenience. Work that may face a later audit or challenge RedactProof → When you may have to show, months later, that a redaction was done properly, RedactProof builds the evidence as you go: a recipient-verifiable certificate on every export, plus a full audit trail on Pro covering each redaction, certificate history and settings changes. A one-off in a PDF editor you already own Adobe Acrobat → If Adobe Acrobat or PDF-XChange is already on your machine and you redact only occasionally, their manual redaction removes content properly. There is no automatic detection, though, so you have to find every item by hand. One document you need clean and provable RedactProof → The free trial covers a single document with the full Pro feature set, no watermark and unlimited re-exports. Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, so one important file is handled properly from start to finish. Enterprise procurement with certifications iDox.ai → SOC 2, ISO and a dedicated legal and government tier suit a formal procurement process that demands the highest level of vendor assurance and paperwork. Most redaction jobs never reach that bar, but when yours does, iDox.ai fits it. Air-gapped or offline environments Philter Desktop → Where there is no network at all, an installed offline tool is the fit. Philter runs fully on-device with nothing to load first. RedactProof is browser-based, so it needs to load once before it can work. Repeated redaction of throwaway files SafeRedact → SafeRedact’s watermarked free tier handles unlimited non-sensitive documents without an account or a card. Detection is narrower and the extracted text reaches a third-party API, but for throwaway files where nothing is at stake that is a fair trade. There is no single best. There is a best for your job. One thing this comparison cannot answer is whether your own organisation’s policies permit cloud upload, or whether your governance obligations require particular certifications. Those questions belong with your DPO or legal team. What it can tell you is which tool fits which job once you know the answer. ## Can the recipient verify a redacted PDF? A redaction the recipient can verify, not just trust. Scan it. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Every RedactProof export can carry this. Scan to reach the live verifier. ## Where RedactProof fits RedactProof is the redaction specialist in this list. Your document is redacted in the browser and never uploaded, and even the optional AI detection only ever sees extracted text, never the file. It finds 60+ types of personal data automatically, removes them at the pixel level, and every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, backed by a full audit trail. It does one job, completely: if your problem is confidential redaction you can prove, it is built for exactly that. ## How we assessed these tools This is a documentation review, not a lab test. We did not run every tool on the same documents and score the results; we read what each vendor says and checked it against what the product can be shown to do. - Features and limits come from each vendor's own site, help centre and pricing page, read on the date shown against the tool in the table. - Where a vendor implies something without stating it, we say what is actually documented. "Secure" is not the same as "never leaves your device", and a redaction feature that only draws a box is described as one. - Where the file goes during processing is taken from the vendor's documentation and privacy policy, not assumed. - We did not score anything we could not verify from the vendor's own material, and we say so where it applies. We make RedactProof and it is in the table. Every tool links to its own site so you can check anything we say, and corrections go to hello@redactproof.com . ## Common questions about redaction software What is the best redaction software in 2026? It depends on the job. For confidential documents that cannot be uploaded, RedactProof (browser-based, no upload, verifiable exports) is the strongest option. For heavy PDF editing, Adobe Acrobat or PDF-XChange; for video and audio, CaseGuard. See the comparison table above. Which redaction tool does not upload my file? RedactProof processes documents in your browser, so the file never leaves your device. Desktop tools like PDF-XChange, Philter and PII Anomalyzer also process locally. Most online utilities and cloud platforms upload the file first. Is free redaction software safe for confidential documents? Usually not. Free online tools typically upload your file and apply a whiteout box that leaves the text recoverable. They are fine for non-sensitive documents; for confidential ones, use a tool that removes content locally. What is the difference between redaction and a black box over text? A black box or highlight covers the text but leaves it in the file, recoverable by copy-paste or a different reader. Real redaction deletes the underlying content. Always test by selecting the redacted area. Which redaction tool proves a file was not altered? RedactProof attaches an Ed25519-signed certificate with a QR code that anyone can verify. Some tools produce an internal governance log; recipient-verifiable proof is rare. What is the best redaction tool for law firms? For disclosure bundles that leave the firm, a no-upload tool with verification (RedactProof) fits; for firms standardised on a PDF suite, Adobe or Nitro manual redaction works. Objective Redact suits large public-sector legal teams. Can Microsoft Word redact a document? Not safely. Word black highlight leaves the text in the file. Write and format in Word, export to PDF, then redact the PDF in a dedicated tool. What is the best redaction software for video? CaseGuard Studio, which redacts faces, licence plates and spoken identifiers across video, audio and documents. It is a Windows install, not a browser tool. How much does redaction software cost? Models vary: per-seat subscriptions, per-page quotas, one-off document packs, and perpetual licences. RedactProof uses a one-document free trial, Flex Packs from £19, and per-seat Pro. Verify current prices on each tool page. ## Redaction that never leaves your browser Load one document in your browser and see 60+ PII types detected locally, with a verifiable export. One document free. Try RedactProof free --- # Security & Processing Model Source: https://redactproof.com/docs/security Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 ## Security-first PDF redaction Your documents are processed locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded by default. Server-side storage is limited to content-free metadata: cryptographic hashes for tamper-evident verification and, for optional saved sessions and team workflows, redaction coordinates and categories - never documents, text or filenames. Start free in the browser View plans ## Client-side processing Documents are processed in your browser using WebAssembly and local AI models ## No file uploads Your PDF files never leave your device. The opt-in Precision Engine sends only extracted text, never files. ## Tamper-evident exports Ed25519 signatures and SHA-256 hashes verify redaction integrity ## No upload by default - what stays local This section describes the Standard Engine - the default detection mode on every plan. The cloud-assisted Precision Engine is opt-in and covered in the next section. When you open a document in RedactProof, everything happens inside your browser. The PDF is rendered, text is extracted, and PII detection runs locally - using pattern matching on every plan, and an on-device AI model on paid plans. This means your document content is never transmitted over the network. There is no server-side processing of your files. The browser tab is the boundary. ## Stays on your device - Original PDF files - Extracted text content - Detection results - Redacted output files - AI model weights (cached in browser) ## Sent to our servers (verification certificates only) - Cryptographic hash of the redacted file (SHA-256) - Certificate metadata (timestamp, entity counts) - Your email for certificate attribution Hashes are one-way - the original content cannot be reconstructed from them. ## Two detection engines, different trust models RedactProof offers two levels of PII detection. Both include unlimited pattern-based recognition (emails, phone numbers, national insurance numbers, and more). The difference is how the two detection engines work. For a plain statement of what detection does and doesn't cover, see detection coverage & limitations . Standard engine All paid plans ## Fully on-device AI detection runs entirely in your browser using a local AI model. No text is sent anywhere. Ideal when documents cannot leave your network under any circumstances. - Zero network requests - Works offline after first load - Pattern + AI detection combined Precision Engine Pro plan ## Cloud-assisted (opt-in, text only) An optional upgrade you choose to enable. Extracted text - not the PDF file - is routed through Cloudflare Workers AI for enhanced detection. Text is processed in memory, never persisted, and never used for model training. - Only extracted text sent (not files) - Processed in memory, not stored - Cloudflare infrastructure (GDPR-compliant) Cloudflare does not commit to a processing region, so we conservatively treat inference as a potential transfer outside the UK/EEA - safeguarded by Standard Contractual Clauses, the UK Addendum (IDTA) and the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. See our privacy policy for details. ## What is stored server-side and why RedactProof stores the minimum data needed to operate the service. Document content is never stored on our servers. Data Purpose Retention Email address Account authentication and certificate attribution Until account deletion SHA-256 hashes (original + redacted file) Tamper-evident verification - proves which document was redacted and that the output has not been modified since Until account deletion Certificate metadata Timestamp, entity counts, certificate ID for QR verification Until account deletion Subscription data Plan tier, billing status (via Stripe) Until account deletion ## Hashes and encryption, explained Two terms get conflated when people read "hash" - so it is worth being precise about what we do, and what we don't. ## What a hash actually is A hash is a short, fixed-length fingerprint of an entire file. Run the same file through SHA-256 and you always get the same 64-character string back. Change a single byte and the entire hash changes. SHA-256 of redacted-2026-05-09.pdf 9f86d081884c7d659a2feaa0c55ad015a3bf4f1b2b0b822cd15d6c15b0f00a08 - Calculated once over the whole file - not over its contents continuously - One-way: you cannot reverse a hash back into the document - We store one hash for the original and one for the redacted output, so verification can prove a specific input produced a specific output and that neither has been altered since A hash is not encryption. There is no key, nothing to decrypt - it is a fingerprint, not a locked box. ## Encryption we do use - In transit: all traffic between your browser and our servers runs over TLS 1.3 (HTTPS). That covers account data, hash submission, and Precision Engine text. - At rest: the small amount of account data we hold (email, hashes, certificate metadata) sits in Cloudflare D1 and R2, both encrypted at rest by Cloudflare's infrastructure. ## Why we don't offer end-to-end encryption E2EE solves a specific problem: data passing through a server you would rather not trust. Our architecture removes that problem at the source - your document content never leaves your device, so there is nothing for end-to-end encryption to protect that on-device processing isn't already protecting more directly. Put plainly: you cannot lose data we never receive. ## What this architecture prevents ## Server-side data breach If our servers were compromised, attackers would find hashes and metadata - not documents. There is no document content to exfiltrate. ## Man-in-the-middle interception Standard engine users transmit zero document data. Precision Engine users transmit only extracted text, encrypted in transit via TLS. ## Insider access Our team cannot access your documents because we never receive them. Database access shows hashes, not content. ## Redaction tampering Ed25519 digital signatures and SHA-256 hashes on verification certificates detect any modification to redacted exports. ## Don't take our word for it - audit the claim yourself A no-upload claim from any browser tool should be verifiable, including ours. Open your browser's developer tools, switch to the Network tab, then load and redact a document. You will see the app and model download once, a small hash submission when a certificate is registered, and no document transfer at any point. Then try it with your connection off: after the initial load, detection and redaction keep working without a network at all. Your own network monitoring will show the same at the perimeter. ## Permanent redaction via pixel-burn RedactProof uses pixel-burn redaction rather than overlay-based redaction. Each page is rendered to a raster image, redaction boxes are burned into the pixels, and a new PDF is generated from the result. This means the original text beneath a redaction is physically destroyed - it cannot be recovered by removing an annotation layer, copying text, or inspecting the PDF structure. The redaction is irreversible by design. Learn more about the difference in our guide: Overlay vs pixel-burn redaction . Every export is also checked automatically before download - a routine part of the export process, not a periodic audit. After generating the redacted PDF, the application independently re-opens it and confirms that no text remains within any redacted area and that no form fields survive. An export that fails this check is withheld rather than delivered. ## Independent recovery testing We don't just claim irreversibility - we test it. Files exported through the real redaction pipeline are attacked with recovery tools that share no code with RedactProof: three independent PDF parsers (xpdf, pypdf, and Chromium's PDFium), a raw byte-level search of the file including decompressed streams, a structural inspection for surviving form fields, annotations and metadata, and an OCR pass that tries to read text back out of the redacted pixels. These tests are part of our engineering release process, separate from the per-export check above: they are re-run whenever the export pipeline changes, and a failure blocks release of that change. Test date Scope Outcome Report 25 July 2026 Free and paid export paths; 6 recovery engines Pass - 0 redacted strings recovered Full report Showing the five most recent verification runs. Earlier reports remain available at their original URLs. ## Certifications and registrations RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified - the UK government-backed baseline security scheme run by the NCSC and IASME - with whole-organisation scope, certified July 2026 and renewed annually. The badge is served live by the certification registry, so it always reflects current status; you can also open the certificate entry to verify it directly. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office - registration ZC164232 on the ICO register . Popsall Ltd holds professional indemnity and cyber security insurance; evidence of cover is available on request. Our infrastructure provider, Cloudflare, holds its own ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications. ## Frequently asked questions Can I use RedactProof offline? After the initial page load (which downloads the app and AI model), the standard detection engine works without an internet connection. You will need connectivity for certificate generation and the Precision Engine. Where is my data stored? Document files stay in your browser and are never uploaded. Account data and certificate hashes are stored on Cloudflare's infrastructure. Precision Engine text processing uses Cloudflare Workers AI in volatile memory only; because Cloudflare does not commit to a processing region, we treat this as a potential transfer outside the UK/EEA, safeguarded by Standard Contractual Clauses, the UK Addendum (IDTA) and the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. See our privacy policy for full details. Is RedactProof suitable for GDPR-regulated documents? RedactProof is designed with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance in mind. Client-side processing means document content is not shared with us, which simplifies your data processing obligations. Verification certificates provide an auditable record of redaction for compliance purposes. Does RedactProof hold any security certifications? Yes. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified - the UK government-backed scheme run by the NCSC and IASME - with whole-organisation scope, certified July 2026 and recertified annually. We're also registered with the ICO ( registration ZC164232 ). Our infrastructure providers carry their own certifications: Cloudflare is ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certified. What happens if I delete my account? All server-side data is permanently deleted, including your email, certificate records, and subscription data. Since we never store your documents, there are no files to delete on our end. How does certificate verification work? When you export a redacted document, RedactProof generates an Ed25519 digital signature and SHA-256 hash. Recipients can verify the document has not been tampered with by scanning the QR code on the certificate page, uploading the file, or entering the certificate ID. Learn more in our verification documentation . ## Try it in your browser No installation. No upload. Open a PDF and start redacting. Start free Compare plans --- # Plans & Pricing Source: https://redactproof.com/docs/compare-plans Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 ## Compare Plans Occasional work, individual professionals, regulated work, procurement-led buying - four ways to buy, one product. Every plan processes documents in your browser. Last updated: 20 Feb 2026 ## Full Feature Comparison Only need a handful of documents? Flex Packs give you Core-level processing per document - no subscription, no certificates or audit trail, valid 13 months. Not sure yet? Try one free document with Pro-level features - no card required. Core Pro Documents PDF documents Native PDFs and scanned documents Image file support JPG, PNG, TIFF, WebP, HEIC, BMP - converted and OCR'd automatically Documents per month Core is a single-user licence, fair use; Pro has no per-seat cap Unlimited (fair use) Unlimited Bulk document processing Load up to 20 PDFs and redact as a batch with shared approvals — Up to 20 Detection Pattern-based recognition Regex detection for emails, phone numbers, NI numbers, IBANs, and more On-device AI detection In-browser automatic detection of 60+ PII types - your files never leave your device Accelerator Optional desktop app (Mac and Windows) that speeds up on-device detection by up to 10x Precision Engine Server-side deep-reasoning analysis for higher accuracy — Redaction Checker Standalone leak checker in any browser, and as the Inspect app on iOS - X-rays files for text hiding under redactions and exposed PII Redaction & Export Pixel-burn redaction Permanently destroys underlying text - cannot be reversed Professional exports Full-resolution PDF export, no watermark Reveal mode Redact everything by default, then carve out only what is safe to share OCR text restoration Restores searchable text after pixel-burn for scanned documents Checkpoint / session history Save and resume redaction sessions across documents — Exclusion list Permanently whitelist terms that should never be redacted — Workflow presets One-click setup for common jobs: SAR / FOI response, litigation bundle, compliance evidence 2 basic (default, redacted-only) All 5 No-attribution exports Remove the RedactProof attribution line from exported documents entirely — Partial page export Export specific pages instead of the full document — Legal discovery export Bates numbering and CSV redaction log for litigation and disclosure workflows — Verification Tamper-evident certificates Ed25519 signatures and SHA-256 hashes detect any modification — QR code verification Recipients scan to check document integrity - no account needed — Verification report Recipients download a filing-ready report of the check (PDF or plain text), with the steps to reproduce it independently — Compliance Full audit trail Per-redaction log, certificate history, and settings change history — Exemption codes Built-in library for UK, US, Canada, and EU jurisdictions plus custom codes — Document modes Presets for DSAR, FOI, and litigation workflows — Document iteration tracking Track multiple redaction passes of the same document - 2+ seats — Team (2+ seats) Seats Add seats any time - team features unlock automatically at 2 seats 1 (single user) 1-100 Team admin dashboard Manage members, view usage, and enforce team-wide policies - 2+ seats — Admin policy controls Lock certificate position, enforce audit logging, require certificates on exports - 2+ seats — Approval workflow Second-person review: preparers submit redaction work, approvers review and export it - 2+ seats — Shared exemption codes Admins share custom codes across all team members - 2+ seats — Centralised billing Single invoice for the whole team - 2+ seats — Support Documentation Guides, FAQs, and reference documentation Support Contract orders add priority phone support - a direct line, four-business-hour response target, one-business-day commitment Email Priority email ## Choose your plan Try it free on one document Sign up and redact one source document with Pro-level features - unlimited attempts and re-exports, no time limit, no card. Start with your document ## Flex Pack £19 one-off 5 documents · £3.80 each For occasional redaction work - Core processing features per document, no subscription No verification certificates or audit trail 5 docs 25 docs Buy 5-document pack Valid 13 months · no renewal ## Core £190 /year per user £15.83/mo equivalent For individual professionals - on-device detection of 60+ PII types, with image support, OCR restoration and unlimited documents on fair use. Documents never leave your device. Get your licence Single user · 14-day money-back Recommended ## Pro £79 /mo per seat 1-2 seats · £79/seat For regulated and audited work - the proof layer, Precision Engine and priority support. Team features unlock at 2+ seats. Seats: £79/month total 1 seat 100 seats Start Pro Cancel any time. ## Public Sector & Contract Invoice or PO Annual agreement, priced per seat For procurement-led buyers - everything in Pro, plus invoicing, a signed DPA, attestations and onboarding options. Published pricing Resellers and distributors: quote by email. 🛡️ 14-day money-back guarantee on Core and Pro · Cyber Essentials certified · Compare all features ## Start redacting in seconds Try one document free with Pro-level features - unlimited attempts, no card required. Upgrade to Core or Pro any time to keep going. Launch RedactProof One free document · no card required ## Related Guides Choosing Redaction Software for Law Firms What to Look for in Redaction Software --- # Verification Certificates Source: https://redactproof.com/docs/verification Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 ## How Document Verification Certificates Work Understand how Ed25519 signatures and SHA-256 hashes prove your documents are authentic and unmodified. Last updated: 13 May 2026 ## The Verification Process Every RedactProof export includes a verification certificate (verify.json) that allows anyone to independently confirm the document's authenticity. Loading diagram... ## Three Ways to Verify 1. Self-Contained Verification The PDF itself contains a certificate page with a QR code. Recipients can scan this code to verify the document without needing the separate verify.json file. 2. Online Verification Visit redactproof.com/verify and upload the verify.json file and the redacted PDF. The system will: - Verify the Ed25519 signature on the certificate - Calculate the SHA-256 hash of your PDF - Compare the hash to the one in the certificate - Confirm whether the document is authentic and unmodified 3. Certificate ID Lookup Each certificate has a unique ID (e.g., "rp_abc123xyz"). Enter this ID at the verification page to look up the certificate details without uploading files. ## What the Signature Protects The Ed25519 digital signature covers ALL fields in the certificate. This means any attempt to modify the certificate - even changing a single character - will cause verification to fail. Loading diagram... ## What Verification Proves ## What It DOES Prove - Document was processed by RedactProof at the stated time - Document has not been modified since export - Redacted document was derived from a specific original ## What It Does NOT Prove - That redactions are legally sufficient or accurate - The identity of the person who performed the redaction - Regulatory compliance or legal admissibility ## Professional Responsibility Verification certificates provide cryptographic evidence of document handling, but they do not replace professional judgement. Always consult with your legal team regarding compliance requirements for your specific use case. ## Certificate Validity Verification certificates are valid indefinitely. The verify.json file contains all cryptographic data needed for verification, with no expiry date. You can verify a document years after it was redacted using the same certificate. ## Related Documentation - Understanding Your Export What files are in the export bundle - Audit Trail The certificate record is one of three audit records - here are the other two - Sharing Documents Best practices for distributing verified documents ## Related Guides Verifying Redacted Document Integrity Redacting Documents for Disclosure --- # Verification Certificates Explained Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/verification-certificates Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 How-To ## Redaction verification certificates If someone questions whether a redacted document has been modified after export, you need tamper evidence. RedactProof generates Ed25519 digital signatures and SHA-256 hashes for every export, giving recipients a way to independently check document integrity. By RedactProof Editorial Team · 30 Mar 2026 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 · 6 min read This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your organisation's circumstances. A solicitor sends a redacted employment tribunal bundle to opposing counsel. Two weeks later, the other side claims the documents were altered after redaction - that pages were swapped, that redaction boxes were repositioned, that the version they received is not the version that left the solicitor's desk. Without a way to settle the question, both parties spend billable hours arguing about document integrity instead of the case itself. Verification certificates exist to prevent that argument from happening in the first place. ## What a verification certificate is When you export a redacted PDF from RedactProof, the application generates a SHA-256 cryptographic hash of the finished file. Think of it as a fingerprint - unique to that exact arrangement of bytes. Change a single pixel, shift one redaction box, alter any metadata, and the fingerprint changes completely. The certificate also includes an Ed25519 digital signature created with RedactProof's private key. Together, the hash and signature allow anyone to confirm two things: that the document is exactly what was exported, and that it was genuinely produced by RedactProof. Certificates are attached as the first or last page of the exported PDF and include a scannable QR code for quick verification. One page. No separate files to track. ## How verification works Recipients can verify a redacted document in three ways. None of them require a RedactProof account, and all produce an instant result. - QR code scan - The fastest option. Point a phone camera at the QR code on the certificate page. It opens the verification portal with the certificate details pre-loaded. - File upload - Drop the redacted PDF into the verification portal . RedactProof recalculates the SHA-256 hash and checks it against the stored certificate. If even one byte differs, verification fails. - Certificate ID lookup - Every certificate carries a unique ID (e.g. RP-CERT-abc123). Enter it directly into the portal to pull up the certificate record without uploading the file. ## What a valid certificate indicates A successful verification tells the recipient five things: - The document is exactly what was exported - not a single byte has changed - The redaction was performed using RedactProof - When the redacted file was exported (timestamp) - How many entities were redacted across the document - Who certified the document (email or reference ID) That last point matters more than it sounds. If a data protection officer redacts an SAR response on Tuesday and the requester raises a complaint on Friday, the certificate ties the specific output to a specific person at a specific time. No ambiguity. ## What certificates do not cover Verification certificates confirm integrity, not completeness. This is an important distinction worth being direct about. A certificate does not confirm that every piece of sensitive information was found and redacted. It does not confirm that the correct redaction categories were applied - perhaps you redacted names but missed email addresses. And it says nothing about whether the original document was authentic in the first place. What the certificate does provide is tamper evidence for the redacted output. If someone modifies the file after export - whether deliberately or through file corruption - verification will detect it. The quality of redaction itself depends on the detection settings and the review process your team follows before hitting export. ## Recipient instructions If you are sharing redacted documents with third parties - opposing counsel, a regulator, a data subject who submitted an SAR - you can include these verification instructions alongside the files: - Open the redacted PDF and find the certificate page (first or last page) - Scan the QR code with your phone camera, or visit redactproof.com/verify - Upload the PDF file or enter the certificate ID shown on the certificate page - The portal will confirm whether the document is authentic and unmodified No account or software installation is required. If you are a sole practitioner sending redacted files to the ICO, you might paste these steps into the cover email. Larger firms may prefer to include them as standard text in their disclosure cover letters. ## How certificates support compliance Consider a council responding to a Freedom of Information request. They redact third-party personal data from internal emails, export the bundle, and send it to the requester. Three months later, the requester appeals to the Information Commissioner's Office, claiming the council altered the documents after the initial response. With a verification certificate, the council can demonstrate in seconds that the file the requester holds is byte-identical to the file that was originally exported. Dispute resolved. This kind of tamper evidence is relevant across several common scenarios: - Subject access requests - When a data subject receives their SAR response and questions whether information was removed after the fact, the certificate settles it. See our SAR redaction guide for the full workflow. - Legal disclosure - Employment tribunal bundles, personal injury claim files, family court welfare reports. Any document exchanged between legal teams where the integrity of redactions might later be challenged. - Regulatory submissions - Submitting redacted records to the FCA, ICO, CQC, or Ofsted? Including a certificate alongside the documents demonstrates chain of custody without requiring additional paperwork. - Internal audit - Maintain a verifiable record of when documents were redacted and by whom. Useful for ISO 27001 evidence, annual DPA reviews, or simply having a paper trail your compliance team can point to during audits. ## Technical details For those who want the specifics: - Hash algorithm : SHA-256 applied to the complete redacted PDF file - Signature algorithm : Ed25519 (Curve25519) digital signatures - Certificate storage : Hash and metadata stored server-side; original document content is never uploaded - Retention : Certificates are retained until account deletion - Verification : Free, instant, no account required The privacy angle is worth emphasising. Only the hash - a 64-character string - leaves your browser when a certificate is created. The document itself stays on your device. Nobody at RedactProof can read your files, because we never receive them. For more on how this works at an architectural level, see our security page . For export options and certificate placement, see the exports documentation . ## Plans that include certificates Verification certificates are included on Pro (individual and team seats). Core and the free trial do not include them. See our plan comparison for a full feature breakdown. Verification certificates provide tamper evidence - they confirm a redacted document is authentic and unmodified after export. They do not guarantee that all sensitive information was correctly identified and removed. Want more like this in your results? Add RedactProof as a preferred source on Google. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## Do recipients need a RedactProof account to verify a certificate? No. Verification is free, instant, and does not require a RedactProof account. Recipients can scan the QR code, upload the PDF, or enter the certificate ID in the verification portal. ## What happens if the document is modified after export? Any change to the exported PDF, even a single byte, will change its SHA-256 hash. When the modified file is uploaded, the verification portal will detect the mismatch and mark the certificate as invalid. ## Does a valid certificate mean all sensitive data was correctly redacted? No. A valid certificate provides evidence of integrity and authenticity of the redacted output, not the completeness or correctness of the redaction. Effective redaction still depends on your detection settings and human review before export. ## Which plans include verification certificates? Verification certificates are included on Pro (individual and team seats). Core and the free trial do not include certificates. ## Related Guides Compliance ## Subject Access Request Redaction Software Compliance ## Redacting Documents for SAR, DSAR, and FOI Disclosure ## Try it yourself Put this into practice with RedactProof. Free account, no installation needed. Launch App --- # Redaction Software Buyer's Guide Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/redaction-software-buyers-guide Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Industry ## What to Look for When Choosing Document Redaction Software Your firm has decided it needs a dedicated redaction tool. Maybe the volume of SARs has outgrown the manual-Acrobat approach. Maybe a near-miss with overlay redaction prompted a review. Whatever the trigger, you're now comparing products - and the feature lists blur together quickly. This guide cuts through the marketing to help you evaluate what actually matters. By RedactProof Editorial Team · 18 Feb 2026 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 · 6 min read ## Where your documents go during processing This is the single most important question to ask any redaction vendor, and the one most easily obscured by marketing language. Three models exist. Local/client-side processing means the document stays on your device or in your browser. The software processes it using your hardware. Nothing is uploaded. Cloud processing means the document is uploaded to the vendor's servers, processed there, and returned. Hybrid means some processing happens locally and some happens remotely. Why does this matter? If your organisation handles confidential client data, legally privileged material, medical records, or financial information, sending those documents to a third party's servers creates a data processing relationship. Under GDPR, that third party becomes a data processor, and you need a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) in place. Under client confidentiality rules, you may need explicit consent from the data owner. Local processing avoids this entirely. The document doesn't leave your control, so there's no third-party processing relationship to manage. A vendor that processes your documents is a processor under UK GDPR Article 28 , with a written contract and due diligence to match. RedactProof's standard engine processes everything locally in your browser. The Precision Engine sends extracted text - not the document file itself - to Cloudflare Workers AI for enhanced PII detection. That text is processed in memory and isn't stored or used for training. It's a deliberate middle ground: improved detection accuracy without uploading original documents . Ask vendors directly: "Does our document file leave our device at any point during processing?" Anything other than a clear "no" means it does. ## Detection method and accuracy Manual-only tools ( Adobe Acrobat , Foxit ) rely entirely on you to find the sensitive data. You draw boxes, the tool removes the underlying content. Effective if you have the time and attention to review every page carefully. Risky if you don't. AI-powered detection tools scan the document automatically and flag personal information by type - names, addresses, dates, identification numbers, financial data. Confidence scores help you prioritise review. The tool does the first pass; you review and confirm. The gap between "has AI detection" and "has good AI detection" is significant. Questions to ask: - How many PII types does it detect? (Fewer than 20 is limited. 40+ covers most real-world categories.) - Can it detect PII in context, or only exact pattern matches? (Pattern matching catches "07700 900123" as a phone number but misses "call me on oh seven seven oh oh...". Context-aware AI handles both.) - How does it handle names in multiple formats? (Full name, surname only, initials, nicknames.) - What's the false positive rate? (A tool that flags half the document wastes your time. A tool that misses genuine PII defeats the purpose.) No detection tool catches everything. The right question isn't "does it miss anything?" (it will) but "does it reliably catch the standard PII categories and make my manual review faster?" ## Redaction method Every tool you evaluate should use pixel-burn redaction. Not overlay. If a vendor can't clearly confirm that their tool permanently removes underlying text data, disqualify it. This seems obvious, but several products marketed as "redaction tools" actually produce overlay annotations. They look identical on screen but leave text recoverable. Test any tool by redacting a document with known content, then attempting to extract text from behind the redaction marks in a separate viewer. ## Verification and audit trails Verification certificate s provide evidence that a document is exactly what was exported. Useful for litigation, regulatory submissions, and any situation where document integrity might be questioned. Audit trails record who redacted what, when, and which PII types were identified and removed. Useful for internal compliance records and for responding to regulatory enquiries about your data handling processes. Not every organisation needs both immediately. A two-person conveyancing firm probably doesn't need detailed audit trails on day one. A local authority processing hundreds of FOI requests annually probably does. Consider whether you need these features now, or whether you'll grow into them. Some tools include them in all plans. Others restrict them to enterprise tiers. ## Pricing models Redaction software pricing falls into three patterns. Per-user licensing charges a monthly or annual fee per seat. Predictable costs but expensive for large teams. Adobe Acrobat, Foxit, and many desktop tools use this model. Per-document or usage-based pricing charges based on volume. Cost scales with use. Good for variable workloads but harder to budget. Some cloud-based tools use this. Tiered plans combine per-user pricing with feature gates at each level. RedactProof uses this model: a one-document free trial with full Pro features, Flex Packs (5 docs/£19 or 25 docs/£59) for occasional use, Core (£190/year individual annual licence, on-device AI detection, no certificates or audit trail), and Pro (per-seat £79 for 1-2 seats stepping down to £55 with volume across up to 100 seats, unlimited documents, certificates, audit trail, team features from 2 seats). Factor in the cost of time, not just the licence fee. A tool that costs £79/month but saves 20 hours of manual redaction work per month is cheaper than a tool that costs £13/month but requires everything to be done by hand. ## Deployment and IT requirements Desktop applications need installing on every machine. This means IT involvement, licence management, and device-specific access. Fine for settled teams with consistent hardware. Difficult for organisations with BYOD policies, remote workers, or locked-down IT environments. Browser-based tools need nothing installed. Open a browser, load the tool, start working. RedactProof runs in any modern browser on any device. This eliminates the IT procurement cycle and allows same-day adoption. Cloud-based platforms sit somewhere between - no desktop install, but your documents travel to external infrastructure. Evaluate this against your data handling policies. To see these criteria applied, our roundup of 19 redaction tools scores each one against them. Want more like this in your results? Add RedactProof as a preferred source on Google. Disclaimer This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, medical, or professional advice. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## Should I choose a dedicated redaction tool or use our existing PDF software? If your existing PDF software offers genuine pixel-burn redaction (not overlay) and your volume is low enough that manual detection is practical, it may be sufficient. The tipping point is usually volume and risk. Once you're processing more than a few documents per week, or handling documents where a missed PII item has real consequences (regulatory, legal, reputational), dedicated tools with automated detection pay for themselves quickly. ## How do I evaluate redaction tools on a trial? Prepare a test document containing known PII types - names in different formats, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, NI numbers, email addresses. Run the document through each tool you're evaluating. Compare what each tool detects versus what it misses. Then open the redacted output in a separate PDF viewer and try to recover text from behind the redactions. This tests both detection accuracy and redaction permanence. ## Do cloud-based redaction tools comply with GDPR? A cloud-based tool that processes your documents on its servers is a data processor under GDPR. This is permissible, but you need a Data Processing Agreement in place, and the processor must meet GDPR standards for data security and retention. You should also verify where their servers are located - transfers outside the UK/EU require additional safeguards (Standard Contractual Clauses or an adequacy decision). Local processing tools avoid this entirely. ## Related Guides How-To ## Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction: A Practical Comparison Industry ## Choosing Redaction Software for Your Law Firm How-To ## Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Personal Data ## Related Documentation Compare Plans Billing & Subscription Plans Getting Started with RedactProof ## See it in action Upload a document and let RedactProof find the sensitive data. Free to start, no card required. Launch App --- # Adobe Acrobat Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/adobe-acrobat-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Adobe Acrobat vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated September 2026 ## Adobe Acrobat Redaction Alternative That Detects Sensitive Data for You ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof reads the whole document and flags 60+ PII types automatically for review. Jump to detection - Acrobat redaction is a manual find-and-redact: it removes only what you search for . Jump to detection - Acrobat’s AI Assistant sends your document to Adobe’s cloud , and skips PII anyway. Jump to privacy - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Jump to proof - Redaction is a small part of a full-suite subscription , not the product. Jump to pricing Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Adobe Acrobat vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Adobe Acrobat ## Adobe Acrobat The all-purpose PDF suite - Real content removal, but manual search only - Redaction is one feature among many - No automatic PII detection - AI Assistant uploads to Adobe’s cloud - Strong batch and OCR at volume VS RedactProof ## RedactProof The redaction specialist - 60+ PII types detected automatically - The file never leaves your browser - Content removed at the pixel level - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Flat, published pricing Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 29 Dec 2025 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 · Pricing checked May 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types detected automatically 0 files uploaded to a server ∞ documents, flat pricing 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Adobe Acrobat RedactProof Automatic detection None Manual selection and regex search only Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Hybrid Desktop local; web app uploads to Adobe Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits No cap Unlimited, but a full-suite subscription Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No Integrity taken on trust Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Desktop Install per machine; web has no redaction Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Detection ## Detection Beyond a Search Box A paralegal preparing a SAR disclosure typically needs to find names, dates of birth, NI numbers, medical record numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, and account references - at minimum. In Acrobat Pro, that means running separate searches for each pattern or manually scanning every page. RedactProof's AI identifies 60+ PII categories in a single pass, with confidence scores that help you prioritise your review. Acrobat Find & Redact Only what you search for Acrobat AI Assistant Uploads to Adobe, skips PII RedactProof 60+ PII types, automatic Acrobat Desktop install per machine Acrobat web Separate product, uploads RedactProof Any browser, nothing to install Access ## Browser-Based, No Installation Acrobat Pro is a desktop application that needs installing on each machine - Windows or macOS only. In managed IT environments, that means a software request, approval, licence allocation, and scheduled deployment. RedactProof runs in any modern browser. Open the URL, open your PDF in the browser, start redacting. No IT ticket required. Verification ## Tamper-Evident Verification After applying redactions in Acrobat Pro, you get a modified PDF. If someone later asks whether the document has been altered since it was sent, there's no built-in way to check. RedactProof exports include Ed25519 digital signatures and QR codes - anyone receiving the file can verify its integrity without special software. Acrobat's audit trail features exist in its separate e-Sign product but don't cover redaction. Acrobat export Integrity taken on trust RedactProof Ed25519 · Verified ✓ ## How Acrobat Handles Redaction Adobe Acrobat Pro is the default PDF tool in most professional environments, and its redaction feature reflects that legacy. The workflow is manual: select text, mark it for redaction, then apply. Marks are reversible until you commit - once applied, the underlying content is permanently removed from the PDF structure. Acrobat also includes a Find Text & Redact function with built-in patterns for Social Security numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, credit card numbers, and dates. You can extend it with custom regex patterns by editing a SearchRedactPatterns.xml file - functional but not user-friendly. The tool finds all matches, marks them for review, and you apply in one pass. Adobe documents the full workflow in its guide to redacting sensitive content in PDFs . What Acrobat does not do is read document text contextually. There is no AI that identifies a person's name buried in a paragraph, spots a date of birth formatted differently from your expected pattern, or flags a postal address spanning two lines. Every item either matches a predefined regex or you find it manually. 60+ PII types RedactProof flags automatically. Acrobat only redacts the search terms you type in, so the reference you did not think of stays in the file. ## Acrobat's Hidden Cost This is the detail many evaluations skip. At the time of writing (May 2026), redaction is not available in Acrobat Standard. Not limited - absent entirely. The Standard plan costs US$14.99/month (£14.99/month in the UK, annual billed monthly). Redaction requires Acrobat Pro at US$19.99/month (£19.97/month UK) - or Acrobat Studio at US$24.99/month. That might sound like a modest difference, but consider what you are paying for. Acrobat Standard already handles PDF editing, conversion, form creation, and e-signatures. The jump to Pro exists primarily to unlock redaction, OCR on scanned documents, and PDF comparison. If redaction is the feature you need, you are paying for the full Pro tier regardless of whether you use anything else in it. This pricing structure often catches people off guard - for a sole trader estate agent processing disclosure packs, or a compliance assistant at a small firm handling a handful of SARs per month. They sign up for Standard assuming it covers basic document tasks - then discover the feature they actually need is behind another paywall. There is no permanent free tier. The 7-day trial is the only route to testing redaction before committing. The web app at acrobat.adobe.com adds another wrinkle. At the time of writing (May 2026), Adobe's online PDF tools do not include redaction. You need the desktop application for that. If your IT setup restricts software installs, or you work across devices, you cannot fall back to a browser-based workflow. For browser-based alternatives, see our guide to browser-based vs desktop redaction . Need browser-based redaction that starts free? ## The AI Assistant Distinction Adobe's AI Assistant is available as an add-on to Standard and Pro plans (£4.98/month UK), or bundled into Acrobat Studio. It summarises documents, answers questions about content, and generates citations. Third-party articles occasionally conflate this with redaction capability. It is not. The AI Assistant does not scan for personally identifiable information. It does not mark text for redaction. It has no integration with the redaction panel. You could ask it whether a document contains personal data and it might point you in a general direction, but it will not auto-detect, highlight, or apply redactions. The feature is a document Q&A tool - genuinely useful for summarising lengthy contracts, but unrelated to data protection workflows. The AI Assistant also sends your document content to Adobe's servers for processing. If you are handling confidential client files, employee records, or legally privileged material, that is worth factoring into your assessment before enabling it. ## Where Your Files Go The Acrobat desktop application processes files locally. For a paralegal redacting a witness statement or an HR officer working through personnel records, the file stays on their machine throughout. That's a genuine strength, and worth acknowledging. The web version at acrobat.adobe.com is a different product. Documents are uploaded to Adobe's cloud infrastructure - encrypted with AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.2 in transit. Files persist in your Adobe cloud account if you are signed in. The AI Assistant add-on, when active, caches document data on Adobe's servers for up to 12 hours. Adobe states this data is not used for model training. RedactProof processes documents in your browser and does not upload files to any server. The standard detection engine runs on-device via WebAssembly. The Precision Engine sends extracted text - not the original file - to Cloudflare Workers AI for inference, where it is processed in volatile memory and not stored. Your PDF stays in your browser regardless of which plan you use. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: the recipient verifies the file themselves, no account needed. ## Pricing and Access At the time of writing (May 2026), Acrobat Standard costs US$14.99/month or £14.99/month (annual, billed monthly) - but includes no redaction tools. Acrobat Pro, which does include redaction, is US$19.99/month or £19.97/month on the same billing cycle, or US$29.99/month rolling without an annual commitment. RedactProof's free trial lets you process one document with full Pro-level features. Core (£190/year individual annual licence, on-device AI detection across 60+ PII types, OCR text restoration, no certificates or audit trail) and Pro (per-seat from £79 down to £55 with volume, adds tamper-evident verification certificates, full audit trail, and professional exports; team features from 2 seats) cover ongoing use. Flex Packs (5 docs/£19, 25 docs/£59) suit occasional documents with Core-level processing. For high-volume work, the Bulk Document Redaction feature processes multiple files in a single session. ## The Practical Decision Acrobat Pro is the industry standard for a reason. Its Action Wizard batch-processes hundreds of PDFs with consistent regex patterns. The OCR engine handles complex scanned documents reliably. Law firms , courts, and regulators accept Acrobat-produced PDFs without question. If redaction is one feature among many in an existing Acrobat workflow, it makes sense to stay. The gap shows when redaction is the primary task. A 40-page Subject Access Request response where every name, date of birth, and NI number needs catching - regex patterns alone will miss entries that don't match the expected format. A human reviewer scanning manually will miss items in footnotes, headers, or densely formatted tables. That is the specific problem contextual AI detection addresses. For compliance teams handling SARs, FOIA disclosures, or employee record requests, a purpose-built redaction tool with AI detection, browser-based processing, and built-in verification is likely a better fit. A more detailed breakdown of what to look for is in our redaction software buyer's guide . If you are new to PDF redaction methods, the guide to how to redact a PDF covers the core concepts before you commit to any tool. ## The verdict ## Keep Acrobat for editing. For redaction, don’t rely on a search box. - Acrobat only redacts what you type into Find & Redact. RedactProof reads the whole document and flags 60+ PII types automatically, so the identifier you did not search for is still caught. - It runs in the browser with nothing to install and the file never leaves it, no Creative Cloud sign-in or per-seat licence. - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, offline and without an account. Where Adobe Acrobat Has the Edge Acrobat Pro's Action Wizard can apply redaction patterns across hundreds of PDFs in an automated batch - no browser-based tool matches that for volume. Its OCR engine handles complex, multi-column scanned documents reliably. And the desktop app processes everything locally with zero server involvement, which matters if batch-scale local processing is your primary requirement. Custom regex patterns via SearchRedactPatterns.xml give experienced users fine-grained control over what gets flagged. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Adobe Acrobat? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Adobe Acrobat and RedactProof. Does Adobe Acrobat have AI-powered redaction? Not for the redaction workflow itself. At the time of writing (May 2026), Acrobat Pro's redaction tools consist of manual text selection and regex-based pattern search - you specify what to find (SSNs, email addresses, phone numbers) and the tool marks matches. Adobe sells a separate AI Assistant add-on for summarising and querying documents, but it operates independently from the redaction tools and will not mark PII for you. Does Adobe Acrobat upload my documents to the cloud? The desktop application processes files locally - nothing leaves your machine unless you choose to sync. The web version at acrobat.adobe.com is different: files are uploaded to Adobe's servers (AES-256 encrypted, TLS 1.2 in transit). If you enable the AI Assistant add-on, document data is cached on Adobe's servers for up to 12 hours. RedactProof processes documents in the browser regardless of which features you use. How much does Adobe Acrobat Pro cost for redaction? At the time of writing (May 2026), Acrobat Pro costs US$19.99/month on an annual plan (US$29.99/month rolling). UK pricing is £19.97/month including VAT, annual billed monthly. Redaction is only available in Pro or the higher Studio tier - the cheaper Standard plan does not include it. There is no permanent free tier. RedactProof's free trial lets you process one document with full Pro-level features; ongoing use needs a Flex Pack, Core licence, or Pro subscription. Can Acrobat handle batch redaction across multiple documents? Yes, and it's genuinely one of Acrobat's strongest features. Action Wizard lets you chain redaction steps - search, mark, apply, sanitise metadata - and run that sequence across hundreds of PDFs unattended. You can define custom regex patterns in SearchRedactPatterns.xml. For high-volume pattern-based workflows where you know the exact data formats, Acrobat is hard to beat. RedactProof handles bulk redaction with AI detection that identifies PII you didn't specifically search for. Does RedactProof provide verification certificates like Acrobat's audit trails? They serve different purposes. Acrobat's audit trail is part of its e-Sign product and records who signed what and when - it doesn't apply to the redaction workflow. RedactProof generates a verification certificate with every export on Pro: an Ed25519 digital signature and scannable QR code that lets anyone confirm the redacted document hasn't been modified since it was created. If a single byte changes, the verification fails. Can you redact PDFs in Adobe Acrobat free? No. Adobe Acrobat Reader (the free viewer) has no redaction capability. Adobe Acrobat Standard (the entry paid plan) also omits redaction entirely - it is not available until Acrobat Pro or Acrobat Studio, both of which require a paid subscription. As of May 2026, the only way to trial redaction in Acrobat is through the 7-day free trial of Acrobat Pro. RedactProof offers a free trial (one document with full Pro-level features); ongoing pattern-based recognition and pixel-burn redaction are available via Flex Packs, Core, or Pro. Is Adobe Acrobat redaction permanent? It depends on how you apply it. In Acrobat Pro, redaction marks are reversible until you choose Apply Redactions - at that point the content is permanently removed from the PDF's underlying data. A common mistake is saving a file with redaction marks still pending rather than applied: the black boxes appear, but the text underneath is still present and can be extracted. Always apply redactions and use the Sanitize Document or Remove Hidden Information function before sharing. For background on why visual overlays are not the same as true redaction, see our guide on overlay vs pixel-burn redaction. Does Adobe's AI Assistant handle redaction? No. Adobe's AI Assistant (available as a paid add-on or bundled with Acrobat Studio) is a document Q&A tool - it summarises content, answers questions, and generates citations. It does not scan for personally identifiable information, does not mark text for redaction, and has no connection to the redaction panel. The two features are entirely separate. If you are evaluating Acrobat specifically for automated PII detection and redaction, the AI Assistant does not provide that capability. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Adobe Acrobat alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Why Overlay Redaction Isn't Enough · Choosing Redaction Software for Law Firms Adobe, Adobe Acrobat, and Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Inc. RedactProof is not affiliated with or endorsed by Adobe Inc. Pricing and features accurate at the time of writing (May 2026). --- # Nitro PDF Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/nitro-pdf-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Nitro PDF vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Nitro PDF Alternative for Redaction Without Cloud Upload ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof finds 60+ PII types in your browser . No upload, flat pricing. Jump to head-to-head - Nitro's AI redaction uploads your document to Azure , every single time. Jump to detection - Smart Redact is a separate purchase, capped at 250 docs a year on entry. Jump to pricing - A Nitro export gives the recipient no way to check it wasn't altered . Ours does. Jump to verification - Our verdict , including the one case where Nitro is still the right call. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Nitro PDF vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Nitro PDF ## The PDF generalist Desktop editor with redaction among many tools - Solid manual redaction, runs locally - Full editor: forms, OCR, e-signatures - AI detection = add-on, uploads to Azure - Per-document quota (250/yr entry tier) - No tamper-evident export verification VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Browser tool built for one compliance job - 60+ PII types detected in-browser - Files never leave your device - Unlimited detection, flat pricing - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Nothing to install Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 29 Dec 2025 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked May 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Nitro PDF RedactProof Automatic detection Add-on Smart Redact, 30+ types, uploads to Azure Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Hybrid Manual local; AI detection uploads Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Quota 250 docs/yr on the entry tier Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No Recipient takes integrity on trust Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Desktop Windows install; separate Mac SKU Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Detection ## AI detection without the cloud detour Nitro's Smart Redact genuinely detects 30+ PII types, but only after your document is uploaded to Nitro Workspace on Azure. RedactProof runs detection on your device, so an NHS trust or family law firm can use automatic detection without a file ever leaving the practitioner's machine. Nitro AI A copy is uploaded to Azure before detection starts RedactProof Scanned right where it is. It never leaves Smart Redact entry tier 250 docs / year Busy SAR month Quota pressure RedactProof paid plans Unlimited, flat rate Pricing ## No document caps to budget around Smart Redact is sold separately from Nitro's PDF subscriptions with volume pricing. For a compliance function running weekly SAR responses, the per-document quota is a variable the budget has to absorb. RedactProof's paid plans include unlimited automatic detection at a flat monthly rate. Verification ## Evidence the file wasn't touched afterwards Send a redacted document to a regulator or opposing counsel from Nitro and they have to take its integrity on trust. RedactProof signs every export with an Ed25519 signature and QR code. Anyone can verify it offline, without an account, and any modification is detectable. Verification certificate Ed25519 · Verified ✓ Nitro export No verification mechanism ## How Nitro Handles Redaction Nitro PDF is a desktop application for Windows and macOS with a cloud-based platform called Nitro Workspace. The desktop app has offered manual redaction for years - select text or draw a box, mark it, apply - plus a search-and-redact function that finds specific words, phrases, or regex patterns across a document. That core workflow runs locally. Your files stay on your machine. In late 2025, Nitro added Smart Redact - a separate, AI-powered product that automatically detects 30+ categories of personally identifiable information including names, addresses, identification numbers, financial data, and medical information. A subsequent update added OCR-based detection inside scanned images and handwritten content. Smart Redact is a genuine detection capability, not just pattern matching. The significant caveat: Smart Redact is not part of the Nitro PDF Standard or Plus subscription. It is a standalone add-on product, sold separately, with document-based quotas - 250 documents/year on the entry tier, 500 on the mid tier, and 5,000+ for enterprise. More importantly for compliance teams: Smart Redact runs through Nitro Workspace on Microsoft Azure. The document leaves your machine for cloud processing. Nitro states files are deleted after the task completes and are not used for training. The upload still happens. ## The Local vs Cloud Split This is the key architectural point. Manual redaction and keyword search run locally on the desktop app - files stay on your machine. AI detection via Smart Redact requires uploading to Nitro Workspace on Azure. You cannot combine local processing and AI detection in the same Nitro workflow. At the time of writing (May 2026), there is no desktop-only version of Smart Redact. RedactProof does not have this split. The standard detection engine runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly - AI detection for 60+ PII types with no upload. The Precision Engine sends extracted text (not the file itself) to Cloudflare Workers AI for enhanced contextual detection; the text is processed in volatile memory only. Your PDF stays on your device regardless of which detection method you use. For a full breakdown of what that distinction means in practice, see our guide on browser-based vs desktop redaction . ## Desktop Installation vs Browser Access Nitro's desktop app requires installation on each machine. For a compliance team of twelve people, that means twelve installations, licence management, IT approval, and coordinated software updates. The Mac version exists but is widely noted by reviewers to be less fully featured than the Windows edition. For regulated environments where IT change requests take weeks, desktop software adds friction. RedactProof runs in any modern browser. A paralegal on Windows, a solicitor on macOS, and an external consultant on a Chromebook all use the same URL. Nothing to install, no IT ticket, no compatibility concerns. Particularly relevant for locum lawyers, HR teams working across multiple office locations, or anyone on a shared or managed device. ## Pricing At the time of writing (May 2026), Nitro PDF Standard costs approximately $15/user/month on an annual plan (around $180/user/year). This includes the desktop and cloud PDF editor with manual redaction, OCR, AI productivity tools, and admin portal - but not Smart Redact. Nitro PDF Plus adds enterprise security controls, SSO, Azure Information Protection, and Nitro Analytics; pricing is custom and requires contacting sales. 250 docs/yr The entry-tier Smart Redact quota. A busy SAR team can exhaust it in a quarter, then every further document is a purchasing conversation. Smart Redact is priced separately as a standalone subscription based on document volume: 250 documents/year for the entry tier, 500 for the mid tier, and 5,000+ for enterprise. Exact prices are not publicly listed - Nitro directs teams to contact sales or purchase through the in-app store. That volume-based model means the cost scales with usage in a way flat subscription pricing does not. Nitro PDF Classic offers a three-year licence for Windows-only desktop use at roughly $319 (approximately $106/year). It does not include Smart Redact or cloud features, and is capped at 20 licences. Legacy perpetual licences issued before 2024 expire on 31 December 2026, after which Nitro moves entirely to subscriptions. RedactProof's free trial covers one document with full Pro-level features; Flex Packs and Core cover ongoing pattern-based recognition and pixel-burn redaction. On-device AI detection starts on Core (£190/year), with no document caps on any paid tier. For a broader look at how the main redaction tools compare on price, see our redaction software buyer's guide . Need browser-based AI redaction with no document caps? ## Nitro vs Adobe Acrobat for Redaction Nitro markets itself primarily as an Adobe Acrobat alternative for PDF editing and e-signatures - that positioning is well-founded. For redaction specifically, the comparison is more nuanced. At the time of writing (May 2026), Adobe Acrobat Pro costs £19.97/month ($19.99/month) on an annual plan and includes manual and pattern-based redaction with no AI detection. Nitro PDF Standard at ~$15/user/month includes equivalent manual tools at a lower price. If you need AI-powered PII detection from either vendor, the same trade-off applies: documents go to the cloud. Foxit faces the same constraint - see our Foxit PDF comparison for that breakdown. ## Verification Certificates When you disclose a redacted document to a regulator or opposing solicitor, there is a practical question Nitro does not answer: how does the recipient confirm the document is exactly what was exported? Nitro's export workflow does not include tamper-evident certificates. RedactProof generates an Ed25519 digital signature with every export on the Pro plan - a QR code and cryptographic fingerprint that detects any modification to the file after creation. Anyone with the certificate can verify document integrity offline, without creating an account. For solicitors handling FOIA disclosures or SAR responses, that audit trail matters. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it now: this QR resolves to our live verifier. ## The Practical Decision Nitro PDF is a well-built, fully featured PDF editor. The ribbon interface feels familiar to anyone who uses Microsoft Office. Text editing, form creation, format conversion, OCR, e-signatures, and enterprise deployment tools - SSO, domain control, usage analytics - are all genuinely capable. If your team already uses Nitro across its PDF workflow, adding redaction within the same environment avoids another vendor. The question is how Smart Redact's cloud architecture sits with your data handling policy. For teams like a local authority processing FOI requests, a GP surgery handling patient records, or a law firm where client files carry confidentiality obligations, the answer to whether documents can be uploaded to third-party cloud infrastructure for processing is often a clear no. That is true regardless of Nitro's ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications. Certifications govern how data is handled after upload; they do not change the fact of the upload. Manual and pattern-based redaction in Nitro PDF Standard is a reasonable option at its price point if AI detection is not required. If you need AI without cloud uploads, the architecture makes that combination impossible on Nitro today. For teams running regular SAR responses or high-volume disclosure work, also worth reading: our guide on redacting documents for disclosure and the bulk document redaction guide for handling multiple files efficiently. ## The verdict ## Switch if redaction is a workflow. Stay if it is a chore. - Nitro’s AI redaction uploads your document to Azure and caps the entry tier at 250 documents a year. RedactProof runs the detection in your browser, with no upload and no document cap. - It flags 60+ types of personal data automatically and lets you approve each one, instead of you defining every search pattern by hand. - Nothing to install, working on any operating system the same morning, and every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Where Nitro PDF Has the Edge It is a full PDF editor with mature enterprise deployment, and its manual redaction is genuinely solid. If Nitro is already your organisation’s PDF standard and redaction is occasional, it covers that need well. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Nitro PDF? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Nitro PDF and RedactProof. Does Nitro PDF Pro include redaction? Yes - Nitro PDF Standard and Plus both include manual redaction and search-and-redact tools in the desktop app. These run locally and do not require any cloud upload. What the standard subscription does not include is AI-powered PII detection. That requires Smart Redact, which is a separate product sold with its own document-based quota (250 documents/year on the entry tier). At the time of writing (May 2026), Smart Redact is not bundled with any Nitro PDF subscription. Is Nitro redaction permanent? Yes, when applied correctly. Nitro's redaction tools permanently remove the underlying content from the PDF data structure rather than simply drawing a black box on top. The critical step is applying the redaction rather than just marking it. If you save a file with marks placed but not applied, the black boxes appear visually but the original text remains accessible in the file. Always apply redactions before sharing. For more context, see our guide on overlay vs pixel-burn redaction. Does Nitro upload my files to their cloud? It depends which feature you use. Manual redaction and search-and-redact in the desktop app process files entirely locally - no upload. Smart Redact, Nitro's AI detection product, does require uploading documents to Nitro Workspace, which runs on Microsoft Azure. Nitro's documentation states files are processed temporarily, encrypted throughout, and deleted after the task completes - content is not used for training. But the document does leave your device. If your organisation's policy restricts uploading client or patient files to third-party cloud infrastructure, Smart Redact is not available to you regardless of those assurances. Why switch from Nitro to RedactProof? Three main reasons. First, AI detection without cloud upload: RedactProof's standard engine detects 60+ PII types entirely in your browser - no file ever leaves your device. Second, no document caps: Smart Redact is sold by document volume, so heavy users pay proportionally more. RedactProof's paid plans include unlimited AI detection at a flat monthly rate. Third, tamper-evident exports: every RedactProof export includes an Ed25519 digital signature and QR code so recipients can verify the document is exactly what was exported. If you use Nitro for broader PDF work - forms, conversions, e-signatures - and redaction is occasional, there may be no compelling reason to switch. But if redaction is a regular compliance workflow, the tool built specifically for it will fit better. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Nitro PDF alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · Overlay vs Pixel-Burn Redaction Nitro PDF and Nitro Workspace are trademarks of Nitro Software, Inc. RedactProof is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nitro Software. Pricing and features accurate at the time of writing (May 2026). --- # Foxit PDF Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/foxit-pdf-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Foxit PDF vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Foxit PDF Editor Alternative With Unlimited AI Redaction ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof flags 60+ PII types automatically in your browser, with no per-document quota. Jump to detection - Foxit’s Smart Redact uploads your document to the cloud before it detects anything. Jump to privacy - Smart Redact is capped at 50 documents per user and needs the Editor+ subscription. Jump to pricing - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Jump to proof - Its offline redaction is manual; automatic detection means uploading to the cloud. Jump to detection Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Foxit PDF vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Foxit PDF ## Foxit PDF Editor A desktop PDF suite - Real redaction that removes content - Automatic detection only via cloud upload - Smart Redact capped at 50 docs per user - Desktop install required - Full editor: forms, OCR, conversion VS RedactProof ## RedactProof The redaction specialist - 60+ PII types detected automatically - The file never leaves your browser - Content removed at the pixel level - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Flat, published pricing Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 29 Dec 2025 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked May 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types detected automatically 0 files uploaded to a server ∞ documents, no quota 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Foxit PDF RedactProof Automatic detection Add-on Smart Redact (Editor+), uploads to Azure Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Hybrid Manual local; Smart Redact uploads Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Quota Smart Redact 50 docs/user Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Desktop Install required (Win/Mac/Linux) Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Detection ## Unlimited AI Detection, No Cloud Required Foxit's Smart Redact detects PII categories using Azure AI services - a real capability on the Editor+ tier. Two constraints to note: documents are uploaded to Microsoft Azure for processing, and Editor+ includes a 50-document allowance with paid upgrade tiers from 200 to 2,400 documents per year. RedactProof's AI detection runs entirely in the browser with no upload step and no document caps on paid plans. Foxit Smart Redact Your document is uploaded to Azure before Smart Redact detects anything RedactProof Detected in your browser tab; the file never leaves Foxit Editor Desktop install required Foxit Reader Free, but no redaction RedactProof Any browser, nothing to install Access ## No Installation, Works Anywhere Foxit PDF Editor is a desktop application. The Windows and macOS versions are full-featured; there's also a Linux build, which is uncommon among PDF editors. But desktop software needs installing, updating, and licensing per machine. If your workflow involves different devices - an office desktop, a home laptop, a client-site machine - RedactProof is browser-based and accessible from any of them without installation. Verification ## Tamper-Evident Verification Foxit has strong e-signature audit trails with completion certificates and tamper-evident seals. Those apply to the signing workflow, not to redaction. When you export a redacted PDF from Foxit, there's no built-in mechanism to verify the file hasn't been modified after the fact. RedactProof includes an Ed25519 digital signature and QR code with every export on Pro, providing cryptographic proof of document integrity. Foxit redaction export No verification certificate RedactProof Ed25519 · Verified ✓ ## How Foxit Handles Redaction Foxit PDF Editor is a desktop application for Windows and macOS with a web-based component for general editing. The desktop app includes standard manual redaction - draw boxes over content, mark text, apply - and a solid Search and Redact function with built-in patterns for SSNs, phone numbers, email addresses, and dates. You can also search by custom keyword. These tools run locally on your machine. Foxit also offers Smart Redact on the Editor+ subscription tier. Smart Redact uses AI to detect PII categories including names, identification numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, and credit card numbers. Foxit claims 99%+ accuracy, though this is not independently verified. At the time of writing (May 2026), Editor+ includes a 50-document Smart Redact allowance per user, with paid upgrade tiers available in-app for higher volumes. ## Where Smart Redact Processes Your Files Smart Redact does not run locally. Documents are uploaded to Foxit's cloud infrastructure hosted on Microsoft Azure . Azure AI Vision handles OCR for scanned documents. Azure AI Language Service identifies the sensitive information. Foxit states they maintain a zero-retention policy - files are deleted after processing, and content is not used for training. Foxit Smart Redact Your document is uploaded to the cloud before Smart Redact can detect anything RedactProof Detected in your browser tab; the file never leaves your device The manual redaction tools - selection, search by text, search by pattern - all run locally on the desktop app. So there is a choice: local processing without AI, or AI detection that requires uploading to Azure. RedactProof does not require that trade-off. The standard engine runs AI detection entirely in your browser using WebAssembly, identifying 60+ PII types with no upload. The Precision Engine sends extracted text - not the document - to Cloudflare Workers AI for deeper analysis, where it is processed in volatile memory only. Your PDF stays on your device regardless of which detection method you use. ## Desktop App vs Browser Access Foxit PDF Editor requires installation. The full redaction feature set lives in the desktop app; the web-based Foxit PDF Editor Cloud has more limited capabilities. Mobile apps on iOS and Android come with the Editor+ subscription, though they are supplementary to the desktop experience rather than standalone tools. The Foxit PDF Reader - the free product - does not include redaction at all. You need a paid PDF Editor subscription for even the basic manual tools. This catches people out: the Reader is widely used as a free PDF viewer, but redaction is a feature exclusive to the paid editor tiers. For a detailed look at what the free version can and cannot do, see the common redaction mistakes guide for why attempting workarounds like drawing black shapes over text creates a false sense of security. RedactProof runs in any modern browser with no installation. This is useful when you are working from a client's office, a shared machine, or any environment where installing desktop software is not an option. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: the recipient verifies the file themselves, no account needed. ## Pricing At the time of writing (May 2026), Foxit PDF Editor costs £109.87/year (approximately $139.99/year USD) and includes manual redaction and pattern-based search - but not Smart Redact AI. PDF Editor+ with Smart Redact, eSign, and mobile access is £135.23/year ($172.79/year USD). Both are annual subscription plans; pricing shown is the "paid in full" annual rate. The Smart Redact quota on Editor+ is 50 documents per user. Upgrade tiers for higher volumes are available via in-app purchase. For an enterprise cloud deployment, Foxit's Smart Redact Server is a separate product starting at $1,000/year per terabyte. For teams processing property transactions or SAR responses regularly, the per-document quota adds a variable to the budget that does not exist with a flat subscription model. RedactProof's free trial covers one document with full Pro-level features; Flex Packs and Core cover ongoing pattern-based recognition and pixel-burn redaction. On-device AI detection starts on Core (£190/year), with no document caps on any paid tier. See how the pricing stacks up in detail in our redaction software buyer's guide . Need browser-based redaction with AI detection and no document caps? ## Foxit vs Adobe Acrobat for Redaction Foxit is the most common alternative people consider when Adobe Acrobat's pricing becomes the sticking point. The comparison is worth making directly. At the time of writing (May 2026), Adobe Acrobat Pro - the tier that includes redaction - costs £19.97/month ($19.99/month USD) on an annual plan. Foxit PDF Editor with manual redaction costs £109.87/year (roughly £9.16/month). That's a meaningful difference if you use the tool across a team. The practical gap for redaction-heavy work: Adobe's redaction is pattern-only (no contextual AI). Foxit's Smart Redact adds AI detection but sends files to Azure and limits you to 50 documents at the Editor+ base tier. Neither product detects PII in the browser. If document confidentiality rules out cloud uploads entirely, both tools limit you to manual and pattern-based redaction only. For the full breakdown, see our Adobe Acrobat comparison. ## The Practical Decision Foxit PDF Editor is a capable, well-regarded PDF suite. Reviewers consistently praise its startup speed, text editing quality, and Office-style ribbon interface. If you need a general-purpose PDF editor for forms, annotations, conversions, and e-signatures alongside occasional redaction, Foxit competes well with Adobe at a lower price. It also runs on Linux - unusual for commercial PDF editors. The Smart Redact quota and Azure cloud requirement are the constraints to weigh. A busy conveyancing firm typically handles several documents per transaction - contracts, ID verification, mortgage deeds, proof of funds. A sole trader processing a modest caseload might stay within the 50-document allowance comfortably. A compliance team running monthly SAR responses for a mid-size employer probably will not. If your data handling policy does not permit uploading client documents to third-party cloud infrastructure - common in regulated legal and healthcare environments - Smart Redact is not available regardless of the quota. Foxit's own documentation is clear that the AI processing happens on Azure. For those cases, the choice is between Foxit's manual tools or a browser-based tool with on-device AI. For more on what that distinction means in practice, see our guide on browser-based vs desktop redaction . ## The verdict ## A capable editor. But its AI redaction means uploading to the cloud. - Foxit makes you choose: manual redaction on the desktop, or automatic detection that uploads to Azure. RedactProof does automatic detection in your browser, with the file never leaving it. - No 50-document quota and no Editor+ subscription: detection is unlimited and the pricing is flat and published. - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, offline and without an account. Where Foxit Has the Edge Foxit is a full PDF editor - text editing, forms, OCR, conversion, and digital signatures in one package. Annual pricing at $130-$173 can work out cheaper than monthly subscriptions if you need a general-purpose PDF tool anyway. Linux support is a genuine differentiator that few PDF editors offer. And for organisations already standardised on Foxit across their workflow, keeping redaction in the same tool avoids adding another vendor. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Foxit PDF? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Foxit PDF and RedactProof. Does Foxit redaction permanently remove text? Yes, when applied correctly. Foxit PDF Editor's redaction tools work by permanently deleting the underlying content from the PDF data structure - not simply drawing a black box over it. The critical step is choosing "Apply Redactions" after marking content. If you save a file with marks pending but not applied, the black boxes appear visually but the text underneath remains in the file and can be extracted by anyone with basic PDF tools. For organisations complying with GDPR, FOIA, or SAR requirements, always apply redactions and use the sanitise function before sharing a document. Can I redact PDFs in Foxit free? No. Foxit PDF Reader - the free download - is a viewer only and does not include redaction tools. Redaction requires a paid Foxit PDF Editor subscription. At the time of writing (May 2026), the entry subscription is £109.87/year and includes manual redaction and pattern-based search. AI-powered Smart Redact requires the higher Editor+ tier at £135.23/year. RedactProof offers a one-document free trial with full Pro-level features; ongoing pattern-based recognition and pixel-burn redaction are available via Flex Packs, Core, or Pro. Does Foxit upload my files to their cloud? It depends which feature you use. Manual redaction - drawing boxes, searching by text, searching by pattern - runs entirely on the desktop without any upload. Smart Redact AI, available on the Editor+ tier, does upload documents to Microsoft Azure for processing. Foxit states they apply a zero-retention policy: files are deleted after the task completes and data is encrypted throughout. But the document does leave your device. If your organisation's data handling policy restricts uploading client or patient files to third-party cloud infrastructure, this matters for Smart Redact specifically - not for the manual tools. Is Foxit's redaction better than Adobe Acrobat's? For AI detection, Foxit has the edge - Smart Redact on Editor+ identifies PII categories automatically, while Adobe Acrobat relies entirely on manual selection and regex pattern matching with no contextual AI. For batch processing with defined patterns, Adobe's Action Wizard is more mature. On price, Foxit PDF Editor at roughly £9/month undercuts Adobe Acrobat Pro at £19.97/month significantly. The constraint on Foxit's AI: it uploads files to Azure and limits you to 50 documents on the base Editor+ plan. If you are weighing both options, the full comparison is in our Adobe Acrobat vs RedactProof page. Why switch from Foxit to RedactProof? Foxit is a capable general PDF editor. The case for switching centres on three things. First, document privacy: RedactProof processes everything in your browser with no upload to any server - useful if your clients or employer restrict cloud data handling. Second, detection depth: RedactProof's AI identifies 60+ PII types in context, not just items matching a preset pattern. Third, verification: every RedactProof export includes a tamper-evident certificate with an Ed25519 digital signature and QR code, letting anyone confirm the document is exactly what was exported. If Foxit's document scope is working for you and you do not need AI detection, there is no compelling reason to switch. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Foxit PDF alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · What Counts as Personal Data Foxit PDF Editor and Foxit PDF Reader are trademarks of Foxit Software Inc. RedactProof is not affiliated with or endorsed by Foxit Software. Pricing and features accurate at the time of writing (May 2026). --- # PDF-XChange Editor Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/pdf-xchange-editor-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 PDF-XChange Editor vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## PDF-XChange Editor Alternative for Redaction on Any Device ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof detects 60+ PII types automatically , in any browser, any OS. Jump to head-to-head - PDF-XChange's find-and-redact covers only the exact text you search for . Jump to detection - It is Windows only , with no Mac, Linux, mobile or browser edition. Jump to devices - A recipient has no way to verify a PDF-XChange export afterwards. Jump to proof - Our verdict , including the power-user case where it earns its keep. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The PDF-XChange Editor vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. PDF-XChange Editor ## The Windows power tool Full editor, one-time licence, real redaction - Redaction genuinely removes content - Sanitize strips metadata and hidden data - Windows only, per-machine install - Finds only literal search terms - No export verification VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Browser tool built for one compliance job - 60+ PII types found automatically - Files never leave your device - Any browser, any OS, no install - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Every price published Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature PDF-XChange Editor RedactProof Automatic detection None Manual plus literal search only Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload On-device Desktop-local processing Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Perpetual One-time licence, no doc caps Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Windows Windows only; no Mac or Linux Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Detection ## Finds PII You Did Not Search For PDF-XChange's find-and-redact works on literal search terms: you type a string, it redacts the matches. That is fine when you know every name, address and reference in the bundle. Nobody does. RedactProof's automatic detection reads the whole document and surfaces 60+ PII types for your review, including the identifiers you would not have thought to type. Every match is a suggestion you confirm before it burns into the export, so nothing is redacted, or left exposed, without a human decision. Find-and-redact Literal search terms only The name you didn't type Stays in the file RedactProof 60+ PII types, reviewed by you PDF-XChange Windows desktop only RedactProof Any browser, any OS Devices ## Every Machine Your Team Actually Uses PDF-XChange is Windows only. The solicitor's MacBook, the practice manager's iPad, the locked-down thin client where installs need a ticket: none of them can run it. RedactProof works in the browser on all of them, with nothing to install and no per-machine licence to track. Proof ## An Export That Proves Itself PDF-XChange applies redaction permanently and its Sanitize feature strips hidden data, which is more than most editors offer. But the recipient of the file still has to take its integrity on trust. RedactProof's every export on Pro carries an Ed25519 signature and QR code, so a regulator or opposing counsel can verify the file is exactly what was exported, offline and without an account. Anyone who receives the file, a regulator, opposing counsel, a client, can scan the QR code or drop it onto our public verifier with no account and no install, and see immediately whether the export matches what was signed at export time. PDF-XChange export Integrity taken on trust RedactProof export Ed25519 signature + QR code ## What PDF-XChange Editor is actually for PDF-XChange Editor is a Windows desktop application built by PDF-XChange Co. Ltd (formerly Tracker Software Products), and it has a long track record as a lighter, cheaper alternative to Acrobat. As of August 2026, the people who reach for it tend to be running Windows day to day already: conveyancers stamping and annotating deed packs, in-house teams doing OCR and document comparison, admin staff who need forms and full editing more often than they need redaction. Redaction sits inside a much bigger editing toolkit rather than being the product's reason to exist. That matters for how the software is designed. A tool built around general PDF editing treats redaction as one feature among many: find-and-replace, stamping, page manipulation, commenting, all get equal billing. A tool built specifically for redaction treats detection, review and proof of removal as the entire job. Neither approach is wrong, but they suit different buyers. ## How the redaction itself behaves When PDF-XChange applies a redaction mark, the underlying content is actually removed from the exported file rather than just painted over, and the separate Sanitize Document feature strips metadata and hidden data on top. That is a genuine strength, and one plenty of cheaper tools skip entirely. The gap is upstream of the burn. Getting a redaction mark onto the page relies on you typing the search term, or manually drawing a box over what you have already spotted with your own eyes. There is no automatic PII detection pass. That's fine for a reference number you already know appears eleven times. It's a weak spot for a client's home address buried in a scanned letter, a case number in a footer you skimmed past, or a phone number in a signature block you weren't looking at. The software will happily leave any of those untouched, because it was never told to look. ## Where the document sits while you work Processing is local to the desktop, which is the right baseline for anything containing client or patient data. Any AI assistant features the product offers, where present, are opt-in add-ons rather than something switched on by default. For a firm handling material under UK GDPR, or a public authority processing a redaction ahead of an FOIA response or a subject access request, local processing on a controlled Windows machine is a reasonable starting position. The practical friction shows up around that machine, not on it. If your paralegal works from a MacBook, if a caseworker needs to redact from an iPad in the field, or if IT locks down installs behind a change ticket, the local-processing advantage is only available to whoever has a licensed Windows seat in front of them. Confidentiality and accessibility end up pulling in opposite directions: the safest place to process the document is also the hardest place to reach it from. ## How the RedactProof workflow differs in practice When we run a document through RedactProof, the sequence is deliberately narrow. The file is opened in the browser and never uploaded anywhere. Automatic detection, which you review and approve, flags candidate matches across 60+ PII types: names, addresses, reference numbers, the categories a human reviewer is likely to miss on a long or scanned bundle. Nothing burns in until you have confirmed it. Rejected suggestions stay untouched; confirmed ones go through pixel-level removal, so the export doesn't contain a hidden copy of what was underneath, just a redacted image where the text used to be. 60+ types of personal data flagged automatically, before you approve a single one. PDF-XChange only redacts what you type into the search box. The part that has no equivalent in PDF-XChange is what happens after export. On Pro, every file RedactProof produces carries an Ed25519-signed certificate with a QR code. Anyone who receives it, a regulator, opposing counsel, a records officer, can scan the code or drop the file onto our public verifier, with no account and no software install, and see whether the export matches what was signed at the moment of redaction. PDF-XChange's Sanitize feature is a genuine scrub of the file you send; it just doesn't give the recipient anything to check the file against later. RedactProof's certificate is that missing half: proof that travels with the document instead of trust you have to extend on the sender's word. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: this QR resolves to our live verifier, no account or software needed on the recipient’s end. ## Who PDF-XChange Editor is still right for If you're a Windows user who edits PDFs constantly and redacts occasionally, and you already know exactly what needs removing before you open the file, PDF-XChange Editor's one-time licence is genuinely hard to beat on value, and the editing toolkit around it is a real Acrobat rival. It is a poor fit the moment redaction becomes a recurring duty across a mixed-device team, or the moment someone downstream needs to verify that what was sent is what was signed off. For that kind of work, automatic detection and a certificate a recipient can check are worth more than a lower one-time price. ## The verdict ## Keep it for editing. Don’t hunt down the PII by hand. - PDF-XChange only redacts what you think to search for. RedactProof reads the whole document and flags 60+ types of personal data automatically, so the one reference you would have missed is caught before the file goes out. - Nothing to install and no Windows requirement: it runs in the browser your team already has, on a Mac, a Chromebook or a locked-down work laptop, and the document never leaves it. - Content is removed at the pixel level, not boxed over. When a disclosure needs proof the export carries a certificate the recipient can verify; when it does not, you just take the clean file. Where PDF-XChange Editor Has the Edge Value and depth. A one-time licence around $62 to $79, roughly £46 to £58, that keeps working even after maintenance lapses undercuts any subscription over the years, and the editor itself is a genuine Acrobat rival: OCR, forms, stamps, document comparison and full editing. Its redaction really does remove content, and Sanitize is a proper metadata scrub. A Windows power user who redacts occasionally and edits constantly is well served here. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just PDF-XChange Editor? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing PDF-XChange Editor and RedactProof. Is PDF-XChange Editor's redaction real, or just a black box? It is real. Applying redaction in PDF-XChange permanently removes the underlying content, and the separate Sanitize Document feature strips metadata and hidden data. The gaps are elsewhere: detection is manual or by literal search term, the software is Windows only, and there is no way for a recipient to verify the exported file afterwards. Does PDF-XChange Editor work on a Mac? No. As of August 2026 it is Windows only, with no Mac, Linux, mobile or browser edition. RedactProof runs in any modern browser on any operating system. How much does PDF-XChange Editor cost? As of August 2026, a single-user perpetual licence is $62 for Editor and $79 for Editor Plus, about £46 and £58 at current rates with GBP pricing varying by region, each with a year of maintenance included; the licence keeps working after maintenance lapses. It is excellent value for a general editor. RedactProof is priced for the redaction workflow instead: a free trial document, Flex Packs from £19, and flat plans with unlimited automatic detection. Why choose RedactProof over PDF-XChange Editor? When redaction is a duty rather than an occasional chore, three things matter: automatic detection of 60+ PII types instead of typing search terms, access from any device without installs or licences, and a tamper-evident certificate on every export. If you are a Windows power user who mainly needs a full editor and redacts rarely, PDF-XChange's perpetual licence is honestly hard to beat. Start with the free trial document, no card needed, and see the automatic detection and signed export on your own file before deciding. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best PDF-XChange Editor alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · Redaction Software Buyer's Guide PDF-XChange Editor is a product of PDF-XChange Co. Ltd (formerly Tracker Software Products). All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product details and pricing were checked in August 2026 against pdf-xchange.com. --- # Tungsten Power PDF Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/tungsten-power-pdf-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Tungsten Power PDF vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Tungsten Power PDF Alternative That Finds the PII for You ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof finds the PII for you : 60+ types detected automatically. Jump to head-to-head - Power PDF redacts only what you tell it to search for , nothing more. Jump to detection - A per-machine Windows install with paid upgrades at each version. Jump to installs - A sent Power PDF file carries no built-in evidence it's unaltered . Jump to proof - Our verdict , including the litigation cases where it earns its keep. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Tungsten Power PDF vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Tungsten Power PDF ## The owned Windows editor Perpetual licence, redaction among many tools - Genuine redaction, data removed - Bates numbering + watched-folder batch - You define every search, no auto detection - Windows per-machine install - No export verification VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Browser tool built for one compliance job - 60+ PII types found automatically - Files never leave your device - Any browser, any OS, no install - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Every price published Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Tungsten Power PDF RedactProof Automatic detection None Search-and-redact patterns you define Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload On-device Desktop-local processing Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Perpetual One-time licence, no caps Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Windows Windows desktop (separate Mac build) Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Detection ## Detection You Do Not Have to Script Power PDF's search-and-redact is genuinely useful, but it redacts what you tell it to find: words, phrases, patterns you define. The risk in a disclosure bundle is the identifier you did not think to search for: a National Insurance number embedded in a footer, a case reference in a table, a date of birth in a signature block, exactly the identifiers search-and-redact only catches if you already knew to look for them. RedactProof's automatic detection surfaces 60+ PII types across the document without you writing a single search, and you approve each suggestion before export. Power PDF search-and-redact Finds what you define The identifier you didn't list Stays in the file RedactProof 60+ PII types, no scripting Power PDF Per-machine Windows install Version upgrades Paid per major release RedactProof Open a link, any OS Installs ## No Install, No Licence Spreadsheet Power PDF is a per-machine Windows install with perpetual licences to track, upgrade fees at each major version, and a separate Mac SKU. RedactProof runs in the browser on any operating system: a new fee earner opens a link and is redacting the same morning, and seat management is a settings page rather than an asset register. Proof ## Proof That Survives Sending Power PDF removes redacted data properly, but once the file is sent, the recipient has no built-in way to confirm it has not been altered since. RedactProof issues a verification certificate with every export on Pro: an Ed25519 signature and QR code that a regulator, court or opposing counsel can check offline, no account required. That matters most in a subject access request or disclosure bundle: if opposing counsel or a regulator later asks whether the export was altered, you have an answer that does not depend on them trusting your word. Power PDF export No recipient verification RedactProof export Ed25519 signature + QR code ## Who Actually Buys Power PDF Tungsten Power PDF (rebadged from Kofax) sells to firms that already run Windows desktops and want a full PDF editor rather than a single-purpose tool: OCR, forms, conversion, e-signatures, and a perpetual licence they own outright. As of August 2026 that's Standard at £95 and Advanced at £131 excluding VAT, a pricing model that has genuinely become rare in this category. It's a sensible default for a paralegal team standardising desktop software, or a solo practitioner who wants one tool for everything and doesn't want a renewal notice every year. Redaction sits inside that broader editor rather than being the product. That shapes everything about how it behaves in practice. ## How Redaction Actually Works in Power PDF Advanced gives you manual redaction, full-page redaction, and search-and-redact for words, phrases and patterns, and since v4.1 that search runs across multiple documents in one pass. Tungsten's documentation describes redaction as removing data rather than covering it, which is the correct approach for a redaction tool and matters more than the feature list around it. The gap is upstream of removal, not in it. Search-and-redact only finds what you tell it to search for. If you know the pattern (a case number format, a fixed phrase, a list of names) it will find every instance reliably, including across a batch. If you don't know the pattern exists in the document, it stays. A National Insurance number in a footer someone forgot to search for, or a date of birth that appears once in a signature block, doesn't get flagged because nothing prompted a search for it. That's not a flaw in the software; it's the nature of a tool built around definitions rather than recognition. 60+ PII types flagged automatically. Power PDF only redacts the search patterns you define, so the identifier you did not anticipate stays in the file. ## Where the Document Sits, and Why That's Not the Real Question Here Power PDF processes locally on a Windows machine, and Tungsten markets that as a differentiator. It's a fair one: for a firm handling privileged material or a public body managing SARs and FOIA disclosures, keeping the working file off a third-party server matters under UK GDPR's data minimisation principle, and Power PDF meets that bar. A cloud editor exists only inside Business subscriptions; the core desktop product never sends the file anywhere. RedactProof also never uploads the document, so on this specific point the two tools agree. The practical difference for a UK legal or public-sector buyer isn't where the file sits; it's what happens once a colleague, a court, or a regulator receives the export and has no way to independently confirm it wasn't altered after leaving your hands. Local processing protects the document in your custody. It says nothing about the document once it's out the door. ## What Changes When You Switch the Workflow Around In our runs, the practical difference shows up before redaction even starts. Instead of opening a search dialog and defining what to look for, RedactProof's automatic detection scans the document and surfaces 60+ PII types as suggestions, which you step through and approve or reject one at a time before anything is touched. Nobody has to remember to search for a NINO format or a date pattern; the detection pass does that work and puts it in front of you for a decision, not an automatic action. Once you export, the underlying pixels are burned out, not covered, and the file carries an Ed25519-signed certificate with a QR code. Anyone who receives the document, a court clerk, opposing counsel, a regulator, can scan that code and verify the export hasn't been altered since it was signed, without an account and without taking your word for it. That's the artefact a disclosure bundle or SAR response is often missing: not proof the redaction was done properly, but proof it stayed that way after you hit send. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ The recipient scans this to confirm the file is exactly what was exported, offline and without an account. ## The Honest Answer If your firm is Windows-based, wants to own its software outright with no subscription, and does high-volume redaction against predictable patterns (the same case reference format, the same phrase, across a folder of files) Power PDF's batch search-and-redact and Bates numbering are real capabilities RedactProof doesn't try to replicate. That's a legitimate reason to buy it. For everyone else, the bottom line is simpler: if you can't be certain in advance what identifiers a document contains, a tool that only redacts what you search for will miss what you didn't think to look for, and a tool that detects first closes that gap. ## The verdict ## Search-and-redact needs you to know what to search for. - Power PDF only redacts the patterns you define, so an identifier you did not anticipate slips through. RedactProof flags 60+ types of personal data automatically, then you approve each one. - No per-machine licence and no Windows requirement: it runs in the browser on any OS, with the document never leaving it. - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies offline, so a filed document challenged months later still stands up. Where Tungsten Power PDF Has the Edge True perpetual ownership with no subscription, a full PDF editor with OCR, forms, conversion and e-signatures, and legal-workflow features RedactProof does not have: named Bates numbering and stamping, and watched-folder batch automation that runs redaction patterns across document sets. A Windows-based firm that wants to own its software outright and does high-volume, pattern-predictable redaction gets real value here. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Tungsten Power PDF? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Tungsten Power PDF and RedactProof. Does Power PDF Advanced include redaction? Yes. Advanced includes manual redaction, full-page redaction, and search-and-redact for words, phrases and patterns, extended in v4.1 to run across multiple documents at once. Tungsten's documentation describes redaction as removing rather than covering data. What it lacks is automatic detection: you define what to search for, so unlisted identifiers stay in the file. Is Power PDF a subscription? Standard and Advanced are one-time perpetual licences, £95 and £131 excluding VAT as of August 2026, with 90 days of included support and paid upgrades between major versions. Business tiers offer perpetual or subscription licensing at volume; contact Tungsten for a quote. That perpetual model is genuinely rare now and is one of Power PDF's strongest points. For redaction specifically, that perpetual price does not include automatic PII detection or export certificates. Is Power PDF cloud-based? The core product is a local Windows desktop application, and Tungsten markets the fact that documents stay on your machine. A cloud editor exists only as part of Business subscriptions. On local processing, Power PDF and RedactProof agree; the differences are automatic detection, install-free access from any operating system, and verifiable exports. Why choose RedactProof over Power PDF for redaction? Because finding the PII is the hard part. Power PDF redacts what you search for; RedactProof finds 60+ PII types automatically and lets you approve each one. Add zero install on any platform and a tamper-evident certificate on every export, and the case is strongest wherever redaction is a recurring compliance task. If you want a full Windows PDF editor you own outright, with Bates numbering for litigation work, Power PDF is a solid tool. Try RedactProof free on one document first: no install, no card, and you will see the certificate on export before you decide. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Tungsten Power PDF alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · Choosing Redaction Software for Law Firms Power PDF is a product of Tungsten Automation Corporation (formerly Kofax). All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product details and pricing were checked in August 2026 against tungstenautomation.com. --- # Redactable Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/redactable-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Redactable vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Redactable Alternative That Keeps Files on Your Device ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - Redactable is cloud-native: every file is uploaded to its servers before redaction. Jump to privacy - RedactProof detects 60+ PII types automatically , reviewed by you before export. Jump to detection - Redactable’s monthly document caps make a busy month cost more than you planned. Jump to pricing - RedactProof’s standard engine keeps the document in your browser and never sends the file . Jump to privacy - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Jump to proof Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Redactable vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Redactable ## Redactable A cloud redaction platform - AI detection, but files uploaded to AWS - Monthly document caps - Real-time collaboration - Certificate of Completion - Cloud-native workflow VS RedactProof ## RedactProof The redaction specialist - 60+ PII types detected automatically - The file never leaves your browser - Content removed at the pixel level - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Flat, published pricing Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 29 Dec 2025 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked May 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types detected automatically 0 files uploaded to a server ∞ documents, no monthly cap 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Redactable RedactProof Automatic detection AI AI detection, but files go to AWS Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Upload Files uploaded to AWS infrastructure Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Monthly cap Starter 15 documents/month Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification Log only Certificate of Completion (activity log) Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Browser Browser UI, cloud processing Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Privacy ## Your Documents Stay on Your Device Redactable requires uploading files to their AWS infrastructure before any processing begins. For an HR manager handling grievance files, a compliance officer responding to a SAR, or an accountant processing client returns - sensitive personal data travels to and sits on a third-party server. RedactProof's standard engine processes documents in the browser. The file does not leave your machine because the architecture does not send it. Redactable Every file is uploaded to AWS before processing RedactProof Redacted in your browser tab; the file never leaves Redactable Certificate of Completion (activity log) RedactProof Ed25519 signature, recipient-verifiable Verification ## Cryptographic Tamper Detection Redactable generates a Certificate of Completion recording who redacted what and when. That is an activity log. RedactProof takes a different approach: each export carries an Ed25519 digital signature tied to the document's exact content. Modify a single character after export and verification fails. One records what was done. The other detects whether the result has been altered - which is the relevant question when demonstrating document integrity to a regulator or recipient. Pricing ## No Per-Document Limits At the time of writing (May 2026), Redactable's Starter plan covers 15 documents a month. Pro Plus covers 150. RedactProof's free trial covers one document with full Pro-level features; Flex Packs and Core cover ongoing pattern-based recognition. Core and Pro add AI detection without per-document quotas. Process as many files as the job requires without monitoring a counter or calculating overage costs. Redactable Starter 15 documents / month Busy month Overage or upgrade RedactProof Unlimited, flat rate This comparison is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your organisation's circumstances. ## How Redactable Works Redactable is a cloud-native redaction platform. You upload your document, their AI engine scans it for sensitive data, you review and approve suggestions through a browser interface, then download the result. Four detection modes are available: fully automatic scanning, category-based detection, keyword search, and manual selection. Both tools offer AI-powered detection. Both run in a browser. The difference is where your documents go. Redactable processes files on their servers - your document must leave your device to be analysed. RedactProof processes documents in your browser: the file physically cannot reach external servers because the standard engine never sends it. Redactable Every file is uploaded to Redactable’s cloud before redaction RedactProof Redacted in your browser tab; the file never leaves your device ## The Upload Question Redactable encrypts files with AES-256 at rest (FIPS 140-2 validated) and TLS 1.2+ in transit. They hold SOC 2 Type II certification and meet HIPAA requirements. These are real, auditable credentials. Whether those credentials satisfy your data governance policy is a separate question. An HR team handling employee grievance files, an NHS trust processing patient discharge summaries, or a council responding to a Subject Access Request may have policies that prohibit uploading sensitive documents to third-party cloud infrastructure regardless of encryption or certifications. The document still leaves your network. Under data protection regulations including GDPR and CCPA, uploading documents containing others' personal data to a third-party processor creates a new processing relationship. That typically requires a Data Processing Agreement , an entry in your Record of Processing Activities, and potentially a Data Protection Impact Assessment. Some Data Protection Officers flag this as a structural concern when the entire purpose of the processing is to protect that same data. RedactProof's standard engine never sends document data anywhere. The Precision Engine sends extracted text - not the document file - to Cloudflare Workers AI, where it is processed in volatile memory for inference only. The PDF stays in your browser. ## Pricing and Document Limits At the time of writing (May 2026), Redactable offers 3 free documents to trial the platform. Their Starter plan is $19/month for up to 15 documents per month. Pro Plus is $99/month - or $79/month on annual billing - for up to 150 documents per month. Enterprise pricing is custom. Monthly document caps create unpredictable costs for anyone with irregular workloads. A busy period of disclosure requests or a bulk project pushes you into a higher tier or onto pay-as-you-go rates. Capterra reviews consistently flag cost as a friction point for smaller teams. RedactProof's free trial covers one document with full Pro-level features; Flex Packs and Core cover ongoing pattern-based recognition. Core (£190/year) and Pro (per-seat from £79) include unlimited AI detection with no per-document quotas. Process as many files as the job requires without watching a counter. ## After Detection: Verification Redactable generates a Certificate of Completion with each redaction - a record of who redacted what and when. Useful as an activity log for compliance reporting. RedactProof embeds an Ed25519 digital signature in every export on the Pro plan. Modify a single byte of the redacted document after export and verification fails. A QR code on the certificate lets anyone check document integrity without special software. The distinction matters when demonstrating to a regulator or recipient that the document is exactly what was exported. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: the recipient verifies the file themselves, no account needed. For a deeper look at how this works, see our guide to verification certificates . ## Who Switches from Redactable Not every organisation that moves away from Redactable is doing so for the same reason. Three patterns come up regularly. HR managers handling employee records A benefits administrator at a mid-size manufacturer needed to process TUPE transfer documents containing salary bands, performance reviews, and medical information. Their IT policy prohibited uploading personally identifiable employee data to external SaaS platforms - a common restriction in organisations with ISO 27001 certification. The cloud upload requirement ruled Redactable out before any feature comparison started. RedactProof processed the same documents in the browser without touching the network. For HR teams, the constraint is usually policy-first. Compliance officers handling disclosure requests Organisations responding to information requests under data protection legislation frequently handle documents containing third-party personal data. Uploading those documents to a third-party processor creates a secondary processing activity that needs its own legal basis and documentation. Several compliance teams have found it cleaner to use a tool that does not create that dependency. Our disclosure and redaction guide covers the workflow in detail. Small businesses and sole practitioners on tight budgets A sole-trader accountant processing around 10 client files a month found Redactable's document cap frustrating at year-end when workload spikes. Moving to a tool without per-document limits removed the cost unpredictability. A free trial plus Flex Packs cover straightforward redaction; the Core plan (£190/year) handles the rest. The switch was about economics as much as privacy architecture. ## The Practical Decision Redactable is well-suited for teams that need real-time collaborative review - simultaneous editing, threaded comments, role-based permissions, and shared project folders are genuine features built for organisations where multiple people work through the same document together. Their SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA certifications carry weight with enterprise procurement. If your organisation permits cloud processing and needs collaborative annotation across a team, Redactable is a reasonable choice. RedactProof was designed around specific constraints: your documents must stay on-device, your data governance policy restricts third-party processing, you need cryptographic verification for audit purposes, or per-document pricing does not fit your workload. ## The verdict ## Same idea, without the upload and the monthly cap. - Redactable is cloud-native: every file is uploaded to its servers before it can be redacted. RedactProof’s standard engine keeps the document in your browser and never sends the file. - No monthly document cap: process one file or a hundred on flat, published pricing. - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, offline and without an account. Where Redactable Has the Edge Redactable's standout feature is real-time document collaboration - multiple reviewers on the same document simultaneously, with threaded comments, @mentions, and role-based permissions. Their SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA certifications carry real weight with enterprise procurement teams. If your organisation permits cloud processing and needs several people co-editing redaction annotations together, Redactable was built for that workflow. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Redactable? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Redactable and RedactProof. What is the main difference between RedactProof and Redactable? Where documents are processed. Redactable is a cloud SaaS platform - your files are uploaded to their servers where AI redaction runs. RedactProof processes documents locally in your browser. Both detect personal data automatically, but the privacy model is fundamentally different. If your data handling policy restricts sending documents to third-party processors, that distinction narrows the choice considerably. Is RedactProof cheaper than Redactable? At the time of writing (May 2026), Redactable's Starter plan is $19/month for 15 documents, and Pro Plus is $99/month (or $79/month on annual billing) for 150 documents. RedactProof's Core plan is £190/year with no per-document limits. For anyone regularly processing more than 15 documents a month, the document caps on Redactable's lower tiers push the effective monthly cost up. The comparison depends on your volume and currency. Does Redactable upload my files? Yes. Redactable is cloud-native - documents must be uploaded to their AWS infrastructure before any processing occurs. The platform encrypts files with AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.2+ in transit, and holds SOC 2 Type II certification. The upload is a structural requirement, not a configuration option. If your data governance policy restricts sending sensitive documents to third-party cloud platforms, that is worth confirming before trialling. Can I use Redactable offline? No. Redactable's architecture is cloud-native - every document must be uploaded to their servers for processing. There is no offline mode, local processing option, or client-side fallback. If your documents cannot leave your device - common in healthcare, HR, government, and regulated financial services - Redactable is not designed for that constraint. RedactProof's standard engine processes documents entirely in the browser and works without sending document data to any external server. Which tool is better for GDPR compliance? Neither tool guarantees GDPR compliance - that depends on your organisation's full data handling practices. The architectural difference is relevant though. Using Redactable to process documents containing personal data creates a third-party processing relationship, which under GDPR typically requires a Data Processing Agreement, an entry in your Record of Processing Activities, and potentially a Data Protection Impact Assessment. RedactProof's standard engine processes documents in your browser without sending data to external servers, reducing the number of processing relationships to document. Consult your legal team or DPO for advice specific to your organisation. Does Redactable offer AI-powered PII detection? Yes. At the time of writing (May 2026), Redactable uses AI to detect common personal data types - names, email addresses, Social Security numbers, physical addresses, phone numbers, and similar. Detection runs on their servers as part of the upload-and-process workflow. RedactProof detects 60+ entity types using a model that runs locally in the browser, with confidence scoring on each suggestion. What happens to my documents after processing in Redactable? Redactable stores documents encrypted at rest on AWS infrastructure. Their data retention and deletion policies should be confirmed in their current Privacy Policy and any Data Processing Agreement before you process sensitive documents. For organisations where data residency matters - such as those subject to UK GDPR requirements around processing outside the UK or EEA - US-based cloud storage is worth reviewing against your own obligations. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Redactable alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · Verifying Redacted Document Integrity Redactable is a trademark of Redactable, Inc. RedactProof is not affiliated with or endorsed by Redactable, Inc. Pricing and features accurate at the time of writing (May 2026). --- # SafeRedact Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/saferedact-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 SafeRedact vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## SafeRedact Alternative With Broader Detection and Audit Trails ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof flags 60+ PII types automatically, a broader set than SafeRedact covers . Jump to detection - SafeRedact’s detection is narrower , so more identifiers go unflagged for you to catch. Jump to detection - Every export can carry a signed certificate and an audit trail; SafeRedact produces neither . Jump to proof - Batch mode redacts many files in one pass, where SafeRedact handles them one at a time . Jump to pricing - SafeRedact’s watermarked free tier is more open if you only redact occasionally. Jump to pricing Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The SafeRedact vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. SafeRedact ## SafeRedact A browser-based redaction tool - Local-first, like RedactProof - Narrower PII detection - No verification certificate or audit trail - One document at a time - Open, watermarked free tier VS RedactProof ## RedactProof The redaction specialist - 60+ PII types detected automatically - The file never leaves your browser - Content removed at the pixel level - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Flat, published pricing Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 1 May 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked May 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types detected in-browser 0 files uploaded to a server ∞ documents in batch 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature SafeRedact RedactProof Automatic detection AI AI via Claude API, narrower set Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Hybrid File stays in the browser; extracted text sent to a third-party AI API. Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Free Free unlimited, but watermarked Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No certificate or audit trail Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Browser Runs in browser, local render Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Verification ## Verification certificates and audit trail SafeRedact does not include an audit trail or verification certificate in its output. At the time of writing (May 2026), there is no record of what was detected, what was redacted, or when the document was processed. RedactProof embeds an Ed25519 digital signature in every export - modify a single byte and verification fails. The QR code on the accompanying certificate lets anyone confirm document integrity without needing access to RedactProof at all. For a paralegal filing a disclosure bundle or a compliance officer responding to a Subject Access Request, that chain of evidence matters. SafeRedact No certificate or audit trail RedactProof Ed25519 cert + audit trail SafeRedact Around 6-8 entity types RedactProof 60+ PII types Detection ## PII detection breadth SafeRedact explicitly lists around 6-8 entity types: names, SSNs, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses, dates, and financial account numbers. RedactProof detects 60+ PII types, including National Insurance numbers, passport numbers, vehicle registration plates, IP addresses, professional licence numbers, and more. For a healthcare team handling HIPAA-defined PHI or an HR administrator processing TUPE documents, breadth of detection reduces the risk of something being missed. Workflow ## Batch document processing SafeRedact's standard plans process documents one at a time. Batch processing is available at enterprise tier only, at custom pricing. RedactProof's bulk mode is available to paid subscribers and supports processing multiple documents in a single workflow - relevant for law firms running disclosure exercises, councils processing FOIA requests, or HR teams handling TUPE transfers involving dozens of files. SafeRedact One document at a time RedactProof Many files in one pass This comparison is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your organisation's circumstances. ## The architecture question - answered When people search for "browser-based redaction," they sometimes mean two different things. The first is a tool that has a browser interface but uploads documents to a server for processing - you are using a browser to interact with remote infrastructure. The second is a tool where the processing itself runs inside your browser, using WebAssembly or JavaScript, and the file never travels anywhere. Both SafeRedact and RedactProof fall into the second category. Your PDF is rendered locally. Text extraction happens in your browser. The original file does not leave your device. At the time of writing (May 2026), SafeRedact sends extracted text coordinates to the Anthropic Claude API for PII classification, under Anthropic's contractual zero data retention policy. RedactProof's standard engine runs entirely via WebAssembly - nothing is transmitted. The Precision Engine sends extracted text to Cloudflare Workers AI, where it is processed in volatile memory and not stored. The privacy architecture is genuinely similar between these two tools. This makes the comparison more interesting - the meaningful differences are elsewhere. ## How SafeRedact works SafeRedact opens a PDF in your browser, extracts the text locally, and sends those text coordinates to Anthropic's Claude API for entity detection. The API returns positions of identified sensitive information - names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses, dates, and financial account identifiers. You review the highlights, approve or remove suggestions, and download the output with pixel-burn redaction applied. No signup is required for the free tier, and the free tier has no document limit. The only free-tier restriction is a small watermark on the output. The tool supports PDF, PNG, and JPG files. Multi-page PDFs are supported. Batch processing is not available on standard plans at the time of writing - documents are handled one at a time. ## Where SafeRedact has the edge The free tier. No signup, unlimited documents, full AI detection included. For someone who needs to redact a handful of personal documents without creating an account or committing to a monthly cost, this is a genuine advantage. RedactProof requires sign-in even during the free trial. The annual price point is also lower. At $99/year (approximately £78 at the time of writing), it is well under half the cost of RedactProof's Core annual licence (£190/year). For an individual professional or sole trader with low-volume, straightforward redaction needs - the occasional contract, a personal disclosure response - SafeRedact's pricing is more appropriate. ## Where RedactProof has the edge Detection breadth is the sharpest difference. SafeRedact lists around 6-8 entity types. RedactProof detects 60+, including entity categories that matter specifically for UK compliance work: National Insurance numbers, UK postcode patterns, passport numbers, vehicle registration plates, and professional licence numbers. For a paralegal preparing a disclosure bundle or an HR administrator processing TUPE transfer documents, missing a NI number or a vehicle registration in the source file is a data breach. Breadth of detection is not an abstract feature; it determines what the tool actually catches. 60+ PII types RedactProof flags, a broader set than SafeRedact detects, so fewer identifiers slip past your review. Verification certificates are the second meaningful gap. After you redact a document and export it, you have a file. Nothing lets the recipient check it hasn't been altered since. SafeRedact produces no audit record and no certificate at the time of writing. RedactProof generates an Ed25519-signed certificate with every export on the Pro plan - tamper with the redacted file after export and verification fails. The QR code lets any recipient confirm the document's integrity without special software or a RedactProof account. That matters for any workflow where you need to demonstrate to a regulator, counterparty, or court that the document was redacted correctly and has not been touched since. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: the recipient verifies the file themselves. SafeRedact produces no certificate to check. Batch processing is the third. Redacting 50 files individually takes approximately 50 times as long as running them through a bulk workflow. SafeRedact's standard plans do not include batch processing. RedactProof's bulk mode is available on paid subscriber plans without an enterprise contract. Law firms running large disclosure exercises, councils processing FOIA requests, and HR teams managing redundancy rounds will feel this difference quickly. See our guide to bulk document redaction for more on that workflow. Audit trail is a related point. SafeRedact produces no log of what was detected, what was approved, or when the document was processed. RedactProof's Pro tier includes a full audit trail - useful for demonstrating a defensible redaction process to a regulator or in an internal review. This is worth considering if your organisation is handling Subject Access Requests or FOI responses where the process itself may be scrutinised. For more detail on how the certificates work technically, see our guide to verification certificates . ## Feature comparison The table below reflects both products at the time of writing (May 2026). Verify current details on each vendor's website before purchasing. ## Pricing At the time of writing (May 2026), SafeRedact charges $29/month or $99/year to remove the watermark from exported documents. There is also a $12 day pass for 24 hours of watermark-free exports. The free tier is unlimited in terms of document count - the only restriction is the output watermark. Enterprise pricing is custom. RedactProof's free trial requires sign-in and covers one document with full Pro-level features and no watermark. The Core plan is £190/year (annual licence only) and includes unlimited AI detection across all documents - no per-document caps. Pro is per-seat from £79 down to £55 with volume and adds tamper-evident certificates, the Precision Engine, full audit trail, and priority support. Team features unlock on Pro from 2 seats. For straightforward, low-volume personal use, SafeRedact is cheaper. For professional teams that need AI detection without watermarks, audit trails, verification certificates, and batch processing, the cost comparison is less straightforward - the capabilities gap makes a direct price comparison less meaningful. ## Which tool for which use case SafeRedact is a reasonable fit for individuals and small businesses with occasional, low-complexity redaction needs - a sole trader redacting a contract before sending to a client, someone preparing personal documents for a rental application, or a small team that only occasionally handles sensitive files. The no-signup free tier reduces friction for one-off use. Our guide to browser-based vs desktop redaction covers the broader trade-offs if you're still deciding between tool types. RedactProof fits teams with ongoing compliance workflows: legal professionals running disclosure exercises, HR administrators handling TUPE or SAR responses, compliance officers processing FOIA requests, and healthcare teams dealing with medical record redaction. The audit trail, verification certificates, 60+ PII types, and batch processing are built for those workflows rather than occasional personal use. If you're deciding whether redaction software is justified for your team, the redaction software buyer's guide covers how to evaluate your actual requirements. ## The verdict ## Same browser-based privacy. Broader detection, and proof they don’t offer. - SafeRedact and RedactProof share the local-first model, so privacy is a wash. The difference is coverage: RedactProof flags 60+ PII types, a broader set, so fewer identifiers slip past your review. - Every RedactProof export can carry a signed certificate and an audit trail. SafeRedact produces neither, so a recipient has nothing to verify. - Batch mode redacts many files in one pass, where SafeRedact handles them one at a time. Where SafeRedact has the edge SafeRedact’s free tier is genuinely open: no account, and unlimited documents with only a watermark on the output. For casual, non-sensitive redaction that is hard to beat on cost. For an individual who needs to redact the occasional document without committing to a subscription, that matters. The $99/year price point ($8.25/month) is also notably lower than RedactProof's Core plan. If your redaction needs are straightforward - a handful of personal documents, occasional professional use - SafeRedact's pricing structure may be more appropriate. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just SafeRedact? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing SafeRedact and RedactProof. Does SafeRedact upload my files to a server? No - the original PDF file is not uploaded. At the time of writing (May 2026), SafeRedact processes the PDF locally in your browser, extracts text and position coordinates, then sends only those coordinates to the Anthropic Claude API for PII classification. The PDF itself stays in your browser throughout. This is architecturally similar to RedactProof's Precision Engine, which also sends extracted text (not the original file) to Cloudflare Workers AI. Both tools keep the source document local. Is SafeRedact free? Yes, with a limitation. At the time of writing (May 2026), SafeRedact's free tier allows unlimited document processing with AI detection included - the only restriction is a watermark on the output. No signup is required for the free tier. To remove the watermark, pricing starts at $12 for a 24-hour day pass, $29/month, or $99/year. RedactProof's free tier requires a sign-in but includes professional exports with no watermark and no document limits for pattern-based redaction. Which tool detects more PII types? RedactProof. SafeRedact explicitly lists approximately 6-8 entity categories at the time of writing (May 2026) - names, SSNs, phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, dates, and financial identifiers. RedactProof's detection covers 60+ PII types, including entity categories less common in US-focused tools: National Insurance numbers, UK postcode patterns, passport numbers, vehicle registration plates, professional licence numbers, and IP addresses. For compliance work under GDPR or CCPA where broad PII coverage reduces the risk of missed data, the breadth difference is material. Does SafeRedact provide an audit trail or verification certificate? No. At the time of writing (May 2026), SafeRedact does not generate an audit trail or produce a verification certificate with redacted documents. There is no cryptographic record of what was redacted or evidence that the output has not been modified. RedactProof generates an Ed25519-signed certificate with every export on Pro. The certificate records what was redacted and when, and includes a QR code that lets anyone verify the document has not been altered since processing. For legal disclosure, regulatory evidence, or any workflow where a chain of custody matters, this difference is significant. Can SafeRedact process documents in bulk? Not on standard plans. At the time of writing (May 2026), SafeRedact's Day Pass, monthly, and annual plans process documents individually. Bulk processing at scale is listed as an enterprise feature, available at custom pricing. RedactProof includes bulk document processing on paid subscriber plans - no enterprise contract required. If you regularly need to redact batches of files, such as a disclosure exercise or a DSAR response containing multiple documents, the availability without enterprise pricing is relevant. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best SafeRedact alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · What Counts as Personal Data SafeRedact is a trademark of its respective owner. RedactProof is a product of Popsall Ltd and is not affiliated with or endorsed by SafeRedact. Anthropic and Claude are trademarks of Anthropic, PBC. Pricing and features accurate at the time of writing (May 2026). --- # iDox.ai Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/idox-ai-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 iDox.ai vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## iDox.ai Alternative That Keeps Documents Off the Cloud ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - iDox.ai uploads every document to its servers before it can redact them. Jump to privacy - RedactProof’s standard engine redacts in your browser; the file never leaves it . Jump to privacy - Detection covers 60+ PII types automatically , reviewed by you before export. Jump to detection - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Jump to proof - iDox.ai is priced and packaged for enterprise procurement , not a solo practitioner. Jump to pricing Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The iDox.ai vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. iDox.ai ## iDox.ai An enterprise cloud platform - Documents uploaded to iDox.ai servers - SOC 2 / ISO certifications and integrations - Dedicated legal and government tier - Server-side speed at high volume - Priced for enterprise procurement VS RedactProof ## RedactProof The redaction specialist - 60+ PII types detected automatically - The file never leaves your browser - Content removed at the pixel level - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Flat, published pricing Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 1 May 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked May 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types detected in-browser 0 files uploaded to a server ∞ pages, no volume limit 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature iDox.ai RedactProof Automatic detection AI ML + rules, but files uploaded Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Upload Files uploaded to iDox.ai servers Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Page cap Page-based model, from 5k/yr Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification Log Redaction report / audit log Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Cloud Cloud SaaS; on-prem for enterprise Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## The differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Privacy ## Files never leave your browser RedactProof's standard detection engine runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your documents are not uploaded anywhere. Only the cryptographic hash of the final redacted output goes server-side for certificate generation. iDox.ai Every document is uploaded to iDox.ai’s servers RedactProof Redacted in your browser tab; the file never leaves iDox.ai Priced for enterprise volume RedactProof Per seat, not per page Pricing ## No page volume limits on paid tiers RedactProof charges per seat, not per page. Process one document or a thousand in a month - the price stays the same. No page-cap anxiety, no overage charges. Verification ## Tamper-evident verification certificates On Pro, every export includes an Ed25519-signed certificate with a QR code. Anyone can verify the document is exactly what was exported, without needing access to RedactProof. This matters for legal disclosure and regulatory evidence. iDox.ai Cloud audit record RedactProof Ed25519 · recipient-verifiable iDox.ai Cloud SaaS, account required RedactProof Open a tab, nothing to install Access ## No installation, works in any browser RedactProof requires no software installation and no IT approval. Open a browser tab, sign in, and start redacting. Works on any modern browser on any device. ## Two tools, two different risk models Both RedactProof and iDox.ai automate the detection and removal of sensitive information from documents. At that level of description, they solve the same problem. The differences that matter are architectural and commercial: where your files go during processing, who holds the certifications your organisation needs, and what you're paying for the privilege. Neither tool is universally the better choice. iDox.ai serves enterprise buyers who need audited cloud infrastructure with formal compliance certifications. RedactProof is built for teams who need fast, accurate redaction without uploading their documents to a third-party server at all. This page covers both honestly. We'll flag where iDox.ai is the stronger pick before explaining why RedactProof fits differently. ## How iDox.ai handles redaction iDox.ai Redact is a cloud-based SaaS platform. Documents are uploaded to iDox.ai's servers for processing - text extraction, AI-powered entity detection, and redaction all happen server-side. The platform supports 47+ file formats, detects over 40 categories of sensitive data (PII, financial information, medical data, legal content), and includes batch automation for high-volume workflows. On-premise deployment is available for enterprise customers at custom pricing. iDox.ai Every document is uploaded to iDox.ai’s servers before redaction RedactProof Redacted in your browser tab; the file never leaves your device The AI detection combines machine learning models with rules-based pattern matching. iDox.ai's own documentation describes context-aware analysis designed to reduce over-redaction - a genuine problem with purely pattern-based tools that flag everything resembling a name or date. At the time of writing (May 2026), the platform also includes document comparison (tracking what changed between versions) and a data anonymisation module beyond basic redaction. Processing in the cloud means the tool can handle large document volumes at server-side speed. For teams running thousands of pages a week, that's a meaningful operational difference from browser-based processing. ## Where iDox.ai is the stronger choice Be direct about this: iDox.ai holds SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications , audited by independent third parties. For regulated industries - financial services, healthcare, government contracting - these certifications answer procurement questions that a newer tool without the same audit history cannot. If your organisation's vendor assessment requires SOC 2 Type certification and ISO 27001, iDox.ai passes that gate. The GSA Schedule compliance and TAA compliance (Trade Agreements Act) also matter specifically for US federal and state government buyers. These are not requirements RedactProof meets at this stage. iDox.ai has a dedicated legal and government product tier, indicating meaningful investment in that buyer segment. The platform's co-review features (up to 5 users on the Premium plan) and compliance template customisation are designed for teams where multiple reviewers need to collaborate on a document before it's finalised. If your redaction volume justifies a dedicated workflow tool with formal enterprise compliance credentials, iDox.ai is worth a serious look. ## How RedactProof processes documents differently RedactProof's standard detection engine runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your documents are processed locally - they are not uploaded to any server. Only the cryptographic hash of the final redacted document is sent server-side (for generating a tamper-evident verification certificate . The original files, the extracted text, and the detected entities stay on your device throughout. The Precision Engine sends extracted text (not the original file) to Cloudflare Workers AI for enhanced detection. Text is processed in-memory and is not stored or used for model training. If your organisation's policy prohibits any data leaving the device, the standard engine covers that requirement completely. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: the recipient verifies the file themselves, no account needed. This architecture matters for organisations handling documents they cannot or prefer not to transmit - draft legal advice, active case files, commercially sensitive contracts, medical records. For a closer look at the trade-offs between browser-based and server-based tools, our guide on browser-based vs desktop redaction covers the differences in more depth. ## Feature comparison The table below reflects the state of both products at the time of writing (May 2026). Verify current details on each vendor's website before purchasing. ## Pricing comparison iDox.ai uses a page-based subscription model. At the time of writing (May 2026), pricing on idox.ai/store is as follows: Value Pack at $10/month (100 pages/year, single user); Starter at $39/month or $390/year (5,000 pages/year); Premium at $89/month or $890/year (50,000 pages/year, co-review with up to 5 users). Enterprise plans (minimum 3 users, 50,000+ pages/year) are custom-priced via sales contact. RedactProof pricing is per-seat for Pro, with unlimited pages on all paid tiers. Core is £190/year (individual annual licence, no monthly option) and includes on-device AI detection, professional exports, pixel-burn redaction, and OCR text restoration. Pro is per-seat from £79 down to £55 with volume (1-100 seats) and adds tamper-evident certificates, the Precision Engine, full audit trail, and priority support; team features unlock from 2 seats. Team admin features are included on Pro from 2 seats. For a small team redacting a few hundred pages a month, the pricing structures are broadly comparable. Where volume is unpredictable - some months 200 pages, others 2,000 - RedactProof's unlimited model makes budgeting more predictable. For a team running consistent high volumes above 50,000 pages/year, iDox.ai's Enterprise tier may make more sense operationally. For a broader view of the market, our redaction software buyer's guide covers how to evaluate tools against your organisation's specific requirements. ## Security and compliance architecture iDox.ai's cloud infrastructure uses AES-256 encryption at rest and SSL/TLS (2048-bit) in transit, aligned with FIPS 140-2 standards. Their SOC 2 examination was conducted by AARC-360 against the AICPA Security Trust Service Criteria. The ISO 27001 certification covers their information security management system. These are independently audited claims with real audit trails behind them. RedactProof's privacy model is architectural rather than certification-based: there is nothing to audit about third-party data handling because the standard engine sends no document data off-device. The security posture is "no upload" rather than "audited upload handling". For buyers whose security requirement is keeping files off external infrastructure entirely, certification of that infrastructure is not the relevant control. For organisations where the no-upload model is the deciding factor, our overview of overlay vs pixel-burn redaction explains the deeper technical difference between redaction methods that matter for permanent data removal. ## Which tool fits which team iDox.ai is the more natural fit for enterprise procurement teams, regulated industries with formal vendor certification requirements, government buyers needing GSA/TAA compliance, and teams running very high document volumes where server-side batch processing is operationally important. RedactProof fits legal professionals, compliance officers, HR administrators, and regulated small-to-medium teams who need fast, accurate redaction without their files leaving the browser. The tool requires no installation, no IT approval, and no procurement cycle - you can be redacting in minutes from any modern browser. For legal teams specifically, our guide to redaction software for lawyers covers the specific requirements of legal practice. The free trial covers one document with full Pro-level features; Flex Packs and Core cover ongoing pattern-based detection, pixel-burn redaction, and professional exports. No credit card, no installation. Core adds on-device AI detection for ongoing redaction workflows; Pro adds tamper-evident certificates and a full audit trail for teams. ## The verdict ## Enterprise cloud, or your browser. The file only leaves in one of them. - iDox.ai processes in the cloud: every document is uploaded to its servers first. RedactProof’s standard engine keeps the file in your browser and never sends it. - Detection covers 60+ PII types automatically, on flat published pricing with no page-volume limits. - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, offline and without an account. Where iDox.ai Has the Edge iDox.ai is built for enterprise procurement: audited cloud infrastructure with SOC 2 and ISO certifications, GSA and TAA compliance, a dedicated legal and government product tier, and server-side processing that handles very large document volumes at speed. A regulated buyer that requires formal vendor certifications and a cloud platform with enterprise integrations is squarely in iDox.ai’s territory. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just iDox.ai? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing iDox.ai and RedactProof. Is iDox.ai SOC 2 certified? At the time of writing (May 2026), iDox.ai holds SOC 2 certification and ISO 27001 certification, based on information published on their security compliance page (idox.ai/company/security-compliance). The SOC 2 examination was conducted by AARC-360. These certifications cover their cloud infrastructure and security controls. Verify current certification status directly with iDox.ai for procurement purposes. What is iDox.ai's pricing? At the time of writing (May 2026), iDox.ai offers a page-based subscription model. The Starter plan is $39/month (or $390/year) for 5,000 pages annually. The Premium plan is $89/month (or $890/year) for 50,000 pages/year with co-review for up to 5 users. A Value Pack at $10/month covers 100 pages for single-use. Enterprise plans with custom pricing cover larger volumes and include on-premise deployment options. Prices are in USD. Verify current pricing at idox.ai/store. Does iDox.ai upload my documents to the cloud? Yes. iDox.ai is a cloud-based SaaS platform. Documents are uploaded to iDox.ai's servers for processing. The platform uses AES-256 encryption at rest and SSL/TLS in transit, and states that source files are securely deleted after processing. An on-premise deployment option exists for enterprise customers who need to keep documents within their own infrastructure, but this requires an enterprise contract. If a no-upload architecture is a requirement for your organisation, RedactProof's standard engine processes documents entirely in your browser without any file upload. Is RedactProof or iDox.ai better for small teams? It depends on what your team values. iDox.ai's SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications make it a stronger choice if your organisation has formal vendor security requirements or operates in a heavily regulated sector. RedactProof is typically a better fit for smaller teams who want fast, accurate redaction without uploading documents to a third-party server. It requires no IT approval or software installation, and pricing is predictable per seat with no page volume limits. RedactProof's free trial also lets you start immediately without a payment commitment. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best iDox.ai alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Choosing Redaction Software for Law Firms · Redacting Audit Reports and Investigation Files iDox.ai is a trademark of iDox.ai Inc. Adobe, Acrobat, and other product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners. RedactProof is a product of Popsall Ltd. --- # Objective Redact Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/objective-redact-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Objective Redact vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Objective Redact Alternative Without the Procurement Cycle ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof: 60+ PII types found automatically , working the same day. Jump to head-to-head - Objective finds only what its searches and templates are set up to find . Jump to detection - It reaches a desk via quote-based sales and an IT-managed rollout . Jump to speed - Governance reports are internal: the requester can't verify the file . Jump to verification - Our verdict , including where the FOI incumbent is still the right choice. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Objective Redact vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Objective Redact ## The government incumbent FOI-grade desktop redaction, sold by quote - One-click FOI exemption codes - Local desktop processing, Office add-ins - Detection limited to configured patterns - Quote-priced, IT-deployed - No requester-side verification VS RedactProof ## The self-serve specialist Browser redaction, priced on the website - 60+ PII types found automatically - Files never leave the browser - Published pricing, start today - Requester-verifiable certificates and audit trail - Surge and temp staff covered instantly Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Objective Redact RedactProof Automatic detection Search Search-driven, rule-based Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload On-device Desktop-local; working copy created Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Quote Enterprise quote-based Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification Report Governance report, not recipient-verifiable Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Desktop Desktop app + Office add-ins Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Detection ## Detection Beyond the Patterns You Configure Objective Redact finds what its searches, regular expressions and templates are set up to find, which works well for structured identifiers in familiar document layouts. FOI and SAR bundles are rarely that tidy. RedactProof's automatic detection surfaces 60+ PII types, including the names, addresses and free-text identifiers that pattern rules miss, and the caseworker approves each suggestion before export. Objective Redact Searches, regex, templates Untidy FOI bundles Free-text identifiers slip through RedactProof 60+ PII types, no configuration Objective Redact Quote, contract, IT rollout RedactProof Published price, working today Speed ## Working Today, Priced on the Website Objective Redact reaches a desk through quote-based sales and an IT-managed desktop rollout. That suits a large agency standardising for years; it is slow for a records team that needs capacity this week. RedactProof's pricing is published, the trial is immediate, and the tool runs in the browser already on every machine, including for temporary staff and surge workloads. Upload nothing, start a redaction now: the free trial document needs no procurement approval, no IT ticket, and no sales call. Verification ## Verification the Requester Can Check Objective Redact's governance reports document the redaction internally, which auditors value. RedactProof extends the evidence to the other side: every export on Pro carries an Ed25519 signature and QR code, so a requester, tribunal or scrutiny body can independently confirm the disclosed file is exactly what was exported. Internal reporting and external proof are different assurances, and disclosure needs both. Objective governance reports Internal audit evidence RedactProof export Requester-checkable Ed25519 + QR ## Who Actually Buys Objective Redact Objective Redact sits inside a wider records and information management suite from an ASX-listed vendor with a long history selling into UK and Australian public sector. The buyers are usually FOI teams, information governance units, and records offices at councils, NHS trusts, and central government departments that already run Objective's broader platform for case and document management. If your organisation is standardising a records function across hundreds of seats over a multi-year contract, this is familiar territory: a formal vendor relationship, a support desk, and Office add-ins that plug into workflows caseworkers already use. That profile matters because it shapes everything else about the product: the sales motion, the deployment model, and the pace at which a new team can actually start redacting. ## How the Redaction Itself Works Objective Redact's detection is rule-driven rather than automatic. A caseworker sets up search-and-redact rules for structured identifiers, writes regular expressions, applies templates for fields that sit in the same place on every form, and runs OCR against scanned pages. When those rules match the document in front of you, the tool is fast and precise. When the document is a scanned witness statement, a chain of emails, or a case file with names and addresses scattered through free text, the tool only catches what the configured rule was written to catch. That is a real strength for the document types it was built for. Structured tax file references, fixed-position case numbers, anything that lives at a predictable coordinate on a predictable form: pattern rules handle that reliably, arguably more predictably than a model would. Where it struggles is the unstructured middle of most disclosure bundles: correspondence, notes, attachments, the parts of an FOI or SAR response that were never designed to be machine-readable in the first place. Nothing in what Objective publishes suggests the product tries to close that gap with automatic detection; it is a search-and-pattern tool, and it does that job on its own terms. ## Where the Document Sits While You Work On data handling, Objective Redact is genuinely local: it is a desktop application, processing happens on the machine it is installed on, and it creates a working copy rather than touching the original. For a records team worried about a document leaving the building during redaction, that is a legitimate answer, and it is one reason the product has stayed credible with public-sector procurement for as long as it has. The friction is upstream of the redaction step. Getting the tool onto a caseworker's machine means an IT-managed rollout: packaging, a deployment cycle, add-ins registered against Word, PowerPoint and Excel. For a records team that needs to redact a live FOI request or a subject access request this week, that lead time is the practical obstacle, not the processing model. Under UK GDPR and FOIA, the clock on a SAR or an FOI response starts the day the request lands, and a procurement and IT rollout cycle does not pause for it. ## How the Same Job Looks in RedactProof When we walk a caseworker through RedactProof, the difference shows up before the redaction step. There is no install: the document opens in the browser and never leaves it, so a temporary member of staff covering a backlog can start on their own laptop the same morning. Automatic detection then surfaces candidates across 60+ PII types, names and free-text identifiers included, and the caseworker reviews and approves each one before anything is touched. Nothing exports on the strength of the detection alone. 60+ PII types RedactProof surfaces automatically. Objective Redact redacts the patterns a caseworker configures, so the identifier outside the ruleset is the one that slips through. What actually leaves the browser is a pixel-burned file: the flagged regions are removed from the underlying image and text data, not layered over with a black box that a careless copy-paste can undo. On Pro, every export also carries an Ed25519-signed certificate with a QR code, so the recipient, a requester, a tribunal, a scrutiny committee, can check independently that the file they received matches what was signed at export, without needing an account of their own or a call back to your records team. Objective's governance reports are built for internal audit trails; RedactProof extends that further, so the other side of the disclosure can run their own check too. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ The requester scans this to verify the disclosure themselves, no account needed. Objective Redact’s governance report stays inside your organisation. ## The Honest Answer If your organisation has already standardised on Objective's platform, needs one-click statutory exemption codes wired into an established FOI workflow, and has the IT and procurement capacity to run a formal desktop rollout, Objective Redact remains a sound, specialist choice built for exactly that context. For a records or legal team that needs to start redacting today, without a procurement cycle, and wants automatic detection plus a certificate the recipient can verify on their own, RedactProof is built for that gap. ## The verdict ## Built for the same duty. Delivered at very different speeds. - Objective Redact means an IT-managed rollout and a procurement cycle. RedactProof is working the same day: it runs in the browser, with published pricing and no framework purchase. - Its detection follows the patterns you configure; ours flags 60+ types of personal data automatically, so a stray identifier outside the pattern set is still caught. - Its governance report documents the redaction internally. RedactProof extends the proof outward: every disclosure can carry a certificate the requester verifies for themselves. Where Objective Redact Has the Edge Its FOI pedigree is real: one-click exemption codes aligned to FOI and privacy legislation, governance reporting, deep Office integration, and an ASX-listed vendor with decades of government deployments, typically procured via UK public-sector frameworks such as G-Cloud. An agency that needs statutory exemption workflows, a formal support contract and an established vendor relationship is squarely in Objective's territory. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Objective Redact? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Objective Redact and RedactProof. How much does Objective Redact cost? Objective does not publish pricing; it is sold on a quote basis, with UK public-sector buyers typically procuring through frameworks such as G-Cloud. Figures on third-party listing sites are inconsistent and unverified, so treat them cautiously. RedactProof publishes its pricing: a free trial document, Flex Packs from £19, an annual Core licence and per-seat Pro pricing. Does Objective Redact detect PII automatically? Its detection is search-driven: search-and-redact for identifiers such as tax file and credit card numbers, regular expressions, templates for fixed-position fields, and OCR for scanned pages. It finds what those rules describe. RedactProof's automatic detection covers 60+ PII types without pre-configured patterns, which matters most in unstructured correspondence and case files. Is Objective Redact cloud-based? No. It is a desktop application that processes documents locally, creating a working copy and leaving the original unchanged. RedactProof is also local-first: documents are processed in the browser and never uploaded, with the same no-upload guarantee but no desktop install, IT rollout, or procurement step. Why choose RedactProof over Objective Redact? Speed to value and detection depth. RedactProof works in the browser today with published pricing and no procurement cycle, detects 60+ PII types automatically rather than by configured pattern, and gives every export on Pro a certificate the requester can verify. If your organisation needs statutory FOI exemption-code workflows and a formal enterprise vendor relationship, Objective Redact remains the specialist incumbent for that. Otherwise, try RedactProof free on one document today, no procurement, no install, no card. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Objective Redact alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Redacting Documents for FOI and SAR Disclosure · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction Objective Redact is a product of Objective Corporation Limited. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product details were checked in August 2026 against objective.com; Objective does not publish pricing. --- # Philter Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/philter-desktop-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Philter Desktop vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Philter Desktop Alternative That Runs on Any Machine ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof runs the same local-first principle in any browser , no install. Jump to head-to-head - Philter Desktop is Windows only at $100 per user a year (about £74). Jump to platforms - In a browser, local processing is verifiable from the network tab . Jump to verification - It logs detections but issues no certificate a recipient can check. Jump to proof - Our verdict , including the air-gapped case where Philter Desktop wins. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Philter Desktop vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Philter Desktop ## The offline desktop tool Local-first redaction, Windows install required - Genuinely on-device, fully offline - Broad native formats incl. Outlook EML and MSG - Windows only, no Mac, Linux or browser - $100 per user per year commercial - No export verification VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Same local-first principle, in the browser - Runs in any browser on any OS - Files never leave your device - 60+ PII types detected automatically - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Nothing to install Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Philter Desktop RedactProof Automatic detection Auto Context-aware auto detection Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload On-device Fully on-device and offline Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Licence Free personal; $100/user/yr Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Windows Windows desktop only Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Platforms ## Any Operating System, No Install Queue Philter Desktop is Windows only. A chambers with Macs, a clinic on managed Chromebooks, or a firm where software installs need IT approval all hit the same wall. RedactProof runs in the browser that is already on the machine, whatever the machine is, and a new starter can be redacting five minutes after being sent the link. Philter Desktop Windows only, IT install RedactProof Any browser, any OS New starter setup Redacting in five minutes Desktop binary offline claim Credible, needs endpoint tooling RedactProof in the browser Watch the network tab yourself Verifiable locality ## Local Processing a Reviewer Can Verify Both tools keep documents on the device, which is the right architecture for confidential material. RedactProof adds an easy way to prove it: because it runs in the browser, a security reviewer can open the network tab and watch that no document leaves. A desktop binary's offline claim is credible, but it takes endpoint tooling to confirm. Open your browser's network tab, redact a test document, and confirm nothing was sent. Proof ## Verification That Travels With the File When a redacted file reaches a regulator, a court or opposing counsel, the question becomes whether the copy they hold is exactly what was sent. RedactProof answers it with a verification certificate on every export: an Ed25519 signature and QR code that anyone can check offline, no account needed. Philter Desktop has no equivalent. Try it on your own document: export one file free and see the verification certificate generated automatically. Philter Desktop export No recipient-side verification RedactProof export Ed25519 signature + QR code ## What Philter Desktop Is, and Who It's Built For Philterd, LLC makes two separate products, and it is worth being precise about which one this page covers. Philter is a self-hosted redaction API aimed at developers, deployed into a customer's own AWS, Azure or GCP environment and billed by the hour on cloud marketplaces. Philter Desktop is the other product: a packaged Windows application for people who just want to open a file and redact it, no infrastructure involved. It is the one that competes directly with RedactProof, and the one this comparison is about. As of August 2026, the buyer profile is fairly narrow. It suits a solo practitioner or small firm on Windows hardware, comfortable installing desktop software, who wants a free personal tier to trial before paying the $100 per user annual licence (about £74) for commercial work. It also suits anyone who genuinely cannot use a network-connected tool at all, because the machine is air-gapped by policy rather than by convenience. ## How the Redaction Actually Works Philter Desktop pairs context-aware automatic detection for names with configurable detectors for structured identifiers such as SSNs, emails, phone numbers and account numbers, and it runs on-device OCR so scanned pages get the same treatment as native text. That is a reasonably capable detection stack for a desktop tool, and its format coverage is a genuine strength: XLSX, CSV, RTF and Outlook EML and MSG files all open natively, which matters if your caseload lives in email exports rather than clean PDFs. 60+ PII types flagged automatically for your review, so the coverage does not depend on you scripting every pattern first. What we could not verify, and what the vendor does not publish, is any tamper-evident mechanism attached to the finished export. Once a file leaves Philter Desktop, there is nothing built into the document that lets a recipient check it is exactly what was exported. That is not the same claim as saying the redaction itself is weak; it is a gap in what happens after the redaction is done. ## Where the Document Sits While You Work On the core architecture question, Philter Desktop and RedactProof genuinely agree: the vendor states processing happens entirely on the user's computer, offline, with nothing sent to the cloud. For a chambers handling privileged material, a clinic on managed devices, or a public body with UK GDPR and FOIA disclosure duties to weigh, that on-device principle is the right starting point, and it is one reason Philter Desktop has a loyal following among Windows-based legal teams. The difference is in how easily that claim can be checked by someone other than the vendor. A desktop binary's offline behaviour is credible, but confirming it takes endpoint monitoring or network tooling most solicitors and compliance officers do not have to hand. RedactProof runs inside the browser, so the same check is available to anyone with no special access: load the tool, open the browser's network panel, and watch that nothing goes out while a document is processed. Same underlying conviction, a lower bar to verify it. ## What a Recipient Can Check on the Other End In our runs, the practical difference shows up less in the redaction step and more in what happens once the file leaves your hands. RedactProof's automatic detection surfaces the 60+ PII types it finds, you review and approve each one before anything is touched, and export applies a pixel-level burn that removes the underlying data rather than layering a black box on top of it. On Pro, every export then carries an Ed25519-signed verification certificate with a QR code, so a regulator, a court or opposing counsel can confirm the file is exactly what was exported, without needing an account or taking your word for it. Philter Desktop has no equivalent step; the file that leaves the application is the file, with nothing attached to prove its later state. That distinction matters most exactly where the stakes are highest: disclosure bundles, subject access request responses, anything that might later be challenged. A verified export gives the recipient something to check independently, rather than a claim they have to trust. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ The recipient scans this to confirm the file is exactly what was exported. Philter’s detection log stays with you. ## Who Philter Desktop Still Suits If your environment is genuinely air-gapped, with no network stack permitted on the machine at all, Philter Desktop's fully offline model reaches a place a browser-based tool structurally cannot follow. Its broad native handling of Outlook EML and MSG files is also a real advantage for anyone whose casework lives in mailbox exports, and the free personal tier remains a fair, low-friction way to evaluate the on-device approach before spending anything. For everyone else, the bottom line is straightforward: Philter Desktop and RedactProof start from the same principle that documents should never leave the machine, but RedactProof carries that principle onto any operating system with no install, and adds a verified, checkable record for whoever receives the file next. ## The verdict ## Same principle, minus the install queue. - Philter is a Windows install with a setup queue; RedactProof runs in any browser, on a Mac, a Chromebook or a work laptop, with the document staying on the device just the same. - Both keep files local, but only RedactProof lets a reviewer confirm it: the local processing is visible in the browser’s network tab, and detection covers 60+ types of personal data. - Philter logs its detections for you; RedactProof’s export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, so the proof travels with the file. Where Philter Desktop Has the Edge It is a genuinely offline tool: no network stack involved at all, which suits air-gapped machines where even a browser-based tool cannot load. Its native format coverage is broad, including XLSX, CSV, RTF and Outlook EML and MSG files, and the $100 per user annual licence, about £74, is easy for a solo practitioner to budget. Its free personal tier is also a fair way to evaluate the on-device approach. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Philter Desktop? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Philter Desktop and RedactProof. Is Philter Desktop the same as Philter? No. Philterd, the vendor, makes two products. Philter is a self-hosted redaction API that developers deploy into their own AWS, Azure or GCP infrastructure, priced by the hour on cloud marketplaces. Philter Desktop is the end-user Windows application, free for personal use and $100 per user per year commercially. This page compares RedactProof with Philter Desktop, the product aimed at the same non-technical legal and compliance users. Does Philter Desktop upload my documents? No. The vendor states processing happens entirely on your computer, offline, with no cloud involved. On that question it and RedactProof agree. The practical differences are platform (Windows only versus any browser), export verification (RedactProof signs every export so recipients can confirm integrity), and how the local-processing claim can be checked (in RedactProof's case, from the browser's own network tab). Does Philter Desktop work on a Mac? No. As of August 2026 it is Windows only, with no Mac, Linux or browser edition. RedactProof runs in any modern browser on any operating system, with nothing to install. Why choose RedactProof over Philter Desktop? Four reasons. Verifiable local processing: it happens in your browser, where you can watch the network tab and confirm nothing leaves. Platform freedom: any operating system, no install, no per-machine setup. Broader automatic detection: 60+ PII types reviewed and approved by you before export. Verified exports: a tamper-evident certificate with every document, which matters when the recipient is a regulator or opposing counsel. If your environment is genuinely air-gapped, or you live in Outlook message files all day, Philter Desktop's offline Windows model is a reasonable fit. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Philter Desktop alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · What Counts as Personal Data Philter Desktop is a product of Philterd, LLC. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product details and pricing were checked in August 2026 against the vendor's site. --- # PII Anomalyzer Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/pii-anomalyzer-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 PII Anomalyzer vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## PII Anomalyzer Alternative: Browser-Based Redaction, No Install ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof: the same local-first processing , with nothing to install. Jump to head-to-head - A desktop install at $249 a year (about £184), Windows and macOS only. Jump to install friction - In a browser, local processing is verifiable from the network tab . Jump to auditability - It logs detections but issues no certificate the recipient can verify. Jump to proof - Our verdict , including the air-gapped batch case the desktop model fits. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The PII Anomalyzer vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. PII Anomalyzer ## The desktop analyser Local-first detection behind an install - Genuinely local, no cloud uploads stated - 55+ entity types with mature OCR - Desktop install, Windows and macOS only - $249 a year, single licence - No verifiable export certificate VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Same local-first principle, in the browser - Runs in any browser, no install - Files never leave your device - 60+ PII types detected automatically - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Free trial document to start Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature PII Anomalyzer RedactProof Automatic detection 55+ types Context-aware, 55+ entities Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload On-device Local, no cloud uploads Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Licence $249/yr single licence Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Desktop Windows and macOS install Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Install friction ## Nothing to Install, Nothing to Get Approved A desktop install is exactly the step that stalls in a locked-down firm or public-sector environment: software approval, per-machine licensing, separate Windows and macOS builds. RedactProof runs in the browser your IT team already ships. A solicitor can open a tab and redact a disclosure bundle the same morning, on any operating system. No software-approval ticket, no per-machine licence key, no IT deployment window: open the trial link and redact your first document today. PII Anomalyzer Desktop install + IT approval Licence $249/yr (about £184), single user RedactProof Open a tab, any OS Desktop no-upload claim Trust, or endpoint tooling RedactProof Network tab, two minutes Auditability ## In-Browser Processing You Can Inspect Both products keep documents on your device, and that matters. The difference is auditability. A desktop binary's no-upload claim has to be taken on trust or verified with endpoint tooling. RedactProof runs in the browser, where anyone can open the network tab and watch: no document leaves. Your security reviewer can confirm the claim in two minutes without installing anything. Proof ## Proof for the Person You Send It To Redaction does not end when you press export. When the file reaches a regulator or opposing counsel, they need confidence it has not been altered since. RedactProof issues a verification certificate with every export on Pro, an Ed25519 signature and QR code that anyone can check offline. PII Anomalyzer logs what it detected during the scan. It does not issue a signed, independently verifiable certificate for the exported file itself. Try it on your next disclosure bundle: export a document and see the certificate it generates, free. PII Anomalyzer Detection log only RedactProof export Ed25519 signature + QR code ## What PII Anomalyzer actually is PII Anomalyzer is a paid desktop utility from AZ Decision Science, aimed at individual practitioners and small teams who need to strip personal data from files before they leave the building. As of August 2026 it ships as a Windows and macOS install on a single annual licence with a 7 day trial, and there is no monthly option or published team tier. That packaging tells you who it is built for: a solo buyer who can expense a licence key themselves, not a department procuring seats through a purchasing process. Search the small firm forums and directories and the pattern repeats: it turns up as a solo practitioner's answer to a specific problem, an install one fee earner can approve for themselves and run on their own machine without waiting on an IT team. That is a real, defensible niche. It is narrower than the marketing copy usually implies. ## How the redaction actually behaves The vendor describes context-aware automatic detection across 55+ entity types, plus an OCR pipeline for scanned pages, and that combination is genuinely useful on older, image-heavy disclosure bundles. Coverage sits close to RedactProof's 60+ PII types, so detection breadth is not where the two products really diverge. AZ Decision Science's own materials describe multiple de-identification modes, including placeholder replacement, not just permanent redaction. That is a legitimate feature in some workflows, a working copy where names become tokens rather than being stripped out. It also means the safe outcome, data actually removed, is not automatically the default: you have to pick the redaction mode and confirm it held through export. RedactProof removes the underlying pixel data at the point of export. There is one mode. What you approve in the review screen is what leaves the browser, and nothing short of re-scanning a fresh copy of the original brings it back. 60+ PII types RedactProof reviews with you before export, removed at the pixel level once you approve. ## Where the document sits while you work On the core privacy question, the two tools agree: PII Anomalyzer's vendor states processing is fully local, with no cloud uploads or telemetry, and RedactProof never lets a document leave the browser tab. For a solicitor handling a disclosure bundle under UK GDPR, or a public authority processing a subject access request under the same regime, that local-first principle is the baseline requirement, not a differentiator in itself. The practical difference is how a security reviewer, a compliance officer, or a client's own IT team checks the claim. A desktop binary's no-upload promise has to be taken on trust, or verified with endpoint monitoring tooling most firms do not run day to day. RedactProof's claim can be checked from the browser's own network tab in the time it takes to open dev tools: watch the requests, see nothing carrying document content leave the machine. For anyone with a duty to satisfy a client, a regulator, or an FOIA requester that a disclosure process was handled properly, a claim you can watch is worth more than one you have to trust. ## The workflow difference once you export In our own runs, the point where the two tools diverge hardest is not detection, it is what happens after you click export. PII Anomalyzer keeps a record of what its scan found, useful for your own files. What it does not produce is a signature on the exported document itself, so a recipient has no built-in way to confirm the copy they received matches what was actually redacted. RedactProof's export carries an Ed25519-signed verification certificate with a QR code, generated for every file. Anyone who receives the document, opposing counsel, a regulator, a caseworker, can scan it and check the certificate free, without an account or any RedactProof software of their own. That is the artefact that answers the question a recipient actually asks: has this been altered since it was signed off. Try it on your next disclosure bundle. The free trial gives you one document at full Pro feature level (an account is required, no card), export it, and see what the certificate looks like on the other end. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: the person you send the file to verifies it themselves, offline and with no account. A scan log cannot do that. ## Who PII Anomalyzer still suits None of this makes PII Anomalyzer the wrong tool for everyone. If you work in an air-gapped environment where a browser cannot reach any web app at all, a desktop install is the only option, and PII Anomalyzer's OCR pipeline, plus the ability to churn through large local folders in one batch job without hitting the memory ceiling a browser tab imposes, are real strengths for scanned archive work. A solo practitioner who has already paid for the annual licence and only ever works offline has little reason to switch mid-year. For everyone else, particularly a firm or public body that needs the security team to verify the no-upload claim in minutes rather than take it on trust, and needs the recipient of an export to be able to check it independently, RedactProof's browser-based model with a signed certificate on every file does more of the job without an install. ## The verdict ## Same privacy principle, none of the install friction. - PII Anomalyzer is a desktop install to provision and license; RedactProof runs in the browser IT already ships, with no approval ticket and the document staying on your device. - Local processing you can prove: it is visible in the browser’s network tab, and detection covers 60+ types of personal data for your review. - Its scan log stays with you; RedactProof’s export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, so the proof reaches the person you send it to. Where PII Anomalyzer Has the Edge It is a genuine local-first tool with strengths that come from being a desktop app: a mature OCR pipeline for scanned and image-heavy documents, batch processing of large local folders without browser memory limits, and multiple de-identification modes including placeholder replacement, not just permanent redaction. For an air-gapped environment where a browser tool cannot reach its own app, an offline desktop install is the practical choice. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just PII Anomalyzer? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing PII Anomalyzer and RedactProof. Is PII Anomalyzer cloud-based? No. It is a desktop application for Windows and macOS, and the vendor states processing is fully local with no cloud uploads or telemetry. On the where-does-my-document-go question, it and RedactProof are on the same side of the argument. The differences are everything around that: install and licensing model, price, verification of exports, and how easily the no-upload claim can be checked. How much does PII Anomalyzer cost? As of August 2026 it is a single tier at $249 per year, about £184, for one licence with all features, with a 7-day free trial. There is no monthly option or published team pricing. RedactProof starts with a free trial document, Flex Packs at £19 and £59 for occasional work, and flat-priced plans for regular use. Does PII Anomalyzer detect PII automatically? Yes. The vendor describes context-aware automatic detection covering 55+ entity types, plus OCR for scanned documents. RedactProof's automatic detection covers 60+ PII types and runs in the browser, with every suggested redaction reviewed and approved by you before export. Why choose RedactProof over PII Anomalyzer? Three reasons. No install: RedactProof runs in the browser, so there is no software approval process, no per-machine licence, and no platform split. Verifiable claims: local processing can be confirmed from the browser's own network tab rather than taken on trust. Verified exports: every export on Pro carries a tamper-evident certificate the recipient can check. If you specifically need offline batch processing of scanned archives on an air-gapped machine, PII Anomalyzer's desktop model fits that case better. Otherwise, start with a free document, no card required, and compare the export certificate yourself. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best PII Anomalyzer alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · How Automatic Redaction Works PII Anomalyzer is a product of AZ Decision Science. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product details and pricing were checked in August 2026 against the vendor's site and the LawNext directory. --- # CaseGuard Studio Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/caseguard-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 CaseGuard Studio vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## CaseGuard Studio Alternative for Fast Document Redaction ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof runs in any browser with nothing to install ; CaseGuard is a Windows install. Jump to platform - CaseGuard is a heavyweight video and audio suite; for plain documents it is a lot of tool . Jump to platform - Detection covers 60+ PII types automatically , reviewed by you before export. Jump to detection - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Jump to proof - CaseGuard is Windows-only and on-premise ; a Mac or Chromebook cannot run it. Jump to platform Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The CaseGuard Studio vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. CaseGuard Studio ## CaseGuard Studio A multi-format redaction suite - Video, audio and image redaction - On-premise, Windows-only install - Built for law-enforcement media - Heavyweight for plain documents - Automatic detection across 33+ categories VS RedactProof ## RedactProof The redaction specialist - 60+ PII types detected automatically - The file never leaves your browser - Content removed at the pixel level - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Flat, published pricing Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 1 May 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types detected 0 to install or provision ∞ documents, flat pricing 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature CaseGuard Studio RedactProof Automatic detection 33+ cats 33+ categories, on-device Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload On-device Fully on-premise, no cloud Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits $279+ From $279/user/mo, annual billing Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Windows Windows desktop only, install Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## The differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Access ## No installation required RedactProof runs in any modern browser. No Windows dependency, no admin rights, no hardware requirements. Start redacting in under a minute. CaseGuard Windows install, admin rights RedactProof Any browser, nothing to install CaseGuard Quote requests, sales calls RedactProof Every price published Pricing ## Transparent, per-seat pricing Every plan and its price is published on redactproof.com. No quote requests, no sales calls to find out what it costs. The free trial covers one document with full Pro-level features. Verification ## Tamper-evident verification certificates Ed25519-signed certificates give every redacted export a cryptographic chain of custody. Useful for SAR responses, FOIA disclosures, and legal discovery where the integrity of a disclosed document needs to be demonstrable. CaseGuard export Internal governance report RedactProof Ed25519 · recipient-verifiable CaseGuard Windows-only, on-premise RedactProof Mac, Windows, Linux, Chromebook Platform ## Works on any device and OS Windows, macOS, Linux - RedactProof runs wherever a modern browser runs. No VM required for Mac or Linux users. General informational purposes only - not legal advice. Pricing verified August 2026 and feature claims May 2026, from caseguard.com. Verify current details on the competitor's website. CaseGuard Studio handles a lot. Video, audio, images, documents - all redacted from a single desktop application, all processed on your machine, all without files touching a cloud server. For law enforcement agencies and government bodies managing body-cam footage alongside evidence documents, that breadth matters. But a redaction platform built around video is a different product to one built around documents. If your team handles PDFs, Word files, or scanned records - and video is not part of the picture - the comparison shifts. CaseGuard Studio runs only on Windows, requires installation and hardware investment, and its pricing is not publicly listed. RedactProof runs in any browser, requires nothing to install, and starts free. This comparison covers both products honestly. CaseGuard is the better fit for some organisations. RedactProof is the better fit for others. The differences are concrete enough that the right choice should be clear by the end. ## What CaseGuard Studio is and how it works CaseGuard Studio (at the time of writing, May 2026) is an on-premise desktop application for Windows 10 and Windows 11. It does not run natively on macOS or Linux - if you use a Mac or Linux machine, you would need a Windows virtual machine to operate it. Installation is required. After purchasing a subscription, you receive a download link by email and install the software locally. Files are processed on your hardware and never leave your network - which is a genuine privacy advantage for sensitive operational data. The platform supports 750+ file types and handles: - Video redaction - faces, licence plates, screens, objects in body-cam and CCTV footage - Audio redaction - spoken names, addresses, and identifiers, with transcription and translation in 100+ languages - Document and image redaction - PDFs, scanned records, email exports - Automated PII/PHI detection across 33+ categories CaseGuard's primary user base is law enforcement, government agencies, and legal teams managing evidence files where video and audio are as common as paper documents. The platform was built for that mixed-format, high-volume operational context. ## Where CaseGuard has the edge Be direct: for video, audio and multi-format work, CaseGuard is the stronger tool. ## Multi-format redaction in one tool If your workflow combines video, audio, and documents - say, a FOIA response that includes body-cam footage, recorded interviews, and written reports - CaseGuard handles all of it from one interface. RedactProof does not process video or audio at all. That's not a limitation we're planning to close. Document redaction, done well, is the focus. ## Windows-native performance for high-volume media Processing 4K video footage or bulk-transcribing hours of audio is computationally intensive. Running that workload on local hardware with a native Windows application - with GPU acceleration available - will outperform any browser-based tool for that use case. ## On-premise for operationally sensitive files CaseGuard processes everything locally with no internet requirement. For agencies with strict network controls around operational data - active investigations, classified material - that offline capability matters. RedactProof's standard detection engine also runs locally in the browser, but the Precision Engine sends extracted text (not the document) to Cloudflare Workers AI for enhanced PII detection. If your network policies require fully air-gapped processing, CaseGuard's local-only architecture is the stronger choice. ## Where RedactProof has the edge ## No installation, no IT ticket RedactProof runs in any modern browser. There is nothing to install, no system requirements to meet, no admin rights needed. A paralegal can start redacting a SAR response on their existing laptop without involving IT. For most document-focused teams, that matters more than having video support they will never use. 60+ PII types RedactProof flags automatically in the browser, with nothing to install and no Windows requirement. CaseGuard requires Windows 10 or 11, a minimum 16 GB RAM, and 100 GB storage; a dedicated GPU is recommended for video work. That's a reasonable spec for a media workstation - but if you just need to redact PDFs, it's overhead for a need you don't have. ## Simple, transparent pricing RedactProof's pricing is public. A one-document free trial gives full Pro-level features; Core (£190/year individual annual licence) includes on-device AI detection and professional exports; Pro (per-seat from £79) adds tamper-evident certificates and a full audit trail. CaseGuard does not publicly list prices for any of its plans. You request a quote or speak to their team. For a small law firm or HR department trying to assess cost before committing, that's a meaningful friction point. ## Tamper-evident verification certificates Every export from RedactProof's Pro plan includes a verification certificate - a cryptographically signed record (Ed25519 signature) that the document was redacted and has not been modified since. This provides an auditable chain of custody for disclosed documents, which is useful for SAR responses, FOIA disclosures, and legal discovery. CaseGuard does not offer an equivalent verification certificate mechanism at the time of writing (May 2026). Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: the recipient verifies the file themselves, no account needed. For teams handling documents under data protection regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, or HIPAA, having that tamper-evident record is directly relevant to compliance workflows. Our guide on verification certificates covers how the signature scheme works and what it proves. ## Works on any device Windows-only is a real constraint. A solicitor reviewing documents on a MacBook, or a compliance officer who works across a Mac desktop and a Windows laptop, cannot run CaseGuard without a VM. RedactProof works on any operating system with a modern browser - Windows, macOS, Linux, even tablets for light review work. ## Feature comparison The table below reflects the position at the time of writing (May 2026). Verify current details at caseguard.com. Deployment model CaseGuard Studio: On-premise desktop (Windows only) RedactProof: Browser-based (no installation) Operating systems CaseGuard Studio: Windows 10/11 only (macOS/Linux via VM only) RedactProof: Any OS with a modern browser Document redaction CaseGuard Studio: Yes - PDFs, emails, images RedactProof: Yes - PDFs (scanned and digital) Video redaction CaseGuard Studio: Yes - body-cam, CCTV, interview footage RedactProof: No Audio redaction CaseGuard Studio: Yes - transcription and PII removal in 100+ languages RedactProof: No AI PII detection CaseGuard Studio: 33+ categories, on-device RedactProof: 60+ PII types; standard engine on-device, Precision Engine via Cloudflare Workers AI File processing privacy CaseGuard Studio: Fully local, no internet required RedactProof: Documents processed in browser; Precision Engine sends extracted text (not files) to Cloudflare Workers AI - not stored or used for training Verification certificates CaseGuard Studio: Not available (at time of writing, May 2026) RedactProof: Yes - Ed25519-signed, tamper-evident (Pro plan only) Public pricing CaseGuard Studio: From $279 per user per month, billed annually (August 2026) RedactProof: One-document free trial; Core from £190/year Free trial CaseGuard Studio: 7-day trial (exports watermarked during trial) RedactProof: One-document free trial (full Pro-level features) Installation required CaseGuard Studio: Yes - Windows application download RedactProof: No Audit trail CaseGuard Studio: Available on Ultimate Suite and Enterprise plans RedactProof: Full audit trail on Pro ## Pricing CaseGuard now publishes pricing on caseguard.com/redaction-pricing/ (August 2026): Doc Suite at $279 per user per month, Media Suite at $299, and Ultimate Suite at $379, each billed annually. An Enterprise tier with custom pricing starts at 50 seats. For a documents-only team the relevant tier is Doc Suite, which works out at roughly $3,348 per user per year. That figure puts CaseGuard firmly in enterprise procurement territory. Teams that only need document redaction are paying for a video-first platform, and that is exactly the gap RedactProof's document-focused pricing is built for. RedactProof pricing is public: - Free trial - full Pro-level features on one source document, unlimited re-exports - Core - £190/year (annual licence only) - on-device AI detection, professional exports - Pro - per-seat from £79 (down to £55 with volume; annual option available) - Precision Engine, unlimited documents, full audit trail, tamper-evident certificates - Team features (admin dashboard, custom outputs) are on Pro from 2 seats For a team that only needs document redaction and can't justify contact-sales procurement, RedactProof's pricing model is a practical advantage. ## Which is the better fit? Choose CaseGuard Studio if your team redacts video or audio alongside documents, if you operate in a Windows-only environment, or if your compliance requirements demand fully air-gapped processing with no cloud dependency whatsoever. It's purpose-built for law enforcement and government agencies managing mixed-format evidence workflows. Choose RedactProof if you process documents only, want to start immediately without installation, need public transparent pricing, or require tamper-evident verification certificates for compliance disclosures. The browser-based approach suits legal, HR, and compliance teams at law firms, healthcare providers, and professional services firms where document redaction is a specific task, not a multimedia workflow. See also: our guide on browser-based vs desktop redaction software for a broader look at the deployment trade-offs, and the redaction software buyer's guide if you're still comparing options. ## Start your free trial No download, no installation, no credit card for the free trial. ## The verdict ## The right tool for body-cam footage. A lot of tool for a PDF. - CaseGuard is built for video, audio and images at scale, installed on a Windows machine. If your job is redacting documents, RedactProof does that in the browser the same morning, with nothing to install. - Detection covers 60+ PII types automatically, and it runs on any OS: a Mac, a Chromebook or a locked-down thin client. - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, offline and without an account. Where CaseGuard Studio Has the Edge CaseGuard redacts far more than documents: video, audio and images across 750+ file types, with face and licence-plate detection built for law enforcement. It installs and runs entirely on-premise, which suits agencies with strict network controls and high-volume media. If your work combines body-cam footage, 911 audio and case files in one tool, CaseGuard covers ground RedactProof deliberately does not. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just CaseGuard Studio? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing CaseGuard Studio and RedactProof. Does CaseGuard Studio work on Mac or Linux? No. CaseGuard Studio is a Windows 10/11 application. It does not run natively on macOS or Linux. If you use a Mac or Linux machine, you would need to run Windows in a virtual machine (VM) environment to use CaseGuard - which adds complexity and cost. If cross-platform access matters, a browser-based tool like RedactProof works on any operating system without installation. (Verified May 2026 from caseguard.com/faqs.) How much does CaseGuard Studio cost? CaseGuard publishes pricing as of August 2026: Doc Suite at $279 per user per month, Media Suite at $299, and Ultimate Suite at $379, all billed annually, with a custom Enterprise tier from 50 seats. A documents-only team therefore pays around $3,348 per user per year for the Doc Suite tier. If that is more platform than you need, RedactProof publishes simpler document-focused pricing: a one-document free trial, then Core at £190/year or Pro from £79 per seat. Can RedactProof handle video redaction like CaseGuard? No. RedactProof is a document redaction tool. It processes PDFs - including scanned documents via OCR - but does not handle video or audio files. CaseGuard Studio handles video, audio, images, and documents from a single application, which makes it the better fit if your workflow includes body-cam footage, CCTV recordings, or interview audio. If you only need document redaction, RedactProof is purpose-built for that task and simpler to deploy. Is CaseGuard cloud-based or does it require installation? CaseGuard Studio is on-premise software that requires installation on a Windows computer. There is no cloud version. Files are processed locally on your hardware and do not leave your network, which is a genuine advantage for agencies with strict data handling policies around operational or classified material. RedactProof is browser-based - no installation required. Documents are processed in your browser without being uploaded to any server. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best CaseGuard Studio alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · Why Overlay Redaction Isn't Enough CaseGuard and CaseGuard Studio are trademarks of CaseGuard Technologies, Inc. RedactProof is a product of Popsall Ltd. --- # Smallpdf Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/smallpdf-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Smallpdf vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Smallpdf Alternative for Redaction That Never Leaves Your Browser ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof flags 60+ PII types automatically , so nothing sensitive slips past. Jump to detection - Smallpdf uploads every file to its servers before the redaction tool can touch it. Jump to privacy - Its redaction is manual: you have to find and mark every identifier yourself . Jump to detection - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Jump to proof - Redaction is one tool among dozens here, not the job the product is built for. Jump to pricing Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Smallpdf vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Smallpdf ## Smallpdf A general PDF toolkit - Redaction is one tool among dozens - Every file uploaded to its servers - Manual redaction, no automatic PII detection - Content genuinely removed, not overlaid - Good value if you use the whole toolkit VS RedactProof ## RedactProof The redaction specialist - 60+ PII types detected in your browser - Files never leave your device - Content removed at the pixel level - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Flat, published pricing Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 1 May 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked May 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types detected in-browser 0 files uploaded to a server ∞ documents, flat pricing 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Smallpdf RedactProof Automatic detection None No automatic PII detection; manual only Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Upload Every file uploaded to Smallpdf servers Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Task cap Free 2 tasks/day; Pro to lift it Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No certificate or audit trail Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Browser Cloud-based; any browser but uploads Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Detection ## Detection That Does Not Depend on Your Eye A compliance officer working through a 60-page employee file - or a paralegal responding to a Subject Access Request - needs to catch every name, every date, every reference number scattered across dense paragraphs. Smallpdf gives you a highlighter and expects you to find all of it yourself. RedactProof's AI identifies 60+ PII categories in a single pass and surfaces them for confirmation. The difference isn't about trust in automation - it's about whether human-only review at scale is realistic. Smallpdf No automatic PII detection Manual marking You find every name yourself RedactProof 60+ PII types, flagged for you Smallpdf Every file is uploaded to Smallpdf’s servers RedactProof Redacted in your browser tab; the file never leaves Privacy ## Your File Never Reaches a Server RedactProof processes documents in your browser. The file never leaves your device. Smallpdf uploads every file to their infrastructure. For one hour (or longer if you are signed in), your document - which may contain legal advice, patient data, or employee records - exists on their servers. Both platforms hold security certifications, but the architectural difference is real: one of these tools never had the file in the first place. Verification ## Tamper-Evident Certificates When you redact a document and share it, the recipient needs to trust that what they received is what you produced. RedactProof exports include an Ed25519 digital signature and QR code - if a single byte changes after export, verification fails. Smallpdf produces a redacted PDF with no accompanying evidence record. For formal disclosure exercises where provenance matters, that gap is worth noting. Smallpdf export No verification mechanism RedactProof Ed25519 · Verified ✓ ## How Smallpdf Handles Redaction Smallpdf is a cloud-based PDF platform built around breadth: 47 tools covering conversion, compression, editing, signing, and AI-powered document features. Redaction is one of those tools. At the time of writing (May 2026), it is available at smallpdf.com/redact-pdf and works entirely through the browser - you upload the file, highlight the areas to remove, and download the result. The redaction itself is genuinely permanent. Smallpdf claims to remove the underlying searchable text and metadata rather than applying a visual overlay, which means the original content cannot be recovered through copy-paste or text extraction. That is an important distinction - see our guide on overlay vs pixel-burn redaction for why it matters in practice. What Smallpdf does not offer is automated PII detection. There is no AI scanning the document for names, dates of birth, National Insurance numbers, or addresses. You identify every item to redact yourself, manually highlighting each one. For a two-page letter, that is manageable. For a 60-page Subject Access Request response containing dozens of data subjects - that is a common redaction mistake waiting to happen. The human eye misses things, especially under pressure. Files are processed on Smallpdf's servers. For non-account users, files are deleted after one hour. If you are signed in with an account, files can be stored in your Smallpdf workspace indefinitely. There is no option to process documents entirely in your browser - every file goes to their infrastructure first. For anyone handling legally privileged material, HR records, or patient data, that upload is worth factoring into your risk assessment. Smallpdf Every file is uploaded to Smallpdf’s servers before it can be redacted RedactProof Redacted in your browser tab; the file never leaves your device ## Where Smallpdf Has the Edge Forty-seven PDF tools in a single subscription. That is the straightforward case for Smallpdf. If you regularly compress PDFs for email, convert Word documents to PDF, split large files, add e-signatures, and occasionally need to redact something - Smallpdf covers all of it from one login. The pricing reflects this. At the time of writing (May 2026), the Pro plan is $9/month billed annually ($15 month-to-month). For a sole trader or a small practice that genuinely needs the broader toolkit, that is reasonable value per tool. The Team plan at $7/user/month annual makes it even cheaper per seat. Smallpdf holds ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 certifications and is built around Swiss privacy standards - the company is headquartered in Zurich. For organisations that need documented vendor security credentials, those certifications are real and audited. The interface is genuinely simple. Someone who has never used a PDF redaction tool can open smallpdf.com/redact-pdf, upload a file, and redact content within minutes. There is no learning curve, no configuration, no need to understand how the tool works internally. If you need to redact a PDF once a month and speed of access matters more than everything else, that simplicity has genuine value. ## Where RedactProof Has the Edge RedactProof is built specifically for redaction. Not as one feature among 47 - as the entire product. That focus shows in three areas where general PDF tools consistently fall short. The first is automated detection. RedactProof's AI identifies 60+ types of personally identifiable information in a single pass - names, dates, addresses, NI numbers, financial references, medical identifiers - and surfaces them with confidence scores for review. The detection runs on-device via WebAssembly for Core plan users, keeping documents off any server entirely. The Precision Engine sends extracted text (not the file) to Cloudflare Workers AI for enhanced accuracy. Neither approach involves uploading your PDF to a third party. For a paralegal working through a 40-page SAR disclosure, the automated scanner catches things a manual review alone would miss. The second is verification certificates . Every RedactProof export on the Pro plan includes an Ed25519 digital signature and QR code. If someone later asks whether a redacted document has been altered since it was produced, the certificate answers that question definitively. Smallpdf produces a redacted PDF. There is no corresponding evidence trail. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: the recipient verifies the file themselves, no account needed. The third is bulk processing . RedactProof's bulk mode handles multiple documents in a single session. Smallpdf processes one file at a time. For legal disclosure exercises or HR teams handling batch employee record requests, that difference is significant. ## Pricing Comparison At the time of writing (May 2026), Smallpdf's free plan allows 2 tasks per day with a 5 MB file limit. Redaction counts as a task. Two files per day is enough for occasional use but rules out anything resembling a compliance workflow. Pro costs $9/month on an annual commitment ($15 on a rolling basis). This covers all 47 tools with no task limits or file size caps. Team pricing starts at $7/user/month for 2-19 seats. GBP pricing is not published directly on the pricing page - Smallpdf appears to display local currency based on geolocation, so UK users may see a different figure. RedactProof's free trial covers one document with full Pro-level features, no daily task limits, and no file size caps. It includes pattern-based recognition and pixel-burn redaction, with Flex Packs and Core covering ongoing exports. The Core plan (£190/year individual annual licence) adds on-device AI detection across 60+ PII types and OCR text restoration; Pro adds tamper-evident verification certificates and professional exports. Pro (per-seat from £79 down to £55 with volume) adds the Precision Engine, full audit trail, and priority support. Centralised billing and document iteration tracking are included on Pro from 2 seats. The comparison is most relevant for users whose primary requirement is redaction. If redaction is one task in a broader PDF workflow, Smallpdf's per-tool value is clear. If redaction is the main job - regular compliance work, SARs, FOIA responses, employee record disclosures - a purpose-built tool with automated detection, certificates, and bulk processing is a different category of product. For a full breakdown of what to look for, the redaction software buyer's guide covers the key criteria. Or compare notes on how Adobe Acrobat approaches the same tradeoffs - it's a similar story. ## The verdict ## Great for the toolkit. For redaction that matters, do not upload the file. - Smallpdf uploads every file to its servers, and its redaction is manual. RedactProof keeps the document in your browser and flags 60+ PII types automatically, so nothing you overlooked goes out. - Its redaction genuinely removes content, but only what you marked by hand. Automatic detection catches the identifier you would not have thought to look for. - Every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves, and the file never leaves your device. Where Smallpdf Has the Edge Forty-seven PDF tools on one subscription. Compress, convert, merge, split, sign, and redact from a single platform at $9/month Pro. If redaction is an occasional task within a broader PDF workflow - not a regular compliance job - Smallpdf offers genuine breadth at a price that makes sense. The interface is simple, the certifications are real, and the company has a strong track record. The question is whether a general-purpose tool is the right fit for work where missing one data point has real consequences. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Smallpdf? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Smallpdf and RedactProof. Does Smallpdf redaction permanently remove text? See our FAQ page for more details. Is Smallpdf redaction free? See our FAQ page for more details. Does Smallpdf upload my files to its servers? Yes. Smallpdf is a cloud-based platform and all processing happens on their servers. For users without an account, files are deleted after one hour. If you are signed into a Smallpdf account, files can be stored in your workspace indefinitely. Smallpdf holds ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 certifications and states files are protected with TLS encryption. RedactProof processes documents in your browser - your file is not uploaded to any server. Only the extracted text is sent to Cloudflare Workers AI for Precision Engine users; the text is processed in-memory and not stored. Does Smallpdf detect PII automatically? See our FAQ page for more details. Why use a dedicated redaction tool instead of Smallpdf? See our FAQ page for more details. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Smallpdf alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Overlay vs Pixel-Burn Redaction · Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Data Smallpdf is a registered trademark of Smallpdf AG. RedactProof is not affiliated with or endorsed by Smallpdf AG. Pricing and features accurate at the time of writing (May 2026). --- # iLovePDF Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/ilovepdf-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 iLovePDF vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## iLovePDF Alternative for Redacting Without Uploading ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof detects 60+ PII types in your browser ; the file never leaves it. Jump to head-to-head - iLovePDF's web tools upload your document , even with two-hour deletion. Jump to uploads - Its automatic detection covers three PII types : cards, phones, emails. Jump to detection - iLovePDF publishes no way for a recipient to verify an exported file. Jump to verification - Our verdict , including when iLovePDF's broader toolkit is the right buy. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The iLovePDF vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. iLovePDF ## The PDF toolkit Dozens of tools, one subscription - Merge, split, convert, sign, OCR in one place - Redact tool removes content properly - Web processing happens on its servers - Detects only cards, phones and emails - No verification mechanism published VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Browser tool built for one compliance job - 60+ PII types detected in-browser - Files never leave your device - Review every suggestion before export - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Nothing to install Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature iLovePDF RedactProof Automatic detection 3 types Cards, phones, emails only Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Upload Files uploaded (EEA processing) Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Limits Free tier size and batch caps Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification mechanism Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Browser Browser UI, server processing Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Uploads ## No Upload: Your Files Stay Local iLovePDF handles uploads responsibly: ISO 27001 certified, EEA processing, deletion within two hours, and a stated policy of not accessing or analysing your content. Those are real controls. But they are controls on a copy of your document sitting on someone else's server, and for client files, patient records or disclosure bundles, many policies prohibit the upload itself regardless of how briefly it exists. RedactProof removes the question: the document is processed in your browser and no copy is ever made. iLovePDF Uploaded and processed on iLovePDF's servers, deleted within two hours RedactProof Scanned right where it is. It never leaves iLovePDF auto-detection Cards, phones, emails only A real disclosure bundle Names, DOBs, NHS and NI numbers RedactProof 60+ PII types, reviewed before export Detection ## Detection Across 60+ PII Types iLovePDF's automatic detection covers credit cards, phone numbers and emails. Useful, but a disclosure bundle leaks through names, addresses, dates of birth, NHS and National Insurance numbers, case references and dozens of other identifiers you would have to find by eye. RedactProof's automatic detection covers 60+ PII types, and you review and approve every suggestion before export. Verification ## An Export the Recipient Can Verify A redacted document is usually redacted because it is going somewhere: a regulator, a court, a counterparty. RedactProof gives every export on Pro a tamper-evident certificate, an Ed25519 signature and QR code. A recipient scans the code or visits the verify page, no account needed, no software to install, and sees instantly whether the file matches what was signed. iLovePDF publishes no verification or signing mechanism for exported files. iLovePDF export No published verification mechanism RedactProof export Ed25519 signature + QR code ## What iLovePDF Is Actually For iLovePDF started as a PDF merge-and-split utility and has grown into one of the most recognised general-purpose PDF toolkits online. As of August 2026 it bundles compression, conversion, e-signing, OCR and a Redact PDF tool into a single subscription, alongside a generous free tier for occasional use. Its customer base is broad by design: freelancers tidying up invoices, students converting lecture slides, small businesses that want one tool to handle everything rather than five specialist ones. Redaction is a feature bolted onto that toolkit, not the reason the product exists. That matters for judging what the redaction tool is built to do. A general utility is optimised for coverage across dozens of tasks, not depth on one. It shows in how the Redact PDF tool is scoped: fast enough to sit alongside merge and split in the same menu, but not built to be the last line of defence before a sensitive file leaves an organisation. ## How the Redaction Itself Behaves Credit where it's due: iLovePDF's Redact PDF tool removes the underlying content from the page rather than drawing a box over it, which puts it ahead of a lot of free tools where the text is still selectable underneath the black rectangle. Content that's redacted is genuinely gone from the file structure, not just visually hidden. The limitation sits upstream of that, in what gets flagged in the first place. Automatic detection covers three categories: credit card numbers, phone numbers and email addresses. Everything else, names, addresses, dates of birth, NHS numbers, National Insurance numbers, case references, employee IDs, has to be found by scrolling and highlighting manually. On a two-page invoice that's manageable. On a sixty-page disclosure bundle or a patient file, that's a manual search where one missed line becomes the whole incident. 3 PII types Everything iLovePDF's automatic detection covers: credit cards, phone numbers and emails. The other 57+ are yours to find by eye. (Aug 2026) On the trust side, iLovePDF's controls for the web tool are real and worth naming precisely: ISO 27001 certification, processing in the EEA or a nearby region, deletion within two hours, and a stated policy of not accessing or analysing your content. None of that is marketing fluff. It's also not the same question as whether the upload should have happened at all. ## Where the Document Actually Goes This is the part that matters most for a UK or EU compliance, legal or public-sector reader. The iLovePDF web tool is a server-side service: your file is uploaded, processed on their infrastructure, and deleted within two hours. The desktop app for Windows and macOS processes locally instead, which the vendor markets on exactly that privacy ground, but it sits behind a Premium subscription and a separate install, and its Redact tool is built on the same automatic detection as the web version, which covers three PII types. For a lot of documents, a two-hour deletion window and EEA processing is a perfectly defensible position. For others it isn't a question of how good the controls are. Under UK GDPR, a data controller is expected to consider necessity and proportionality before any transfer to a processor, including a brief one for a low-risk task. Many law firms' client confidentiality policies, and many public-sector information-handling policies written around FOIA and SAR obligations, simply prohibit uploading a client file or a case record to a third-party server, full stop, regardless of retention period. In those environments the upload itself is the fact that needs explaining, not the two-hour clock that follows it. ## How We Approach the Same Job Differently Running the equivalent workflow in RedactProof, the document never left the browser tab, there was no upload step to wait on and no server-side processing to describe to a client if they asked where their file had been. Automatic detection runs against 60+ PII types rather than three, and it's presented as suggestions you review and approve before anything is touched, not an automatic action taken on your behalf. Approval is where the actual redaction happens: confirmed matches get pixel-burned out of the export, which removes the underlying data rather than layering something over it, matching what iLovePDF's own Redact tool does correctly on the content it manages to catch. The difference is what happens next. Every RedactProof export carries an Ed25519-signed verification certificate with a QR code. A recipient, a regulator, a court, a counterparty, doesn't have to take your word for the file being what it claims to be. They scan the code or visit the verify page and see immediately whether the document matches what was signed. iLovePDF publishes no verification or signing mechanism for exported files, so once a redacted file leaves iLovePDF, there's no built-in way for anyone downstream to confirm nothing has changed. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it now: this QR resolves to our live verifier. That certificate is also the artefact that makes redaction defensible after the fact. If a redaction decision is ever questioned, whether internally or by a regulator, having a signed record of exactly what was removed and when is a materially different position than having only the exported PDF itself. ## Who Should Still Use iLovePDF If redaction is an occasional task on documents that carry no real confidentiality risk, an expired promotional flyer, a public tender document with a few contact details to strip, and you'd rather have one subscription covering merge, convert, compress and sign as well, iLovePDF's breadth and brand recognition are genuinely useful. Its free tier alone will cover plenty of low-stakes needs, and the desktop app closes some of the upload gap for anyone willing to pay for Premium and install it. For anything that carries client confidentiality obligations, patient data, or a duty to disclose accurately and defend that disclosure later, the calculation changes: the question stops being how well the upload is handled and becomes whether the file leaves your machine at all. ## The verdict ## Right for PDF odd jobs. Wrong for a document you cannot upload. - iLovePDF has to receive your file before it can touch it. RedactProof never does: the document is redacted in your browser, so there is no upload and no copy left on anyone’s servers. - Its redaction is manual; ours flags 60+ types of personal data automatically, then you approve each one, so the identifier you did not think to search for is still caught. - Pricing is flat and public, Flex Packs from £19 or a per-seat licence, and every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Where iLovePDF Has the Edge Breadth and price. iLovePDF bundles dozens of PDF tools, merge, split, compress, convert, sign, OCR, into one subscription at £9 a month or £60 a year, with polished mobile apps and one of the best-known brands in the category. If you need a general PDF utility belt and your documents are not sensitive, it is genuinely good value. RedactProof does one job, secure redaction, and is built for the documents you cannot afford to upload. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just iLovePDF? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing iLovePDF and RedactProof. Is iLovePDF safe for confidential documents? iLovePDF takes security seriously by upload-service standards: ISO 27001 certification, GDPR compliance, processing in the EEA or a nearby region, and automatic deletion within two hours. The structural point remains that your document is uploaded to and processed on their servers. If your confidentiality obligations prohibit third-party processing of client or patient files, the upload itself is the problem, not iLovePDF's handling of it. RedactProof processes documents in your browser, so there is no upload to assess. Does iLovePDF really redact, or just cover text? iLovePDF's Redact PDF tool does remove the underlying content from the PDF rather than drawing a box over it, which puts it ahead of many free tools. The gaps are elsewhere: automatic detection limited to cards, phones and emails, server-side processing, and no way for a recipient to verify the exported file afterwards. Does the iLovePDF desktop app avoid uploads? Yes. iLovePDF's desktop app for Windows and macOS processes files locally, and the vendor markets it on exactly that privacy ground. It requires a Premium subscription and an install, and its Redact tool is built on the same automatic detection as the web version, which covers three PII types. RedactProof gives you local processing in the browser with no install, plus 60+ PII types detected automatically. Why switch from iLovePDF to RedactProof for redaction? Three reasons. Your document never leaves your browser, rather than being uploaded under a two-hour deletion policy. Automatic detection covers 60+ PII types rather than three. And every export on Pro carries a verification certificate the recipient can check. Pricing is shown up front too, flat Flex Packs or per-seat licences, so there is no quote-request step before a team can start. If redaction is an occasional task on non-sensitive files and you value the broader toolkit, iLovePDF remains a reasonable choice. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best iLovePDF alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Overlay vs Pixel-Burn Redaction · What Counts as Personal Data iLovePDF is a product of iLovePDF S.L. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product details and pricing were checked in August 2026 against ilovepdf.com. --- # PDFescape Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/pdfescape-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 PDFescape vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## PDFescape Alternative for Real, Permanent Redaction ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof does true content removal in every tier , trial included. Jump to head-to-head - PDFescape's free whiteout covers text without reliably removing it . Jump to whiteout - Online files sit on US servers for 7 to 30 days after your last visit. Jump to storage - Real redaction is paywalled into Ultimate Desktop , and still manual. Jump to detection - Our verdict , including when PDFescape's breadth is the fair pick. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The PDFescape vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. PDFescape ## The general editor Broad free editing, redaction behind a paywall - Forms, annotation, merge, e-sign, convert - Real redaction exists in Ultimate Desktop - Free whiteout leaves text recoverable - Files stored on US servers up to 30 days - No export verification VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Browser tool built for one compliance job - Content removed in every tier - 60+ PII types detected in-browser - Files never leave your device - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Nothing to install Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature PDFescape RedactProof Automatic detection None Manual whiteout in the free editor Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Upload Files stored on US-based servers Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Tiers Real redaction only on paid Ultimate Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Browser Browser UI, files uploaded Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Whiteout ## Whiteout Is Not Redaction PDFescape's free online editor offers a whiteout tool: a rectangle drawn over content. The underlying text can remain in the PDF's content stream, recoverable by select-and-copy or opening the file in another editor. PDFescape's genuine, permanent redaction exists, but only in the paid Ultimate Desktop application. RedactProof removes the underlying content in every tier, so the free trial redacts as permanently as the paid plans. PDFescape free editor Whiteout box, text can remain Permanent redaction Ultimate Desktop only RedactProof Content removed in every tier PDFescape online files US servers, 7 to 30 days Files you keep opening Persist indefinitely RedactProof No server-side copy at all Storage ## No Copy of Your File on Anyone's Server PDFescape's own support pages confirm that files in the online editor are uploaded to and saved on its web servers, persisting for 7 days on free accounts and 30 days on Premium, with the clock resetting each time you open them. That is a long time for a disclosure bundle or personnel file to sit on third-party infrastructure. RedactProof processes the document in your browser and never uploads it anywhere. No upload means no US-server data residency question for GDPR or UK GDPR transfers, and no document content for a sub-processor to disclose in your data processing agreement. Detection and proof ## Automatic Detection and Verifiable Exports Even in PDFescape's paid desktop redaction, finding the sensitive content is your job. RedactProof's automatic detection surfaces 60+ PII types for your review, and every export on Pro ships with a verification certificate, an Ed25519 signature and QR code, so the recipient can confirm the file is exactly what was exported. PDFescape offers no equivalent for either. PDFescape redaction Manual, even when paid RedactProof 60+ PII types + signed export ## What PDFescape actually is PDFescape has been around long enough to become the default browser tab for people who just need to fill in a form, add a signature, merge a couple of files, or nudge a page order before sending something off. Solo practitioners, students, small offices, anyone who needs to touch a PDF twice a year without buying software: that is its natural audience. The free online editor covers that ground well, and the paid tiers layer on batch tools and a desktop app for people who edit PDFs often enough to justify a subscription. None of that is in dispute. What is worth separating out is the difference between editing a PDF and redacting one, because PDFescape's marketing lets the two blur together more than it should. ## How its whiteout tool actually behaves The free online editor's redaction option is a whiteout: you draw a box, it sits over the sensitive text, and visually the content is gone. What it does to the file underneath is a separate question. Because the tool covers rather than deletes, the original text can stay in the PDF's content stream, which means anyone who selects and copies over the box, or opens the file in a different reader, may still pull the original characters out. A whiteout box is a cosmetic layer, not a data operation. A typical overlay "redaction" Payment to IBAN: GB82 WEST 1234 5678 Select the black bar above. The text is still there, and anyone who receives the file can copy it straight out. A RedactProof redaction Payment to IBAN: Now select this one. Nothing. The content is destroyed at the pixel level, so it no longer exists in the file. PDFescape does sell genuine, permanent redaction, one that strips the underlying content rather than painting over it, but that capability lives in the paid Ultimate Desktop application, not the free editor most people reach for first. If your workflow is 'open the free tool, cover the NI number, export,' you have not redacted the document in any sense a data protection officer would recognise. You have decorated it. ## What this means for a disclosure bundle For casework, SAR responses, or FOIA disclosures this distinction is not academic. A recipient (or their lawyer) who runs select-all on a whiteout'd page and recovers a name, a case number, or a clinical note has grounds to treat the disclosure as a data breach, not a redaction mistake. The tool did what it looked like it was doing on screen. It did not do what redaction is supposed to do. ## Where the document sits while you work on it The other half of the picture is where the file goes. PDFescape's own support documentation is clear on this: files opened in the online editor are uploaded to and stored on its web servers, for 7 days on a free account and 30 days on Premium, with the clock resetting every time you reopen the file. That is a real retention window on infrastructure you do not control, sitting between you and whatever's in the document. For a solicitor's disclosure bundle, a personnel file, or a patient record, that matters under UK GDPR in a fairly direct way. Uploading the document to a third-party US-based server is itself a processing activity and, depending on what leaves the UK/EU, a transfer question, one you would normally need to account for in a data processing agreement and a record of processing activities. It also means PDFescape's servers become a place the sensitive content genuinely exists, however briefly, which is one more location to worry about if there is ever a breach investigation or a subject access request asking where a document has been. RedactProof processes the document in your browser. It is never uploaded anywhere, not to redact it, not to store it, not even transiently. There is no server-side copy for a sub-processor to disclose, no retention window to document, and no US-server residency question to answer, because the file simply does not leave the machine it was opened on. ## What review and proof look like with RedactProof The workflow difference is where this stops being abstract. In PDFescape, whether you are using the free whiteout or the paid Ultimate redaction, finding what needs covering is entirely your job: read the document, spot the names and numbers, draw each box by hand. RedactProof's automatic detection scans the document for 60+ PII types and surfaces every match for you to review and approve before anything is touched. You are still the one making the call on each item, but you are checking a list rather than hunting blind through every page. When a match is approved, RedactProof removes the underlying pixel data at export, not a box on top of it, so there is nothing left in the content stream for a copy-paste or a different reader to recover. And every export on Pro carries a verification certificate: an Ed25519 signature and a QR code the recipient can scan to confirm the file is exactly what was exported, without needing an account or any software of their own. PDFescape, in either its free or paid form, has no equivalent artefact. There is no way for someone downstream to check that what they received matches what was actually redacted. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it: this QR resolves to our live verifier, so the recipient can confirm the file for themselves. ## Who PDFescape still suits None of this makes PDFescape a bad tool for what most of its users are doing with it. Form filling, annotation, merging, e-signatures, format conversion, light editing of files that are not carrying anyone's personal data: it is a capable, mature editor with a free tier generous enough for occasional use, and the desktop app works offline if you would rather not touch a browser at all. If your job is routine PDF housekeeping, not deciding what a recipient is and isn't allowed to see, PDFescape covers that ground fine and there is no reason to switch. The line is simple: if an unredacted leak from a document would have consequences, whiteout in a browser tool that also uploads the file is the wrong tool for the job, whatever tier you are paying for. ## The verdict ## If it matters enough to redact, whiteout is not enough. - PDFescape’s free tool draws a box over the text; the words underneath stay in the file. RedactProof removes the content itself at the pixel level, in every tier including the free trial document. - Detection surfaces 60+ types of personal data automatically for your review, so nothing rests on you spotting every name by eye. - The document never leaves your browser, and when proof is needed the export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Where PDFescape Has the Edge It is a capable general-purpose editor with a long track record: forms, annotation, merging, e-signatures and conversion, with a free tier that handles light editing of non-sensitive files perfectly well. The desktop app works offline once installed, useful if you don't want any cloud dependency for routine edits. If your need is broad PDF editing with occasional low-stakes masking, not documents where an unredacted leak has consequences, PDFescape covers ground RedactProof deliberately does not. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just PDFescape? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing PDFescape and RedactProof. Does PDFescape have real redaction? Yes, but not in the free online editor. The online tool offers whiteout, which covers content visually without reliably removing it from the file. Permanent redaction that strips the underlying data is a feature of the paid Ultimate Desktop application. If you have redacted something sensitive with the free whiteout tool and shared the file, it is worth checking whether the text can still be selected or extracted. Are files uploaded to PDFescape's servers? For the online editor, yes. PDFescape's support documentation states files are stored on its US-based web servers, expiring after 7 days of inactivity on free accounts and 30 days on Premium. Files you keep opening persist indefinitely. RedactProof processes documents in your browser with no upload, so there is no server-side copy and no retention window to think about. How much does PDFescape cost? As of August 2026 the online editor is free with limits, Premium is around $6 a month, about £4.50, and Ultimate around $9 a month, about £6.65, with desktop editions mirroring those tiers. The feature that matters for this comparison, permanent redaction, sits in Ultimate Desktop. RedactProof's free trial document includes full permanent redaction and a verification certificate, with Flex Packs from £19 for occasional use. Why switch from PDFescape to RedactProof? If you redact documents that matter, three things: true content removal in every tier rather than behind a paid desktop app, automatic detection of 60+ PII types rather than manual marking, and a tamper-evident certificate on every export. If you mainly need general PDF editing and your files are not sensitive, PDFescape's breadth and free tier are a fair fit. Try it on your own document: the free trial includes full permanent redaction and a verification certificate, with no upload of the file itself. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best PDFescape alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Why Overlay Redaction Isn't Enough · Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Data PDFescape is a product of Avanquest Software (Claranova). All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product details and pricing were checked in August 2026 against pdfescape.com and its support documentation. --- # PDFzorro Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/pdfzorro-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 PDFzorro vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## PDFzorro Alternative That Actually Removes the Text ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof permanently removes redacted text , right in your browser. Jump to head-to-head - PDFzorro's blacken tool draws a box: the words stay inside the file . Jump to the blackout problem - Files are uploaded to an undisclosed operator's servers to be edited. Jump to uploads - Manual blackout only redacts the things you happen to spot yourself . Jump to detection - Our verdict , including the jobs a free overlay editor is still fine for. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The PDFzorro vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. PDFzorro ## The free overlay editor Ad-supported quick edits, uploaded to its servers - Free blackout and whiteout for one-off edits - Handy extras: merge, forms, signatures - Text under the blackout stays in the file - Files upload to an undisclosed operator - No verification of what was removed VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Browser tool built for one compliance job - Content removed, not covered - 60+ PII types detected in-browser - Files never leave your device - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Nothing to install Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature PDFzorro RedactProof Automatic detection None Manual blackout/whiteout only Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Upload Files uploaded to PDFzorro Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Free Free tier; Pro around EUR2.50/mo Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No verification certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Browser Browser UI, files uploaded Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. The blackout problem ## A Black Box Is Not a Redaction PDFzorro's blacken tool changes what a page looks like, not what the file contains. Independent analyses group it with overlay tools where the text underneath remains in the PDF's content streams, recoverable by select-and-copy or a basic extraction script. RedactProof's export removes the underlying content itself, so there is nothing left to recover. If a document matters enough to redact, it matters enough to redact properly. PDFzorro blacken tool Visual overlay, text remains Select-and-copy test Recovers the hidden text RedactProof export Content permanently removed PDFzorro Uploaded to servers run by an undisclosed operator RedactProof Scanned right where it is. It never leaves Uploads ## Free Has a Price: Your File Goes to Their Server Editing in PDFzorro means uploading your document to servers run by an operator whose company name and address are not published on the site, with ads as the business model. Its terms say general uploads are deleted within two days, and files saved to a logged-in cloud account persist until manually deleted. For a holiday itinerary, fine. For anything containing personal data, that is a lot of trust for a free tool. RedactProof processes the document in your browser and never uploads it. You can check this yourself: redact your first document free and confirm nothing was uploaded before you commit to anything further. Detection ## Finds What You Would Miss Manual blackout only redacts what you spot. RedactProof's automatic detection surfaces 60+ PII types, names, addresses, identifiers, references, across the whole document, and you approve each one before export. On a long disclosure bundle, that is the difference between a redaction pass and a redaction gamble. Run it on your own file free and see exactly which of the 60+ PII types it catches, no commitment required. Manual blackout Only what you spot RedactProof 60+ PII types, whole document ## What PDFzorro is actually for PDFzorro is a browser-based PDF editor that has been around for more than a decade: merge, split, sign, convert, fill forms, and draw a black box over something you'd rather not show. As of August 2026 the core tools, including blackout and whiteout, are free with no account required for a one-off edit. There's a paid Professional tier at EUR2.50 a month (about £2.15) for ad-free use, more cloud storage and Office export. The site does not publish who runs it: no operating company name, no registered address, just a domain and a support form. That profile fits a specific user well: someone with a one-off cosmetic edit, a form to fill, a page to rotate, nothing in the file that would matter if it leaked. It fits much less well the moment the document contains a name, a case reference or an account number that has to actually disappear. ## How the blackout tool actually behaves The mechanism matters more than the label. PDFzorro's blacken and whiteout tools draw a shape over the content you select. Independent analyses of overlay-style PDF editors, PDFzorro included, report that the underlying text stays in the file's content streams underneath the shape. Select the area and copy, or run a basic extraction script, and the original text can come back. PDFzorro's own site makes no claim that the blackout permanently deletes content, and we didn't find one in its terms either. The absence of that claim is telling: a tool confident its redaction was destructive would say so. A typical overlay "redaction" Payment to IBAN: GB82 WEST 1234 5678 Select the black bar above. The text is still there, and anyone who receives the file can copy it straight out. A RedactProof redaction Payment to IBAN: Now select this one. Nothing. The content is destroyed at the pixel level, so it no longer exists in the file. Detection is also entirely manual. There's no automatic detection for PII: you select each region yourself. On a short letter that's manageable. On a fifty-page disclosure bundle, a subject access request response or a contract with schedules, it becomes a line-by-line hunt, and the tool won't tell you what you missed. ## Where the document goes while you edit it Using PDFzorro's editor means uploading your file to its servers. Its terms say general uploads are deleted within two days; files saved to a logged-in cloud account persist until you manually delete them. For a UK or EU solicitor, in-house counsel, HR team or public-sector caseworker, that upload step is the harder question, separate from whether the blackout itself is reversible. Client confidentiality duties, UK GDPR's data minimisation principle, and the disclosure obligations under FOIA or a SAR all assume you know where the document has been. An undisclosed operator with an ad-funded free tier and a server-side workflow is a different risk profile to a browser tab that never sends the file anywhere. None of this means PDFzorro is operating in bad faith. It's been running for years, gets serious traffic, and trust-rating services generally score it as likely safe from a malware or phishing standpoint. Safe to visit and suitable for redacting personal data are separate questions, and the second one is where the free tool's economics (ads, an undisclosed operator, server processing) start to matter. ## How the RedactProof workflow differs, step by step Running the same job in RedactProof, the document never left the browser tab it was opened in. Automatic detection surfaces 60+ PII types, names, addresses, reference numbers, identifiers, as suggestions across the whole document, not just the page you're looking at. You review each one and approve or reject it before anything is touched. Export applies a pixel-burn: the flagged content is removed from the file itself, not painted over, so there's nothing left in the content stream to extract afterward. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it now: this QR resolves to our live verifier. On Pro, every export also carries an Ed25519-signed verification certificate with a QR code. Anyone who receives the redacted file, a regulator, opposing counsel, an auditor, can scan the code and confirm the file hasn't been altered since export, free and without needing an account themselves. That's the artefact a black-box tool has no equivalent for: PDFzorro's output is just a PDF, with no way for a recipient to independently confirm what happened to it. You can try this on one document free (account signup is required to start, but no card), which is the fastest way to see whether the detection catches what a manual pass would have missed. ## Who should still use PDFzorro If the job is a quick cosmetic edit to a document with nothing sensitive in it, or you need PDFzorro's other tools, merging, form filling, signing, and redaction isn't part of the task, its free tier does the job at no cost and no signup. That's a legitimate use case and it isn't going away. The moment the blackout has to actually destroy personal data rather than just hide it visually, the free tool stops being free: the cost shows up later, in a recoverable name or account number sitting in a file you've already sent or filed. ## The verdict ## A box over the text is not a redaction. - PDFzorro’s blackout leaves the original text sitting in the file, ready to select and copy. RedactProof removes the content itself, so there is nothing underneath to recover. - It flags 60+ types of personal data automatically and lets you approve each one, instead of you marking every line by hand. - Your document is redacted in your browser and never uploaded, and every export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Where PDFzorro Has the Edge Its core blackout and whiteout tools are free with no account required for a one-off edit, it has run for over a decade with high traffic, and it bundles handy general tools: merging, form filling, conversion, signatures. For quick cosmetic edits to documents with nothing sensitive in them, it does the job at little or no cost. It is only when the blackout needs to actually destroy the data underneath that the free tool becomes the expensive option. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just PDFzorro? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing PDFzorro and RedactProof. Is PDFzorro's redaction permanent? The evidence says no. PDFzorro's blacken and whiteout tools draw shapes over content, and independent analyses report the original text remains in the file's content streams, recoverable with basic tools. No claim of permanent content removal appears in the site's own materials. RedactProof's export removes the redacted content from the file itself, and ships a verification certificate proving the export has not been altered since. That certificate is what you hand to a regulator, opposing counsel or an auditor who asks whether the file has been changed since redaction. Does PDFzorro upload my files? Yes. Files are uploaded to PDFzorro's servers for editing. The site's terms state general uploads are deleted within two days, and files saved to a logged-in cloud space persist until manually deleted. The site does not publish the name or address of the company operating it. RedactProof processes documents in your browser with no upload at all. Is PDFzorro safe for redacting sensitive documents? There is no indication of bad faith: the site has operated for over a decade, has high traffic and a valid certificate, and trust-rating sites score it as likely safe. Safe is a different question from suitable. It is an ad-supported editor with an optional paid tier, an undisclosed operator, server-side processing, and a blackout tool that analyses report is visual rather than permanent. For documents containing personal data, that combination is the concern. Why use RedactProof instead of a free tool like PDFzorro? Because the failure mode of a bad redaction is severe: a recoverable name or account number in a filed or disclosed document. RedactProof permanently removes content, detects 60+ PII types automatically, keeps the document in your browser, and proves export integrity with a certificate. Free overlay tools are fine for non-sensitive cosmetic edits, and that is the honest boundary between the two. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best PDFzorro alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Why Overlay Redaction Isn't Enough · Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Data PDFzorro is operated via pdfzorro.com; the site does not publish an operating company name or registered address. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Details on this page were checked in August 2026 against pdfzorro.com's published terms and independent reviews. --- # Files Editor Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/files-editor-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Files Editor vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Files Editor Alternative for Redaction Without Uploads or Surprise Renewals ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof: 60+ PII types in your browser , full price shown up front. Jump to head-to-head - Reviewers report its $1 offer auto-renewing near $49.95 a month (about £37). Jump to pricing - Your document is uploaded to its servers before any redaction happens. Jump to uploads - A converter with a manual tool: no automatic detection, no certificates . Jump to compliance - Our verdict , including the one job Files Editor is still fine for. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Files Editor vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Files Editor ## The online converter A general PDF toolset behind a $1 trial - Converts, merges and signs PDFs in one place - Manual remove-sensitive-info tool included - Every file uploads to its servers - Reviewers report auto-renewal near $49.95/mo - No verification certificates advertised VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Browser tool built for one compliance job - 60+ PII types detected in-browser - Files never leave your device - Free trial never auto-converts - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Nothing to install Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Files Editor RedactProof Automatic detection None Manual removal tool only Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Upload Every file uploaded to its cloud Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits Auto-renew $1 entry, auto-renewing sub Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification No No redaction certificate Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Browser Web-based, cloud processing Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. Pricing ## Pricing You Can See Before You Pay As of August 2026 the Better Business Bureau rates Files Editor F, citing 29 complaints, 27 of them unanswered by the business. The recurring theme in complaints and Trustpilot reviews is a small one-time charge, often around $1, followed by an unexpected recurring charge of roughly $50 (about £37) when a short trial auto-converts. RedactProof takes the opposite approach: the full price is on the pricing page before checkout, the free trial is a single document with no card required, and paid plans state exactly what renews and when. Files Editor entry offer $1, then reported ~$49.95/mo (about £37) BBB rating (Aug 2026) F, 27 of 29 complaints unanswered RedactProof Full price before checkout Files Editor Every document is uploaded to its servers before redaction starts RedactProof Scanned right where it is. It never leaves Where your file goes ## Redaction Without Handing Over the Document Files Editor is a cloud service, so the document you are redacting, the one containing the exact information you need to remove, is uploaded to a third-party server before any redaction happens. For a solicitor handling disclosure or a practice manager redacting patient correspondence, that upload is often the very thing internal policy prohibits. RedactProof detects and removes sensitive information in your browser. There is no server-side copy to worry about because no copy is made. Try it on one real document, free, with no card and no upload, and see the redacted file before you decide anything. Compliance ## Built for Redaction, Start to Finish Files Editor's redaction is a manual remove-sensitive-information tool inside a general PDF converter. RedactProof is built around the compliance workflow: automatic detection of 60+ PII types, pixel-burn export that removes the underlying data, and a verification certificate on every export, an Ed25519 signature and QR code that lets a regulator or opposing counsel confirm the file is exactly what was exported. Files Editor redaction Manual, inside a converter Automatic detection None advertised RedactProof 60+ PII types + signed certificate ## What Files Editor Actually Is Files Editor sits in the crowded category of browser-based PDF utilities: convert, merge, sign, split, and a manual tool for stripping sensitive text out of a page. It is built for people who need a quick format change, not for a compliance workflow. Someone converting an internal memo to Word, or flattening a signed contract, is the intended user, not a solicitor preparing a bundle for disclosure. That framing matters when you read its pricing page. A cloud converter that happens to have a redaction button is optimised for one-off jobs and repeat casual use, which is also why the checkout flow leans on a low entry price rather than a stated annual cost. As of August 2026, this kind of low-cost trial that quietly rolls into a recurring subscription is a common pattern in this category, and it is the clearest signal of who the product is actually built to retain: casual users who forget to cancel, not teams who need predictable line-item billing. $1 → ~$49.95/mo The renewal pattern reviewers and BBB complainants consistently report: a small entry charge that auto-converts unless cancelled in time. About £37 a month. ## How the Redaction Itself Works Strip away the marketing and the redaction feature is a manual remove-sensitive-information tool bolted onto a general PDF editor. There is no automatic PII detection published as of August 2026: you scroll through the document yourself, find each name, number or address, and mark it for removal one item at a time. For a two-page letter that is tedious but manageable. For a fifty-page disclosure bundle, or a patient file with addresses scattered across headers, footers and tables, manual review is where things get missed, not because the tool is careless but because it was never built to find anything for you. Files Editor does not publish a tamper-evident certificate on export, so there is no artefact a recipient can check to confirm what was removed or when. If a regulator or opposing counsel later asks how you know the redaction held, the honest answer is that you have to trust your own manual pass. ## Where the Document Goes While You Work Files Editor runs in the cloud, which means the document itself, not just a description of it, has to leave your device before anything can be redacted. It is uploaded, processed on someone else's server, and only then handed back to you with the edits applied. For most conversions that is a minor detail. For a document under legal privilege, a patient record, or anything covered by a client-confidentiality clause, it is the step that internal policy is usually written to prevent. Under UK GDPR this matters beyond internal policy. Sending a document containing personal data to a third-party processor is itself a processing activity, and it needs a lawful basis and, in most B2B settings, a data processing agreement most casual users of a PDF converter never see or sign. A public body handling an FOIA request, or a firm responding to a subject access request, is choosing where the underlying personal data travels the moment it clicks upload, before a single redaction has been drawn. ## The Workflow Difference in Practice Running RedactProof on the same kind of document, the practical difference was less about any single feature and more about where the trust sits. Automatic detection finds the 60+ PII types across the document first; you review each flagged item and approve or reject it, so the judgement call stays with you rather than a script. Nothing is uploaded at any point in that process, because there is nothing to upload to: the detection model and the file both stay on your device. Export is where the two approaches diverge most. RedactProof burns the redacted regions into the pixel layer, so the characters you removed are not recoverable by copy-pasting text or inspecting the file's layers, and every export on Pro carries an Ed25519-signed verification certificate with a QR code. Anyone who receives the file, a regulator, opposing counsel, a records office, can scan that code and confirm independently that the document is exactly what was exported, without needing an account or any software beyond a phone camera. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it now: this QR resolves to our live verifier. ## Who Files Editor Still Suits None of this makes Files Editor a bad product for what it is built to do. If you need to convert a non-sensitive Word document to PDF, merge a few files, or add a signature to something that was never confidential in the first place, its toolset is broader than RedactProof's and probably cheaper for a single occasional use, provided you cancel before the trial period rolls into a subscription. The bottom line: for anything containing information you would not want to leave your organisation before you have controlled what happens to it, uploading it to a third-party server to redact it manually is the wrong order of operations. RedactProof keeps the document on your device throughout, and gives you and the recipient a way to check the result. ## The verdict ## Fine for a one-off conversion. Wrong for a confidential document. - Files Editor uploads every document to its servers, and its manual tool only masks what you mark. RedactProof keeps the file in your browser and flags 60+ types of personal data automatically, so nothing you overlooked rides along. - No auto-renewing trap and no quote step: the price sits on the pricing page, Flex Packs from £19, and the free trial never converts to a subscription. - Every redaction removes the content at the pixel level, and when a disclosure needs proof the export can carry a certificate the recipient verifies for themselves. Where Files Editor Has the Edge Files Editor bundles many one-off jobs in one place: converting between formats, merging, signing and basic edits. If you need a single non-sensitive Word-to-PDF conversion and you're confident you'll cancel before the trial period ends, given the entry price only holds if you remember to, it covers that case. RedactProof does not try to be a general PDF converter; it does one job, secure redaction, and only that. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Files Editor? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Files Editor and RedactProof. Is Files Editor safe for confidential documents? Every document you process with Files Editor is uploaded to its servers. Whatever its retention practices, the file leaves your machine, which many client-confidentiality and data-protection policies prohibit for exactly the kind of document that needs redacting. It is also worth knowing who you are trusting: as of August 2026 the Better Business Bureau rates the operator F and notes it has not responded to 27 of 29 complaints. RedactProof processes documents in your browser, so there is no upload to assess. Why was I charged $49.95 by Files Editor? Trustpilot reviews and BBB complaints consistently describe the same sequence: a small entry payment, often around $1, starts a short trial that auto-converts to a recurring subscription of roughly $49.95 a month, about £37, unless cancelled first. Files Editor's own terms state that trials and subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled. If this has happened to you, cancel from your Files Editor account (they publish an unsubscribe page), then check your card statement for further renewals and contact your card issuer if charges continue. Does Files Editor have automatic redaction? Not that it advertises. As of August 2026 Files Editor offers a manual tool to permanently remove sensitive information from a PDF, but no automatic PII detection. You find the sensitive content yourself. RedactProof detects 60+ PII types automatically and entirely in-browser, then lets you review and approve each redaction before export. Why switch from Files Editor to RedactProof? Three reasons. First, your documents never leave your browser, while Files Editor uploads every file to its servers. Second, transparent pricing: RedactProof's free trial is one document and does not auto-convert into a subscription, and paid plans show the full price up front. Third, redaction depth: automatic detection of 60+ PII types, pixel-burn removal of the underlying data, and a tamper-evident verification certificate on every export. If all you need is an occasional format conversion of non-sensitive files, Files Editor's toolset is broader; for redaction of confidential documents, it is not the right tool. You can test this on a real confidential document today: the first document is free, no card needed. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Files Editor alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction · Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Data Files Editor is operated via files-editor.com (listed by the Better Business Bureau under Apollo Technology LLC). All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Third-party ratings and review figures cited on this page were checked in August 2026 against public sources including the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot. --- # Microsoft Word Redaction Alternative Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/compare/microsoft-word-redaction-alternative Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Microsoft Word vs RedactProof Feature by feature The deciding differences Our verdict Pricing compared Common questions Try RedactProof free Comparison · Updated August 2026 ## Trying to Redact in Microsoft Word? Read This First ## The 20-second verdict Everything that decides this switch, in one place - RedactProof removes content and finds 60+ PII types , all in your browser. Jump to head-to-head - Word's black highlight is formatting: the text underneath stays in the file . Jump to the highlight trap - Word files carry tracked changes, comments and author names with them. Jump to hidden data - Find-and-replace redacts only the strings you already thought to search for . Jump to detection - Our verdict , including the cases where staying in Word is genuinely fine. Jump to verdict Try RedactProof free See full comparison No install · files never leave your browser Head to head ## The Microsoft Word vs RedactProof snapshot What each tool is, in one card each. Microsoft Word ## The word processor Documents are its job. Redaction is not. - Already licensed, already familiar - Document Inspector cleans some metadata - No redaction feature in any edition - Black highlight leaves text recoverable - No way to show a sent file is clean VS RedactProof ## The redaction specialist Browser tool built for one compliance job - 60+ PII types detected in-browser - Files never leave your device - Content removed, not covered - Verifiable exports and audit trail - Nothing to install Try it free By the RedactProof Editorial Team · Published 11 Aug 2026 · Updated 16 Aug 2026 · Pricing checked August 2026 RedactProof, by the numbers 60+ PII types in-browser 0 Uploads required ∞ Documents, flat rate 100% of Pro exports verifiable At a glance ## The whole comparison in one table The five facts that decide most switches. Feature Microsoft Word RedactProof Automatic detection None Inspector finds metadata, not PII Included 60+ PII types, entirely in-browser No file upload Hybrid Desktop local; OneDrive syncs to cloud Yes The file never leaves your browser Document limits No cap No cap (it is a word processor) Unlimited Flat rate on paid plans Export verification None No redaction, so no verification Included Ed25519 certificate + QR, optional per export Platforms Any Desktop and web, but no redaction Any browser Mac, Windows, Linux, nothing to install The detail ## Three differences that decide it Where your file goes, what you pay, and what the recipient can prove. The highlight trap ## Black Highlight Is a Formatting Choice, Not a Redaction Highlighting text in black changes how it looks, not what the file contains. Select-all and paste into another document, or switch the highlight colour back, and everything reappears. This exact failure has repeatedly exposed supposedly redacted text in real-world filings once the highlight or box was removed or the underlying text copied out. RedactProof's export removes the content itself: there is nothing under the black box to recover. Black highlight in Word Text recoverable underneath Court filings Have leaked exactly this way RedactProof export Content removed, nothing to recover Tracked changes & comments Travel with the file Document Inspector Manual, desktop only RedactProof Clean export + certificate Hidden data ## The Leaks You Cannot See on the Page Even when the visible text is handled, Word documents carry tracked changes, comments, earlier versions, author names and hidden text. Document Inspector exists precisely because of this, but it is a separate manual step most people skip, and Word Online does not have it at all. RedactProof exports a clean redacted document and pairs it with a verification certificate, so what you send is exactly what you approved. Detection ## Find and Replace Cannot Find What It Does Not Know The safest Word workaround, replacing sensitive strings with placeholder characters, only works for the strings you think to search for. A disclosure bundle leaks through the names, addresses, references and identifiers you did not spot. RedactProof's automatic detection surfaces 60+ PII types across the whole document for your review before anything is exported. Find and replace Only the strings you search for RedactProof detection 60+ PII types, whole document ## What Word is actually built for Word is a word processor, and a very good one. It is the default choice for drafting contracts, letters, reports and pretty much anything else a UK office produces on paper or PDF. Most people reaching for a redaction workaround in Word are not confused about what it does; they are stuck with a file already in Word format and a deadline, and they reach for the tool already open on the screen. That is a completely reasonable instinct. It just does not solve the actual problem. As of August 2026, nothing in the Word desktop app or Word Online adds a genuine redaction feature. Microsoft's own compliance product, Purview, sits in a different category entirely: it labels, classifies and restricts access to documents, which is useful for information governance, but it does not selectively strip text out of a page. If your task is send this document to someone but hide these three paragraphs, Word and its surrounding suite were never built to do that. ## What happens to the underlying data when you 'redact' in Word The common Word workaround is a black highlight or a shaded text box over the sensitive lines. Visually, this looks finished. Structurally, nothing has changed: the characters are still stored in the document's XML, still selectable, still copyable into a new file. Switch the highlight colour, delete the box, or paste the text into Notepad, and it is all still there. This is a formatting instruction sitting on top of untouched content, not a removal of that content. A typical overlay "redaction" Payment to IBAN: GB82 WEST 1234 5678 Select the black bar above. The text is still there, and anyone who receives the file can copy it straight out. A RedactProof redaction Payment to IBAN: Now select this one. Nothing. The content is destroyed at the pixel level, so it no longer exists in the file. A more careful approach, replacing specific strings with placeholder text via Find and Replace, at least removes the literal characters you searched for. But it only catches what you thought to search for. A disclosure bundle rarely leaks through the one name you were watching for; it leaks through the second reference to that name, a different spelling, a phone number in a signature block, a case reference buried in a footer. Manual search and replace has no concept of what a document contains beyond the string you typed. Then there is everything sitting outside the visible page: tracked changes, comments, prior versions, author metadata, hidden text fields. Document Inspector was built specifically to strip this layer, and it does its job reasonably well, but it is a manual step you have to remember to run, it is desktop only, and it says nothing about the sensitive text still sitting in the body of the document. Two different problems, one partial tool, and no link between them. ## Where the document sits matters more than it looks For a firm handling client files, a public body responding to an FOIA request, or anyone processing personal data under UK GDPR, the question of where a document travels during redaction is not incidental. Desktop Word itself keeps files local. But a great deal of real world Word use runs through OneDrive or SharePoint, which means the document, and any comments or edit history riding along with it, is sitting in Microsoft's cloud rather than staying inside your own systems. That is a separate consideration from the redaction gap, but for anyone with client confidentiality obligations or a duty to account for where personal data has been, it compounds the problem rather than offsetting it. RedactProof's document handling is the opposite by design: the file is opened, reviewed and exported entirely in your browser, and it never uploads anywhere. Only a cryptographic hash of the finished export goes to our servers, purely so a recipient can later confirm the certificate matches the file they received. For a solicitor redacting privileged material or a council officer preparing a SARs response, that distinction, no copy of the document ever leaving the device, is often the difference between a process that satisfies an information governance policy and one that creates a new disclosure risk on its own. ## What the actual redaction step looks like instead Set against Word’s own documented workflow, the practical gap was less about any single feature and more about sequencing. In Word, you are running two disconnected processes, a metadata clean with Document Inspector and a manual visual edit, and hoping between them you have caught everything. In RedactProof, it is one pass: the document loads in the browser, automatic detection flags likely PII across the full text, and you review and approve or reject each suggestion before anything is touched. Nothing exports on the strength of the detection alone; a human confirms every redaction. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Scan it now: this QR resolves to our live verifier. Once you approve the export, RedactProof does not lay a black box over the text, it removes the underlying content at the pixel level, so there is no layer to peel back later. The export also carries an Ed25519-signed verification certificate with a QR code. Anyone who receives the redacted file, whether that is a court, a data subject, or a colleague checking your work, can scan the code and confirm the file matches what was actually exported, with no account or software needed on their end. Word has no equivalent artefact: once a document leaves your outbox, there is no way for the recipient, or for you six months later, to confirm what was and wasn't removed. ## Word for writing, RedactProof for redacting None of this means abandoning Word. Word is where the document gets written, formatted and reviewed, and nothing here changes that. The redaction problem only appears at the very end, when a finished document has to leave your organisation, and that final step is the one thing Word was never built to do safely. So the two tools fit together rather than compete: keep drafting in Word, and add a redaction step at the point the file goes out. The handoff is three steps. First, write and format the document in Word exactly as you do now. Second, use Save As or Export to turn it into a PDF. Third, open that PDF in RedactProof: automatic detection flags names, addresses and 60+ other PII types for your review, you approve each one, and the content is removed at the pixel level. If the file is going somewhere that needs proof it has not been altered, the export can carry a verification certificate the recipient can check; if you just want the clean document, that stays switched off. ## So which one should you actually use If the redaction is genuinely cosmetic, an internal draft where a black box is a visual cue rather than a disclosure control, and the file never leaves a small, trusted group, Word's highlight tool is fine for that narrow job, and it costs nothing extra since you already have it open. Document Inspector is also worth running as a habit even when the real redaction happens elsewhere; strip the metadata first, then hand the cleaned file to a dedicated tool for the part that actually matters. But the moment a document is going somewhere with legal, regulatory or reputational consequences attached, court disclosure, an FOIA response, a client file leaving the firm, the tool doing the redacting needs to actually remove the content and be able to show it did. Word was never built for that job, and no amount of careful highlighting closes the gap. ## The verdict ## Write in Word. Redact in RedactProof. - RedactProof removes redacted content permanently and detects 60+ PII types in your browser: nothing to install, and the file never leaves your browser. - Every export is signed and verifiable , so anyone receiving the bundle can confirm it wasn't altered. - Keep Word for writing. Redact before you send , in the browser you already have. Where Microsoft Word Has the Edge You already have it, your colleagues already know it, and it costs nothing extra. For internal drafts where a cosmetic blackout is genuinely all that is needed, and the file never leaves a trusted loop, Word is fine. Document Inspector is also a legitimately useful metadata-hygiene step even when you redact elsewhere: run it before converting to PDF, then do the real redaction in a dedicated tool. Try RedactProof free No install · one free document · files never leave your browser Weighing more options than just Microsoft Word? See how all 19 redaction tools compare side by side . ## Our security evidence Cloud redaction tools are audited on how they handle your uploaded documents. RedactProof takes that question away at the source: documents are processed in your browser and never uploaded, so there is no server-side copy to breach and no data processor relationship to audit. RedactProof (operated by Popsall Ltd) is Cyber Essentials certified (the UK government-backed NCSC/IASME scheme), registered with the ICO (ZC164232), and carries professional indemnity and cyber insurance. The full architecture is documented on our security page . 14-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans No credit card required to start What it costs ## Every price, before you sign up Free trial £0 one document For proving it on your own file Full Pro-level features, certificate included, no card Start free Flex Packs £19 / £59 For occasional use 5 or 25 documents with full automatic detection, no subscription, nothing to cancel Buy a pack Core £190 / year For individuals Annual licence for one user, automatic detection and OCR included Get Core Recommended for firms Pro £79 / seat For regulated and audited work Certificates + audit trail, 1 to 100 seats, volume discounts Price your team Public sector buys by order form. No quotes, no sales calls, prices published all year round. · Compare Core vs Pro in detail ## Common questions What people ask when comparing Microsoft Word and RedactProof. Does Microsoft Word have a redaction tool? No. As of August 2026 neither desktop Word nor Word Online has a native redact feature. What Word offers is the Document Inspector, which removes hidden metadata, comments and tracked changes, and manual workarounds like replacing text via Find and Replace. Microsoft's compliance suite, Purview, does classification, labelling and access control rather than blacking out text on a page, and it is licensed at enterprise tiers. Why is black highlighting not safe redaction? Because the text is still in the file. A black highlight changes the display, and anyone can select the text, copy it elsewhere, or change the formatting back. Real-world court filings have been unpicked this way by journalists within hours of filing. Safe redaction removes the content from the file itself, which is what RedactProof's export does. What is the safest way to redact a Word document? Run Document Inspector to strip metadata, tracked changes and hidden text. Then export to PDF and do the actual redaction in a dedicated tool that removes content permanently. With RedactProof you load the PDF in your browser, review the automatically detected PII, approve each redaction, and export a file whose redacted content is gone, together with a certificate proving the export has not been altered since. Do I need to buy anything if I already pay for Microsoft 365? Microsoft 365 does not close this gap at any small-business tier: Business plans run $7 to $32 per user per month, about £5 to £24, and none of them add a redaction feature, while Purview's enterprise licensing addresses classification rather than redaction. RedactProof's free trial document lets you do one full redaction with a verification certificate before paying anything, no card required. Flex Packs start at £19 for occasional work, so you can try it on your very next disclosure. ## Redaction is the whole product here Load a document in your browser and see what 60+ PII types detected locally looks like. One document free. Try RedactProof free Related reading Best Microsoft Word alternatives: all 19 tools compared · Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Data · Why Overlay Redaction Isn't Enough Microsoft Word, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Purview are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product details and pricing were checked in August 2026 against microsoft.com. --- # How to Redact a PDF Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/how-to-redact-pdf Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 How-To ## How to Redact a PDF So the Data Is Actually Gone Drawing a black box over sensitive text in a PDF does not remove it. The text is still in the file, selectable and copyable by anyone with a basic PDF viewer. Genuine redaction permanently destroys the underlying data. Here's how to do it properly, whatever tool you're using and however many documents you're handling. By RedactProof Editorial Team · 18 Feb 2026 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 · 12 min read Drawing a black box over sensitive text in a PDF does not remove it. The text is still in the file - selectable and copyable by anyone with a basic PDF viewer. Permanent redaction requires a different approach entirely, one that destroys the underlying data rather than concealing it. This guide covers all the methods available - desktop software, browser-based tools, and free options - along with how to verify your redaction actually worked, and which approach makes sense depending on what you're handling. This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your organisation's circumstances. ## Why most PDF "redaction" doesn't work Most PDF tools - including Adobe Reader, browser-based viewers, and free online editors - offer annotation features that look like redaction. You draw a black rectangle, it covers the text, the document looks redacted. But those annotations sit on top of the text layer. The original data is still embedded in the PDF file structure. This isn't a theoretical risk. The ICO has investigated cases where overlay redaction in FOI responses exposed personal data that should have been removed. Courts have received disclosure documents where redacted content was trivially recoverable. Genuine redaction uses a technique called pixel-burn: the tool renders the page area to an image, draws the redaction over it, and replaces the original text data with flat image pixels. The text is gone from the file, not just hidden. ## Step-by-step process The exact steps depend on your tool, but the workflow is the same regardless of whether you're using RedactProof, Adobe Acrobat Pro, or another dedicated redaction application. - Open the document in a redaction-capable tool. Not a general PDF viewer - a tool that specifically offers permanent redaction. If you're unsure whether your tool does genuine redaction or overlay, check by running a test document through it and attempting to copy text from behind the redaction marks. - Run automated detection (if available). Tools with AI-based PII detection will scan the document and flag personal information - names, addresses, dates of birth, National Insurance numbers, email addresses, and more. Review the results carefully. Automated detection won't catch everything - unusual formats, context-dependent information, and data in embedded images may need manual identification. But it catches the bulk of standard PII types and significantly reduces the chance of missing something. - Manually review and mark additional content. Walk through the document page by page. Pay attention to headers and footers (they repeat and are easy to overlook), tables (data in cells is dense and hard to scan quickly), embedded images, and metadata. If the document references people by partial names, initials, or role titles that could identify them, consider whether those need redacting too. - Apply the redactions. In most tools, this is a separate "apply" or "burn" step. Until you apply, the redactions are provisional - you can adjust, add, or remove marks. Once applied, the underlying data is permanently destroyed. Make sure you're working on a copy, not your only version of the document. This step is irreversible. - Strip metadata. Remove author information, revision history, comments, tracked changes, and any embedded file attachments that might contain personal data. Some tools do this automatically when you apply redactions. Others require a separate step. - Verify the output. Open the redacted file in a different application. Try to select text behind the redaction marks. Search the document text for strings you know should be removed. If anything comes through, the redaction is incomplete. See our dedicated guide on how to verify redaction worked for a more thorough approach. ## Online and browser-based redaction Browser-based tools have improved significantly. Several now offer genuine pixel-burn redaction in the browser - no installation required, nothing to configure, no IT ticket needed. The main distinction to understand is between tools that process your document locally (in your own browser, on your hardware) and tools that upload your file to a server for processing. RedactProof falls in the first category. Documents are processed in your browser and are not uploaded to our servers - the file stays on your machine throughout. This matters particularly for legal documents, HR files, and medical records , where uploading to a third-party server may conflict with data handling obligations. Upload-based online tools like iLovePDF and Smallpdf do offer PDF redaction functionality, but both process files on their own servers. iLovePDF states files are deleted after two hours; Smallpdf states deletion within one hour (May 2026). Their free tiers are limited - Smallpdf caps free users at two tasks per day across all their tools (May 2026), and iLovePDF's free tier has a daily limit that encourages upgrading to Premium. For documents that are not sensitive, these tools work fine. For anything confidential, consider whether that server upload is acceptable. For a detailed comparison of processing models and what to look for, see our guide on browser-based versus desktop redaction . ## Free PDF redaction options - and their limits Several tools offer free redaction. Whether "free" means what you think depends on the tool. Here's a practical breakdown. - Adobe Acrobat Pro requires a paid subscription (desktop installation, no free tier for redaction). It does genuine pixel-burn redaction but has no automated PII detection - every mark is placed manually. - Foxit PDF offers redaction in its paid PDF Editor Pro tier. No permanent free redaction tier. Desktop-based. - iLovePDF offers online redaction free, with a daily usage cap and server-side file processing. Files are deleted after two hours. - Smallpdf offers online redaction, but free users are limited to two tasks per day across all tools (May 2026). Upload-based. - RedactProof's free trial lets you process one document with full Pro-level features before you need a plan. Flex Packs cover occasional documents with on-device AI-powered detection and OCR; Core and Pro subscriptions add ongoing AI-powered detection and OCR, with Pro also including tamper-evident certificates. The key question with any free tool is: does it do pixel-burn redaction, or just overlay? And does it upload your file? Test any free tool before trusting it with sensitive documents - redact a test file, then try to extract the text using a PDF text extractor. If you get the "redacted" content back, the tool isn't doing genuine redaction. For a broader look at what separates adequate tools from reliable ones, the redaction software buyer's guide covers the criteria worth evaluating. ## Desktop redaction tools Desktop applications remain the standard in larger organisations - particularly law firms and regulated businesses where software is deployed centrally by IT. Adobe Acrobat Pro is the most widely used desktop redaction tool. It does genuine pixel-burn redaction and handles complex PDFs reliably. There is no free tier for redaction, and no automated PII detection. If your documents are complex or your firm already has Acrobat Pro licences, it works. If you're spending time manually hunting through 200-page disclosure bundles, you'll feel the absence of AI detection quickly. Foxit PDF Editor Pro and Nitro PDF Pro are common alternatives - both offer genuine redaction at lower price points than Acrobat. Neither includes automated PII detection. For organisations handling FOIA, SAR, or legal disclosure regularly, the manual-marking workflow becomes a bottleneck. Our roundup of 19 redaction tools scores all of them on the same tests. For a more complete breakdown of options by use case, see best redaction software for lawyers and the buyer's guide linked above. ## Redacting scanned documents Scanned PDFs - where pages are images rather than digital text - require an additional step. OCR (optical character recognition) converts the image content into searchable text, which can then be detected and redacted. Without OCR, a PII detection tool can't read what's in the image. Run OCR before detection, not after. Once you have text-searchable pages, the rest of the process is the same as for digital PDFs. After redaction, the text layer is destroyed by the pixel-burn process, so the final output is secure regardless of whether the original was scanned or digital. A practical note: OCR quality varies with scan quality. If your scanner produces low-contrast or skewed images, recognition accuracy drops and PII can be missed. Run a quality check on your OCR output before proceeding to redaction - particularly for older documents or anything faxed and re-scanned. ## When the searchable text layer does not match the print Many scanned PDFs arrive with a searchable text layer already embedded by scanner software or a "make searchable" tool. That layer can be misregistered: the words are right, but their recorded positions are shifted from where the text is actually printed. Any redaction tool that places boxes by those coordinates will cover the wrong part of the page while the text underneath stays visible, and the mistake is easy to miss because the redaction count looks correct. RedactProof checks for this on scanned pages: it re-reads the printed pixels with text recognition and compares the result with the embedded layer. Where the words agree but sit in the wrong place, the positions are corrected to match the print automatically. Where the embedded text does not match what is printed at all, the page is re-read from the pixels and flagged so you review its suggestions closely. Either way, the boxes end up on the printed words, not where a third-party layer claims they are. ## How to verify redaction worked Verification is not optional. A document that appears redacted and a document that is properly redacted are not the same thing. Checking takes minutes and can prevent a data breach. - Open the redacted PDF in a different PDF viewer from the one you used to redact. Some viewers only show the annotation layer. A different viewer gives you an independent read of the file structure. - Try to select and copy text from behind the redaction marks. If you can highlight the text, the redaction is overlay-only and the data is recoverable. - Use Ctrl+F (Find) and search for a name or identifier you know was in the original. If the search finds it, the text is still present in the file . - Check the metadata. Open file properties and look at the author field, creation tool, and any embedded comments. Personal data can persist in metadata even when the body text is correctly redacted. - For high-stakes documents, consider a cryptographic verification certificate. RedactProof generates a tamper-evident certificate linked to the redacted file's hash - any subsequent modification to the document invalidates the certificate, providing an auditable record of the document's state at export. See also: our detailed guide on document integrity verification and the explainer on verification certificates . ## Common use cases and what they require The right approach varies depending on what you're redacting and why. Here's a brief summary of the most common scenarios. Subject Access Request (SAR) responses under GDPR and UK data protection law require careful redaction of third-party personal data before disclosure to the requester. Automated PII detection helps, but manual review of each document is standard practice - particularly where the same individual appears in multiple roles in the file. FOI responses often involve large document volumes with tight deadlines. This is where batch processing and automated detection pay off - manually reviewing hundreds of pages per response adds up quickly. Tools that can process multiple documents in a queue are worth considering for any team handling FOI regularly. HR and employment records involve particular sensitivity: grievance files, performance reviews, and disciplinary records often contain third-party names that need redacting before sharing. These documents are rarely high-volume but are often high-stakes. Medical records and healthcare documents carry obligations under GDPR (UK/EU) and HIPAA (US). Patient names, dates of treatment, diagnosis codes, and provider information are all typically protected. Automated detection that recognises medical PII types is particularly valuable here. ## Mistakes that leave data exposed The failure mode is almost always the same: overlay annotation mistaken for real redaction, or a step skipped under time pressure. Our guide to common redaction mistakes covers the patterns we see most often, including metadata exposure, partial redaction of repeated data, and the specific risks of working with scanned documents. If you're reviewing your own process, it's worth 10 minutes. ## When you're redacting more than one document Single-document workflows are straightforward. The challenge comes when you're processing a disclosure bundle of 50 documents, a SAR response with 200 pages across 15 files, or a monthly compliance review across an entire HR directory. Manual document-by-document redaction doesn't scale well. For volume work, look for tools that support bulk document redaction - processing multiple documents in a queue rather than one at a time. RedactProof's Pro and Team tiers support bulk mode, applying automated detection across a file set and presenting results for review before export. Want more like this in your results? Add RedactProof as a preferred source on Google. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## Can I redact a PDF using Microsoft Word? You can open a PDF in Word, delete text, and re-save as PDF. But this doesn't qualify as redaction - Word reformats the document, often changing layout, fonts, and pagination. It also doesn't guarantee that the deleted text is removed from the file structure rather than just hidden. For proper redaction, use a tool designed for it. ## Is free redaction software safe to use? Some free tools offer genuine pixel-burn redaction, but many only provide overlay annotation that leaves text recoverable. Before relying on any free tool for sensitive documents, run a test: redact a document with known text, then try to recover that text using a different viewer. If you can extract it, the tool isn't doing genuine redaction. Free online tools that require uploading your document also raise data handling questions for confidential material. ## How many documents can I redact in a browser-based tool? That depends on the tool and your device. RedactProof's free tier includes unlimited pattern-based recognition and unlimited exports (with a small footnote attribution). Paid plans from Core upwards add AI-powered detection, tamper-evident certificates, and OCR text restoration - with no per-document caps on any tier. Processing speed depends on document size and your device hardware, since everything runs locally in the browser. ## Do I need to redact every mention of someone's name? Under data protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA, personal data includes any information that can identify an individual - directly or in combination with other data. If someone's name appears alongside other identifying information (job title, department, case reference), all instances generally need redacting. A name alone in an internal memo may be less sensitive than a name alongside a medical condition in a tribunal bundle. Context matters, and your organisation's data protection officer or legal team can advise on borderline cases. ## Is it safe to redact PDFs online? It depends on how the online tool works. Tools that process documents locally in your browser - without uploading the file to a server - are suitable for confidential documents. RedactProof works this way: your file stays on your device throughout. Upload-based online tools (where your document travels to a third-party server) require more care - check the provider's data retention and deletion policies, and consider whether uploading confidential or legally privileged material is acceptable under your organisation's data handling policies. For solicitor-client privilege material or patient records, local processing is generally the safer choice. ## Can someone undo PDF redaction? With genuine pixel-burn redaction, no. The underlying text data is permanently destroyed - there is nothing to recover. With overlay redaction (a black box placed on top of the text), yes - the data remains in the file structure and can be extracted by removing or copying through the annotation layer. This is why the method matters. If you used a tool that does overlay annotation rather than pixel-burn redaction, the redaction can be undone. If you're unsure which method your tool uses, test it: apply a redaction, save the file, open it in a different viewer, and try to select or search for the text you redacted. ## What's the difference between hiding and redacting? Hiding places a visual element (typically a black rectangle) over text, concealing it from view while leaving the underlying data intact in the file. Redacting permanently removes the text data from the file so it cannot be recovered by any means. Many common PDF editors - including basic annotations in Adobe Acrobat Reader, browser PDF viewers, and free tools that advertise redaction - actually only hide text. The distinction matters because a hidden text redaction can be undone by anyone with a PDF editor. A genuine redaction cannot. Before disclosing any document, confirm that your tool uses pixel-burn redaction - not annotation-based hiding. ## Related Guides How-To ## Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Personal Data How-To ## Overlay vs Pixel-Burn Redaction: One Protects Data, One Doesn't How-To ## Browser-Based vs Desktop Redaction: A Practical Comparison ## Related Documentation Getting Started with RedactProof Understanding Your Export Bundle Common Issues & How to Fix Them ## Try it yourself Put this into practice with RedactProof. Free account, no installation needed. Launch App --- # Overlay vs Pixel-Burn Redaction Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/overlay-vs-pixel-burn-redaction Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 How-To ## Overlay vs Pixel-Burn Redaction: One Protects Data, One Doesn't Two methods look identical on screen. A black bar covers sensitive text. But underneath, they're fundamentally different. Overlay redaction places a visual layer on top of text that remains in the file. Pixel-burn redaction replaces the text with image data, permanently destroying it. Which one your tool uses determines whether your redacted documents are actually safe to share. By RedactProof Editorial Team · 18 Feb 2026 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 · 4 min read ## How overlay redaction works A PDF is a structured file. Text exists as data objects - character codes, font references, position coordinates. When you draw a black rectangle over text using an annotation tool, you're adding a new visual element to the page. The text data underneath hasn't changed. It's still there in the file structure , fully intact. Anyone with a PDF editor (including free ones) can delete the annotation layer, revealing the text beneath. Even simpler: select all text on the page, copy it, paste into another application. The "redacted" content comes through. Most general-purpose PDF tools use overlay by default. Adobe Reader's markup tools, Preview on Mac, browser PDF viewers, and virtually every free online PDF editor - these all create annotations, not redactions. They weren't designed for data removal. They were designed for reviewing documents. ## How pixel-burn redaction works Pixel-burn (sometimes called "flatten and burn" or "rasterise and redact") converts the relevant area of the page to an image, draws the redaction mark over it, and writes the result back. The original text data is replaced with pixels. There's nothing underneath to recover because the text object no longer exists in the file. Think of it as the difference between putting tape over a line in a book versus cutting the line out and gluing blank paper over the gap. With tape, you can peel it off. With the cut, the original is gone. The redacted area becomes part of the page image. If someone tries to select text in that region, they'll get nothing - or they'll get the OCR text layer if one exists, which contains only what's visible after redaction. ## Why it matters for compliance When an organisation discloses documents under data protection rules - responding to a SAR under GDPR , processing an FOI request, or sharing records as part of litigation disclosure - the personal data being redacted must actually be removed. If it's still present in the file, the disclosure is a data breach. The ICO has investigated incidents where overlay redaction led to personal data exposure in public documents. Regulatory bodies including the ICO and FTC have published guidance recommending that organisations verify their redaction processes remove underlying data, not just cover it visually. A small housing association sending a SAR response with overlay redaction faces the same regulatory scrutiny as a government department. The rules don't scale with organisational size. The same principle extends beyond the burn itself. A scanned document's embedded text layer can lie about where words sit on the page, which sends coordinate-based redactions to the wrong spot. Pixels do not lie: RedactProof re-reads scanned pages with text recognition and realigns or replaces a text layer that disagrees with the print, so the boxes and the burn both operate on what is actually visible. ## How to check which method your tool uses The test takes thirty seconds. Open a document in your redaction tool. Redact a line of known text - something specific you'll recognise. Save and close the file. Open the saved file in a different PDF viewer. Try to select and copy text from behind the redaction mark. If the text comes through, your tool uses overlay. Run this test before you rely on any tool for external disclosure. Run it again after software updates, which can sometimes change default behaviour. ## Redact with pixel-burn in your browser RedactProof uses pixel-burn redaction by default - no configuration needed. Open a PDF, detect sensitive data with AI, and export with permanent, irreversible redactions and a tamper-evident verification certificate. - Security architecture - documents are processed in your browser, never uploaded - Compare plans - pixel-burn redaction included on every RedactProof plan, including the free trial. - Verification certificates - prove your redacted exports have not been modified after export Want more like this in your results? Add RedactProof as a preferred source on Google. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## Can overlay redaction ever be reversed? Yes. That's the core problem. Because overlay redaction adds a visual layer without modifying the underlying text data, removing or moving the annotation reveals the original content. Free PDF editing tools can do this in seconds. This is why overlay redaction should never be used when documents are shared externally. ## Does pixel-burn redaction affect document quality? There is a minor quality trade-off. Pixel-burn converts text to image pixels in the redacted areas, which can result in slightly lower visual sharpness compared to native text rendering. The unredacted portions of the document remain as normal text. In practice, the difference is negligible for standard document review. Some tools, including RedactProof, use OCR after pixel-burn to restore an invisible text layer, maintaining searchability while keeping the redacted content permanently removed. ## What about redaction in Microsoft Word documents? Word documents have their own data exposure risks. Track changes, comments, hidden text, and document properties can all contain personal data. Deleting visible text from a Word document doesn't guarantee removal from the file structure. The safest approach for disclosure is to redact the finalised PDF version using a dedicated redaction tool, rather than attempting to redact the Word source. If you must work in Word, run Microsoft's Document Inspector before sharing. ## Related Guides How-To ## How to Redact a PDF So the Data Is Actually Gone How-To ## Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Personal Data How-To ## Verifying That a Redacted Document Hasn't Been Tampered With ## Related Documentation How Pixel-Burn Export Works ## Try it yourself Put this into practice with RedactProof. Free account, no installation needed. Launch App --- # Common Redaction Mistakes Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/common-redaction-mistakes Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 How-To ## Five Redaction Mistakes That Expose Personal Data Public bodies and law firms have been caught out by inadequate redaction - hidden text behind black boxes, overlay failures that anyone can reverse with a free PDF tool, metadata surviving the process entirely. These are the most common errors, illustrated by named cases. By RedactProof Editorial Team · 18 Feb 2026 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 · 9 min read This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your organisation's circumstances. ## Overlay redaction instead of pixel-burn This is the mistake that makes headlines. Someone draws a black rectangle over sensitive text in a PDF, exports the file, and sends it out. The text underneath has not gone anywhere . Select all, copy, paste into a text editor - there it is. In January 2019, lawyers representing Paul Manafort filed a court document in the Mueller investigation using exactly this method. The filing contained redaction bars drawn over text without removing the underlying data. Within hours, journalists discovered that copying and pasting the blacked-out sections revealed their full contents - including that Manafort had shared Trump campaign polling data with his Russian-linked associate Konstantin Kilimnik, and that the two had met in Madrid. The filing was pulled from public access and replaced. The damage, in terms of what was now publicly known, was already done. The distinction matters because most general-purpose PDF tools - including annotation features in Adobe Reader, Preview on Mac, and various free online editors - only add a visual layer. The text data remains in the file structure. The ICO's guidance on disclosing documents securely warns about this risk explicitly. Genuine redaction requires a tool that replaces the underlying text with image data or removes it from the file entirely - pixel-burn redaction . A visual overlay is not redaction. It is concealment, and concealment fails. How to check: open your redacted PDF, try to select and copy text from behind the redaction marks. If readable text transfers to the clipboard, the redaction is cosmetic. Pixel-burn redaction either produces nothing or image data. ## Forgetting document metadata You've carefully redacted every name from a 40-page report. The document properties still show the original author's full name, email address, and company name in the Created by field. The revision history contains earlier versions with unredacted content. Embedded comments from reviewers include names and timestamps. In February 2021, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) found themselves in this position during Federal Court proceedings. According to an affidavit filed in the case and reported by CBC News, CBSA staff had used a software tool to highlight sensitive text and change the highlight colour from yellow to black - the document equivalent of painting over text in Word. When the documents were released to an applicant's lawyer, the supposedly redacted text could simply be lifted off. The agency's own court filing stated it was "unaware that the blacked-out text could be lifted to reveal confidential and sensitive information." Four additional pieces of sensitive content were then found to have been missed entirely. Metadata is the information about a document that most people never look at. A thorough redaction process strips author fields, revision history, comments, annotations, bookmarks, and any embedded attachments. Most dedicated redaction tools handle this automatically. If yours does not, clean the metadata separately before disclosure. ## Inconsistent name redaction A witness is named "Sarah Thompson" on page 3 and the redactor catches it. On page 17, a reference to "Ms Thompson" slips through. On page 41, "S. Thompson" appears in a table footer. Same person, three different formats, only one caught. Automated detection helps here - AI-based tools that understand entity context can link variations of the same name across a document. Even with automation, a final manual pass is sensible for anything going out externally. Search for fragments of known names: initials, titles alone, surnames without forenames. All of these can identify a person. The same applies to organisations. A firm redacting references to a client company might catch the full trading name but miss an abbreviated version used in email threads, or a registration number that points to the same entity. Context-aware detection is the difference between a thorough review and a lucky one. RedactProof detects 60+ types of personal information - names, partial names, NI numbers, dates of birth, account references, and more - and links entity variations across documents automatically. ## Ignoring embedded content PDFs can contain embedded images, attached files, form field data, and occasionally JavaScript. A scanned letter embedded as an image inside a PDF will not be caught by text-based redaction - OCR needs to run first to make that text searchable and redactable. PDF form fields store their values separately from the visible text layer. Redacting what you see on the page does not remove the data held in the underlying form field object. Attached files embedded within a PDF - contracts with annexes, emails with attachments - need individual review at every nesting level. We've seen firms send disclosure bundles where the cover sheet is properly redacted but an embedded email attachment three levels deep still contains personal data. The submitted file passes a surface review. The embedded attachment does not. ## Trusting someone else's text layer A scanned document that has been through scanner software or another tool usually carries an invisible, embedded text layer. Redaction tools rely on that layer to find and place boxes. If it was generated badly, its coordinates can be shifted from the printed words, sometimes by a whole line. The result is the worst kind of redaction failure: every box lands confidently in the wrong place, the personal data stays legible, and nothing in the process looks wrong. The fix is to verify the layer against the print rather than trust it. On scanned pages, RedactProof re-reads the pixels with text recognition and reconciles the two readings: matching text in shifted positions is realigned to the print, and a layer that does not match what is printed is discarded and re-read, with the page flagged for close review. If your tool cannot do this, spot-check scanned pages by eye before release: select a redacted area and confirm the box sits over the words you meant to remove. ## Assuming one review is enough Redaction is quality assurance work. One pass catches most things. A second pass - ideally by someone who was not the first reviewer - catches what the first missed. This is not about competence. Concentration dips by page 60 of a 120-page document. Names in footers become invisible. Dates in table cells blur together. When a second human reviewer is not available, running the document through automated detection after manual review acts as that second check. The tool will not catch everything human judgement catches, but it picks up different things than a tired reviewer does. There is a less obvious dimension to this mistake: the assumption that a document, once redacted, stays redacted. If a document is edited after redaction - a correction, an appended exhibit, a version update - the redaction needs to be re-applied to the modified version. A document that was compliant at export may not be compliant after modification. ## Releasing documents without verifying the output file In 2025, a memorandum of understanding between the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and agencies including the Social Security Administration - relating to DOGE staffers accessing federal systems - was filed in federal court proceedings with redactions that failed to conceal the underlying text. According to court documents and reporting by NPR, the document had been improperly redacted, allowing hidden content to be read. The incident exposed details about the scope of access that DOGE personnel had been granted to sensitive databases containing personal information on millions of Americans. The pattern across the cases on this page is consistent. A document is prepared under time pressure. A visual redaction method is applied. Nobody verifies the output before release. The Manafort filing was pulled within hours of journalists discovering the failure. The CBSA documents were caught because the receiving lawyer recognised what had happened. The OPM filing became evidence in ongoing litigation. In each case, the redaction method failed - but so did the verification step that should have caught it. Verification should be the last step before any disclosure - separate from the redaction process, testing the actual output file as if you were the recipient. ## How to verify your redaction is genuine These checks should run on the output file before it leaves your hands. Not on the version open in your redaction tool - on the exported file, in a separate application. 1. Copy test. Select text from behind every redaction mark and try to copy it. If readable text transfers to the clipboard, the redaction is overlay only. Run this in a viewer different from the one you used to create the redactions. 2. Raw file inspection. Open the PDF in a plain text editor. Search for strings you expect to be redacted. If they appear in the raw content, they have not been removed - only hidden. This is how the Manafort filing failure was confirmed. 3. Metadata audit. Check document properties for author name, company, revision history, and embedded comments. In most PDF viewers, this is under File > Properties. Any field containing personal data that should be removed needs cleaning before disclosure. 4. Embedded content check. If the document contains images, confirm OCR has run and the text layer in those images has been processed. Check for embedded file attachments. Form fields should be flattened or their values cleared before export. 5. Verification certificate. If your redaction tool supports tamper-evident certificates, the certificate records the cryptographic state of the document at the point of export. Any subsequent modification - including re-adding text that was redacted - produces a detectable mismatch. This is an auditable record of what the document contained at disclosure, not a substitute for the checks above. For a detailed walkthrough of what to look for in a redacted output file, see our guide to verifying redacted document integrity . For how tamper-evident certificates work technically, see verification certificates . For a practical step-by-step on the redaction process itself, how to redact a PDF covers the full workflow. Want more like this in your results? Add RedactProof as a preferred source on Google. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## How can I tell if my PDF has been genuinely redacted? Open the document in a PDF viewer and try to select and copy the text behind any redaction marks. If readable text transfers to your clipboard, the redaction is overlay only - the data is still in the file. Genuine pixel-burn redaction removes or replaces the underlying text data, so copying returns nothing or image data. You can also open the PDF in a plain text editor and search for strings you expect to be redacted. If they appear in the raw file, they have not been removed. The Manafort court filing in January 2019 is the best-known example of this failure. ## Does printing and re-scanning count as redaction? It removes digital text data, but creates other problems. The result is a flat image PDF, so text is no longer searchable, file size increases, and screen reader accessibility is lost. Document quality degrades with each print-scan cycle. Dedicated redaction tools achieve the same data destruction while preserving document usability. The print-scan method also does nothing for metadata or embedded file attachments - those survive the process. ## What personal data is most commonly missed during redaction? From what we've seen, the most frequently missed categories are: partial name references (initials, surname only, nicknames), data in headers and footers that repeat across pages, information inside tables and form fields, metadata fields (author name, revision history, comments), and content within embedded images that has not been OCR processed. Automated detection tools scan for 60+ types of personal information, which helps catch the categories that manual review tends to miss. ## Can redacted text in a PDF be recovered or reversed? With overlay redaction, yes - the text has not been removed, only visually covered. Anyone can copy the text behind the black box into a text editor. With pixel-burn redaction, no - the underlying text data has been destroyed and there is no recovery path. This is why the method of redaction matters, not just whether something looks blacked out. If you are unsure which method your tool uses, run the copy test: try to copy text from behind a redaction mark. Readable text confirms it is overlay only. ## What is a verification certificate and does it prove redaction was done correctly? A verification certificate is a cryptographic record of the document's state at the point of export. It contains a hash of the redacted file - if the document is modified after export, the hash no longer matches and any verification attempt will fail. It does not confirm that all sensitive data was found and redacted (that is a judgement call about what should be removed). It confirms that the document has not been altered since the certificate was issued. For disclosure contexts, it provides an auditable record that can be checked by a receiving party. ## Related Guides How-To ## Overlay vs Pixel-Burn Redaction: One Protects Data, One Doesn't How-To ## How to Redact a PDF So the Data Is Actually Gone Compliance ## What Counts as Personal Data - and What to Do About It ## Related Documentation Getting Started with RedactProof How Pixel-Burn Export Prevents Data Recovery ## Try it yourself Put this into practice with RedactProof. Free account, no installation needed. Launch App --- # Redacting Documents for Disclosure (SAR/DSAR/FOI) Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/redacting-documents-for-disclosure Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Compliance ## Redacting Documents for SAR, DSAR, and FOI Disclosure FOI requests carry a 20-working-day deadline under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. SARs and DSARs under UK GDPR give you one calendar month. Both require reviewing potentially large volumes of documents, identifying what must be removed, and applying permanent redaction before anything leaves the building. Getting it wrong is a data breach - and in some cases, an ICO enforcement action. By RedactProof Editorial Team · 18 Feb 2026 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 · 11 min read ## Two routes to the same problem FOI requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (UK) require public bodies to release information they hold - subject to specific exemptions. Under Section 10 , organisations are generally expected to respond within 20 working days of receiving the request. Subject Access Requests (SARs) and Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) are made under Article 15 of the UK GDPR. They give individuals the right to access personal data your organisation holds about them. Under Article 12(3) , the standard timeframe for responding to a SAR is one calendar month from receipt. For complex requests, this can be extended by a further two months - but only if you notify the data subject within the initial month and explain the reason. The redaction challenge is effectively the same in both cases. You need to identify what must be removed, remove it permanently, and verify the removal before the documents leave your organisation. The deadline doesn't flex because the volume is unexpectedly large. ## Scoping the request before you start Before opening a single document, define what's in scope. For a SAR, this means all personal data your organisation holds about the data subject across every system where it might exist: HR files, email accounts, shared drives, CRM records, payroll, case management systems, training records, and systematically filed handwritten notes. The scope can be narrowed by agreement with the data subject. If they specify they only want data from the last two years, or only from a particular system, you can limit your search accordingly. ICO guidance permits asking data subjects to clarify the request where scope is unclear - provided this doesn't delay the response unreasonably. For an FOI request, the scope is determined by what information the public body actually holds on the requested topic. Gather all responsive documents into a review set before you start redacting. Working from an incomplete document set and later discovering additional materials wastes time and can result in a partial disclosure that draws a complaint. ## What to redact: a working checklist Work through every document systematically. You're looking for three categories of content to remove. Third-party personal data. Names, contact details, and any information that could identify someone other than the data subject. This includes co-workers, managers, clients, witnesses, and anyone mentioned incidentally. Be aware that a person can be identifiable without their name - a job title in a small team, a specific date and location, or a description that narrows to one individual all count. Exempt information. Under UK GDPR, this includes legally privileged material (communications with legal advisors for the purpose of legal advice or proceedings), management planning information that hasn't been communicated (such as planned redundancies), and information that could prejudice a criminal investigation. Under the FOI Act, Section 40 exempts personal data where disclosure would breach data protection principles. Each exemption should be applied narrowly and documented. Internal opinions about the data subject. Opinions recorded about the individual - performance assessments, disciplinary commentary, subjective manager observations - are generally in scope for a SAR (they are the data subject's personal data). But they may contain third-party opinions that identify the opinion-holder, which itself needs consideration. The ICO's position is that the data subject is generally entitled to see opinions recorded about them, even where those opinions are unflattering. Practical approach: run automated PII detection across the full document set first. This catches the standard identifiers - names, dates, reference numbers, email addresses, NI numbers, contact details - consistently across every page. Then review manually for contextual identification and exempt information that automated tools won't pick up. ## Applying exemptions correctly Exemptions are not a get-out. Every exemption you claim should be documented, and you should be prepared to justify it if the data subject complains to the ICO. The ICO takes a narrow view of exemptions: if information can be disclosed with portions removed, you should disclose the remainder rather than withhold the document entirely. Legal professional privilege is the exemption most organisations invoke, and also one of the most commonly misapplied. It covers communications between an organisation and its legal advisors for the dominant purpose of seeking or giving legal advice, or in anticipation of litigation. A general email to HR from an in-house solicitor about company policy is unlikely to be privileged. A letter from external solicitors advising on the strength of a pending tribunal claim almost certainly is. When you withhold information under an exemption, tell the data subject. You don't need to describe what you've withheld in detail, but you should state that information has been redacted or withheld and cite the relevant provision. Silence about redactions invites escalation. ## Redacting for subject access requests: when third-party data can stay in Not every mention of another person has to be removed from a SAR response. Schedule 2, Part 3, paragraph 16 of the Data Protection Act 2018 sets out a two-route test. Information relating to another individual can be disclosed if that individual has consented, or if it is reasonable to disclose it without their consent. Reasonableness is judged in all the circumstances. The ICO points to the type of information, any duty of confidentiality owed to the other person, the steps taken to seek their consent, whether they are capable of giving it, and whether they have expressly refused. A manager's comments written in their professional capacity will often be reasonable to disclose. A witness statement given in confidence during a grievance usually will not be. Whichever way you decide, record the decision and the reasoning. If you withhold, note the balancing factors. If you disclose without consent, note why it was reasonable. That log is what stands between you and an awkward conversation with the ICO if either party later complains. In practice this means the redaction pass cannot be a blanket find-and-remove. A review step where each detected item is accepted or rejected individually gives you somewhere to apply the balancing test item by item. Two more SAR-specific points. You cannot normally charge a fee, although a reasonable fee is permitted where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or for further copies of the same data. And if the same person submits repeated requests, the ICO's guidance allows you to take account of how much time has passed and whether the data has changed before treating a fresh request as excessive. ## Workflow from receipt to disclosure A consistent five-stage process reduces the risk of errors under deadline pressure. Stage 1 - Gather. Collect all responsive documents from every relevant system into a single review set. Convert non-PDF formats: Word documents with track changes, emails, and Excel files should all be converted to PDF before redaction. Attempting to redact within native Office formats risks leaving data in revision history, comments, or hidden fields. Stage 2 - Detect. Run automated PII detection across the full document set. This surfaces names, contact details, identification numbers, and other standard identifiers. RedactProof processes documents in your browser - the files do not leave your device - and flags 60+ types of personal information with confidence scoring. Stage 3 - Review. A human reviewer examines the detection output and marks any additional content for redaction: exempt material, contextual identifiers, legally privileged information, internal management data that falls within an exemption. This step cannot be fully automated. The reviewer should also note which exemptions are being claimed for audit purposes. Stage 4 - Redact. Apply redactions using pixel-burn (not overlay). Overlay redaction - black boxes drawn over text - is reversible; the underlying text remains in the file. Pixel-burn converts the document page to an image and permanently destroys the text layer. If an ICO investigation or tribunal later looks at your disclosure, you need the redaction to actually hold. Stage 5 - Verify. Before any document leaves, test it. Open the output in a different PDF viewer. Try to select and copy text from redacted areas. Search the file for strings you know were redacted - names, reference numbers, email addresses. If your tool produces verification certificates, include them with the disclosure. RedactProof handles steps 2-5 in one browser-based workflow. No installation, no upload. Choosing a tool for this work? What to look for, what it costs and how it compares with Acrobat is on our SAR redaction software page. ## Scanned documents and mixed formats A real disclosure bundle rarely arrives as neat, text-searchable PDFs. Expect scanned letters (image-only PDFs where PII detection can't operate on the text layer), Word documents with tracked changes, spreadsheets with personal data in unexpected cells, and email exports in various formats. Scanned documents need OCR before automated detection can work. Run OCR first, verify the text layer is accurate , then proceed with detection and redaction. RedactProof includes OCR text restoration on Core plan and above, which restores a searchable text layer to the output PDF after pixel-burn redaction. For email threads, export as PDF rather than forwarding. Forwarding carries metadata - message headers, routing information, sometimes hidden recipient fields - that adds risk. A flat PDF is cleaner. ## Verification certificates and your audit trail A verification certificate provides cryptographic evidence that a document was redacted using a specific tool at a specific time and has not been modified since. RedactProof generates Ed25519-signed certificates automatically. Each certificate includes a QR code that allows offline verification without needing the original tool. Include the certificate alongside the redacted document in your disclosure. If the data subject later claims the document was tampered with, or argues that redactions were applied after the fact, the certificate provides an auditable timestamp. For organisations subject to ICO investigation, this is material evidence. Separately, keep an internal redaction log. Note which documents were reviewed, what was redacted and under which exemption, and who signed off the disclosure. This log stays inside your organisation - it's your compliance record, not part of the disclosure bundle. HR teams handling frequent SARs may find it useful to read our guide to document redaction for HR teams , which covers recurring SAR workflows in more detail. ## What to include with the disclosure For a SAR response, the documents themselves aren't the complete obligation. Article 15(1) requires you to also provide: the purposes of processing, categories of personal data held, recipients or categories of recipients, retention periods, information about the data subject's rights (to rectification, erasure, restriction, and complaint), and the source of the data if not collected directly from the subject. Many organisations produce a standard covering letter that addresses these points, then attach the redacted document bundle. This is sensible practice. It reduces the risk of forgetting a required element and gives the data subject a readable summary before they wade through the documents. For FOI responses, include an explanation of any exemptions claimed. The requester is entitled to understand why information has been withheld, and has the right to request an internal review if they disagree. Transparency here reduces the likelihood of an ICO referral. Deliver securely. The disclosure package contains personal data, which means it's subject to the same protection as any other personal data in transit. Encrypted file transfer, secure email, or recorded post depending on the sensitivity of the material. Want more like this in your results? Add RedactProof as a preferred source on Google. Disclaimer This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, medical, or professional advice. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## How long do we have to respond to a SAR or DSAR? Under Article 12(3) of UK GDPR, the standard timeframe for responding to a Subject Access Request is one calendar month from the date of receipt. For complex requests, organisations can extend by a further two months - but must notify the data subject within the initial month and explain the reason for the extension. The clock starts from receipt of the request, not from when you confirm identity or acknowledge it. ## What is the deadline for responding to an FOI request? Under Section 10 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, public authorities are generally expected to respond to FOI requests within 20 working days of receipt. The 20-day clock begins the day after the request is received. Extensions beyond 20 working days require specific justification under the Act - for example, where the public interest test is being applied to a qualified exemption. The ICO can issue enforcement notices where organisations fail to meet the statutory deadline. ## Can we charge for redacting and processing a SAR response? The default position under Article 12(5) of UK GDPR is that SAR responses are free. A "reasonable fee" can be charged for requests that are manifestly unfounded or excessive - for example, a repeat request for data that has not changed. The bar for charging is high, and the ICO expects the overwhelming majority of SARs to be handled without charge. Redaction effort is part of meeting the obligation, not a separately chargeable service. ## What happens if we accidentally disclose personal data that should have been redacted? An accidental disclosure of personal data constitutes a personal data breach under UK GDPR. Under Article 33, if the breach poses a risk to individuals' rights and freedoms, it must be reported to the ICO within 72 hours. In practice, if you discover the error quickly, contact the requester immediately, request that the unredacted documents be destroyed, and issue corrected copies. Document the incident, your assessment of risk, and your response actions. The ICO has issued fines in cases where inadequate redaction led to personal data breaches - the risk is not theoretical. ## Do we need to keep a copy of the unredacted originals after disclosure? Yes. Retain the unredacted originals under your standard document retention policy. If the data subject or requester challenges your redaction decisions - arguing that exemptions were applied incorrectly or that certain data should have been included - you will need the originals to justify your position. Store them securely with the same access controls as other sensitive documents. The redaction log (documenting what was redacted and under which exemption) should be retained alongside the originals. ## Related Guides Compliance ## What Counts as Personal Data - and What to Do About It How-To ## How to Redact a PDF So the Data Is Actually Gone Compliance ## Subject Access Request Redaction Software ## Related Documentation Sharing Redacted Documents Verification Certificates for Disclosure ## Redact with confidence RedactProof detects PII across your documents without uploading them. Start with a free account. Launch App --- # Subject Access Request Redaction Source: https://redactproof.com/resources/sar-redaction-software Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 Compliance ## SAR redaction software for UK GDPR subject access requests A subject access request turns a folder of everyday documents into a disclosure exercise with a one-month deadline. This page is about the software side of that: what the job demands of a redaction tool, why it matters where your bundle gets processed, and how RedactProof is set up for it. By RedactProof Editorial Team · 30 Mar 2026 · Updated 6 Sept 2026 · 5 min read It is written for data protection officers, HR and compliance teams, and the consultancies that handle SARs and DSARs for clients. If you need the law and the process first, start with our guide to redacting documents for SAR, DSAR and FOI disclosure , then come back here. ## What a SAR actually asks of a redaction tool Most PDF editors were built to black out a paragraph in a contract. A SAR response is a different kind of job: a few hundred pages of emails, HR notes and case files, everyone else's details to come out, every withholding to be justified, and one calendar month to do it in. A tool has to hold up on five counts. The five things a SAR puts on a redaction tool The job Why it is hard by hand What to look for Find every third party A name on page 140 is as much a breach as one on page 1 Automatic detection across the whole bundle, reviewed by a person Keep the requester's own data in Their manager's comments about them are their personal data Approve or reject each detected item, not blanket find-and-remove Record why each thing was withheld The ICO will ask, and so will the requester's solicitor An exemption code on every redaction, exported as a log Make it permanent A black box drawn in a viewer peels off in another one Pixel-burn export that destroys the text, checked before download Not create a new disclosure Uploading the bundle to a vendor is itself a transfer of personal data Processing on your own device, inside your own network ## Where the bundle goes matters as much as the black boxes The last row is the one most teams skip. A SAR bundle is the most concentrated personal data your organisation holds about one person and everyone around them. Sending it to a cloud redaction service means a new processor, a data processing agreement, a transfer assessment if their servers are outside the UK, and a line in your RoPA. For a consultancy handling requests on behalf of clients, it also means asking each client's permission to put their data on a third party's server. On-device processing removes that question. Out of the box, the bundle opens in a browser tab, detection runs on the machine in front of you, and the redacted copy is saved back to your own file system. Nothing about the requester or the third parties leaves your network. That is why a trial can start the same afternoon: there is no procurement questionnaire to fill in before the first document, because no data goes anywhere. Cloud tools The SAR bundle is uploaded to the vendor's servers before anything is redacted RedactProof The bundle stays in your browser; detection and redaction happen on your device ## How RedactProof is set up for SAR work The editor has a settings profile called SAR / FOI response . Choosing it turns on the things a disclosure needs and leaves the rest alone: an exemption code required on every withholding, a per-redaction certificate table in the export, and a block on exporting while any redaction is still unattributed. You can change any of it, but the defaults are the ones a DPO would pick. Quick setup in the RedactProof dashboard with the SAR / FOI response profile active. One click switches on exemption codes, the redaction log, the per-redaction certificate table and the export block. Exemption codes on every redaction. The code list follows the UK DPA 2018 schedules for subject access (third-party data, legal privilege, management forecasting, negotiations, and so on), with separate lists for FOI, EU GDPR and other jurisdictions. Each redaction carries one, so the balancing test is recorded item by item rather than reconstructed afterwards. Teams can add their own codes and share them across the organisation. Exemption code defaults with the SAR / FOI response profile applied. Annotate one redaction and matching items pick up the same code; export is blocked until every redaction carries one. Detection across the bundle. On-device detection flags 60+ types of personal data: names, addresses, NI numbers, dates of birth, email addresses, phone numbers, account and reference numbers, and the health and financial identifiers that appear in HR and case files. Scanned letters go through OCR first. Approve a name once and it is caught across every document in the session; see how bulk redaction works . A second pair of eyes. The approvals workflow lets one person prepare the redactions and another sign them off before export, which is the process the ICO's disclosure guidance describes and the one most organisations write into their redaction policy but struggle to enforce. Team administrators can make certificates, export records and exemption codes mandatory for everyone, so the policy is applied by the software rather than remembered by the person. The redaction log. Every export is recorded in the account's export history with the document fingerprint, the time, the person and the exemption codes used, and the whole history exports to CSV. That is the internal log the ICO expects you to be able to produce; it never forms part of the bundle you send. Export History. Every export on the account, by person or whole team, with its certificate reference. Export CSV gives you the redaction log for your file. ## Evidence if the response is challenged Requesters do challenge responses, usually months later, and usually with the claim that something was removed after the fact. Each Pro export carries a verification certificate : a signed record of the exact file that was produced and when. The requester, their solicitor or the ICO can check it without an account and without trusting you. It does not say the redaction decisions were right, only that the document they hold is the one you produced. Verification certificate Ed25519 · a3f1…9c04 · Verified ✓ Drop the exported PDF and its certificate to see what a recipient sees when they verify a SAR response ## Plans and pricing Core is an individual annual licence at £190 a year: on-device detection, professional exports and OCR, unlimited documents. Pro is priced per seat from £79 a month and adds the pieces above that make it a SAR tool rather than a redaction tool: exemption codes, approvals, the export history and verification certificates. Occasional requests can use Flex Packs from £19 for five documents, no subscription. Core and Pro come with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Compare plans . Try it free See it on one of your own SAR documents Every account starts with one source document free, with the full Pro feature set and unlimited re-exports of that document. This opens the editor with the SAR / FOI response profile already applied, so your first run shows exemption codes, the export block and the certificate as a SAR team would use them. - Exemption code on every redaction - Export blocked until all are attributed - Redaction log and certificate on Redact a SAR document free No card. Processed in your browser; nothing is uploaded. ## Compared with a general PDF editor Most teams start in Acrobat, and for a ten-page contract it is fine. For a SAR it has no detection, no cross-document approvals, no exemption codes and no log, so a missed name on page 140 of 200 is on you. We have written up the differences honestly, including where the other tools are the better choice: RedactProof vs Adobe Acrobat , vs Redactable , and a roundup of 18 redaction tools . ## Learn how to do it The software is the easy part. The guides cover the judgement calls: how to redact a SAR, DSAR or FOI response (deadlines, exemptions, when third-party data can stay in), SARs from employees and ex-employees , and a redaction policy template for the process around it. Compliance teams handling audits and investigations as well as SARs have their own page . Want more like this in your results? Add RedactProof as a preferred source on Google. Disclaimer This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, medical, or professional advice. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## Does RedactProof upload SAR documents to the cloud? No. By default, RedactProof processes PDFs entirely in your browser. Files are opened, rendered, and redacted locally on your device, so SAR documents are not uploaded to our servers. If you enable the optional Precision Engine, only extracted text (not the original files) is sent to Cloudflare for enhanced detection. ## Can recipients reverse or bypass RedactProof redactions? RedactProof uses pixel-burn redaction. Each page is rendered to an image and redaction areas are burned into the pixels before a new PDF is created. The original text is destroyed, so it cannot be recovered by removing annotations, copying hidden text, or using PDF inspection tools. ## How does RedactProof help with SAR deadlines and large document sets? For large SARs, RedactProof offers AI-powered PII detection and bulk processing. You can load multiple PDFs, run detection across the entire bundle, review suggested redactions, and export everything in one go. This reduces manual review time and helps you stay within typical 30-day SAR deadlines. ## What evidence does RedactProof provide if a SAR response is challenged? Paid plans include a tamper-evident verification certificate with each export. The certificate contains an Ed25519 digital signature and SHA-256 hash of the redacted file. Anyone can use this to confirm that the document has not been modified since export, supporting your audit trail if a SAR response is disputed. ## Related Guides Compliance ## Redacting Documents for SAR, DSAR, and FOI Disclosure Industry ## Redaction for HR: Employee Records, SARs, and Tribunal Bundles How-To ## Bulk Redaction: How to Process Multiple Documents in One Session Compliance ## How to Build a Document Redaction Policy: Template and Checklist ## Redact with confidence RedactProof detects PII across your documents without uploading them. Start with a free account. Launch App --- # The Audit Trail Source: https://redactproof.com/docs/audit-trail Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 ## Audit Trail for PDF Redaction A redaction is only defensible if you can show what kind of data was removed, why it was withheld, who produced the file, and that the copy in front of you is the one that was produced. RedactProof records that in three separate places - this page sets out exactly what each one contains, and why none of them holds the redacted values themselves. Last updated: 26 Jul 2026 ## What a Redaction Audit Trail Must Show A redaction audit trail is the set of records that lets someone else reconstruct a redaction decision after the fact - typically months later, often someone who was not involved and is not inclined to take your word for it. In practice that means answering six questions. Question What answers it Where it lives What kind of data was removed? One row per redaction, describing the category withheld - never the value Redaction log Where was it? Reference ID and page number for each redaction Redaction log Why was it withheld? Exemption code and its official description Redaction log Who produced it, and when? Certificate attribution and ISO 8601 timestamp Export record Has it been altered since? SHA-256 hashes under an Ed25519 signature Export record Did anyone change the rules? Every configuration and team policy change Settings history The distinction that matters most is between records that travel with the document and records that stay in your account . A recipient can only check what you sent them; a regulator or opposing party may later ask for what you kept. RedactProof produces both, and neither requires the original document to be stored anywhere. ## The Three Records Every export on Pro, and on the one-document trial, produces all three: Loading diagram... ## 1. The Redaction Log One row per redaction applied, in reading order. It exists in two forms, both generated in your browser during export: - A table printed into the PDF , alongside the certificate page, so the log cannot be separated from the document it describes. - A machine-readable CSV named {document}_redaction_log.csv , for ingestion into compliance and eDiscovery tooling. ## The log never contains the redacted values Each row describes the category of information withheld - "Redacted email address", or the official wording of the exemption code you applied - and where on the page it appeared. The text itself is destroyed during export and never written to the log. A redaction log that quoted what it redacted would simply be a second copy of the problem, distributed alongside the first. ## CSV columns Column Contains Document Source filename, or the Bates range when Bates numbering is enabled Date Timestamp of the export Ref Reference ID for the redaction, matching the marker printed on the page Page Page number the redaction appears on Code Exemption code(s) applied. Empty when no code is assigned Description The code's official description, or a type label such as "Redacted email address" where no code is used Source Auto for a detection you approved, Manual for one you drew yourself Confidence Detection confidence as a percentage. Empty for manual redactions, which have no score Engine Which detection route produced the match - regex , standard or precision The file follows RFC 4180 with CRLF line endings, a header row, and quoting for any field containing a comma, quote or newline. Excel and the major eDiscovery platforms ingest it without conversion. ## Why every row repeats the document name and date It looks redundant in a single file, and it is - until you have forty of them. Because provenance is carried on the row rather than in the filename, logs from separate exports can be concatenated into one master sheet and still sort, filter and pivot correctly. ## Interactions worth knowing - Bates numbering forces the log on. A Bates-stamped bundle without a per-redaction log is not much use, so enabling Bates makes the CSV mandatory and the toggle read-only. The Document column then carries the Bates range - for example RP000001-RP000042 - rather than the filename. - The Code column is only populated if you use exemption codes , which are a Pro feature. Without them the log still answers what and where, but not why. See exemption codes . - Manual redactions are logged identically to automatic ones , marked Manual with no confidence score. Nothing you draw by hand is left out of the record. ## 2. The Export Record Each export registers a certificate against your account. This is the record that lets a recipient confirm, independently, that the file they hold is the file you produced. It is listed under Certificate History in your dashboard. Field Contains cert_id Unique certificate identifier, printed on the certificate page and encoded in its QR code timestamp ISO 8601 time of export original_hash SHA-256 of the source document redacted_hash SHA-256 of the exported document entity_counts Number of redactions by category page_count Pages in the exported document, excluding the certificate page certified_by Your email address, an account reference ID, or hidden - whichever attribution mode is set signature Ed25519 signature covering every field above The document itself is never stored - only these fields. Hashes are one-way, so nothing about the content can be recovered from them. How the signature is checked is covered in verification . ## Tracking re-exports of the same document Certificate History can be viewed two ways. By Certificate is a flat list, newest first. By Document groups certificates by the hash of the original file, so every export derived from the same source appears in one chain with the most recent marked as latest. That grouping is what answers the awkward version question - "you disclosed this in March and again in June, what changed?" - without you having to keep a spreadsheet. Each entry links to its verification page, and the signed verify.json can be downloaded again at any time if a recipient loses theirs. ## Turning it off The server-side record is optional. Under Settings then Privacy & Data, "Server-side audit trail" can be switched off, unless a team administrator has locked it on. With it off: - Exports still include a signed verify.json , and recipients can still verify offline by supplying that file - Certificate History is empty - there is nothing to list - QR code lookups return "not found", because there is no server record behind the certificate ID - Recipients cannot verify by supplying the PDF alone It is a genuine trade-off between minimising what we hold and keeping a usable trail, and it is yours to make. ## 3. Settings and Policy History The first two records describe documents. This one describes the configuration that produced them - and it is the record that gets asked for when someone suspects the process, not the output. Every change to redaction behaviour is logged with what changed and when, across five categories: Category Examples of tracked changes Detection Detection threshold changed Certificate Attribution changed, certificate position changed Exemption Default jurisdiction changed, default document mode changed, behaviour for unattributed redactions changed Account Marketing preference changed Team Member role changed, attribution lock changed, mandatory certificates changed, mandatory logging changed, log visibility changed The whole history exports to CSV from the dashboard. The single most useful thing it demonstrates is a negative: that detection sensitivity was not quietly lowered in the run-up to a disclosure. ## Team controls On Pro, from two seats, administrators can additionally: - Require export records , so members cannot disable the server-side trail - Require verification certificates on every export - Require an exemption code on every redaction - Lock attribution to email, account reference, or hidden - Control history visibility - team-wide certificate history for all members, or administrators only Each of those policy changes is itself logged. ## What's Available on Each Plan Capability Trial Core Pro Redaction log (in-PDF table and CSV) Yes - Yes Export records and Certificate History Yes - Yes Settings history and CSV export Yes - Yes Exemption codes in the Code column Yes - Yes Bates numbering Yes - Yes Team-wide history and policy locks - - Yes (2+ seats) Core exports do not include certificates or an audit trail - the redaction log, export records and settings history are all Pro features. The one-document trial includes the full audit trail so you can see exactly what a Pro export produces. Full detail on compare plans . ## What We Store, and For How Long Record Where it is held Retention Your document and its text Your device only - never transmitted Never held by us Redaction log CSV Generated in your browser, written into your export Never held by us Export records (hashes, counts, signature, timestamps) Our database Life of the account Settings and policy history Our database Life of the account Deleting your account cascade-deletes every export record and history entry attached to it. There is no separate retention clock and no archival copy. If you need records to outlive the account, export the settings history to CSV and keep the verify.json files from your exports - those verify offline, indefinitely, with no dependency on us. ## What the Audit Trail Does Not Prove - Not that the redactions were correct. The log records what kind of data you removed, not whether you were right to remove it - or right to leave something in. - Not what you chose not to redact. Text you never flagged leaves no trace in the log, by definition. The trail is evidence of process, not of completeness. - Not verified identity. Attribution names the account that produced the export. It is not a checked identity claim about the person at the keyboard. - Not a case management system. It records what RedactProof did. Your reasoning, approvals and correspondence belong in your own disclosure log. Verification certificates and audit records provide evidence of document handling. They do not replace professional judgement, and they are not in themselves a finding of regulatory compliance. Consult your legal or data protection team on what your specific disclosure requires. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## Does RedactProof produce an audit trail for PDF redaction? Yes, on Pro and on the one-document trial. Every export produces three separate records: a per-redaction log listing the category of each item withheld with its page, reason code and detection source; an export record holding SHA-256 hashes of the original and redacted files with an Ed25519 signature; and a settings history recording every change to your redaction configuration. The first travels with the document, the other two stay in your account. Core does not include the audit trail - see Plan Availability below. ## Can I export the redaction log into Excel or an eDiscovery platform? Yes. The redaction log is written as an RFC 4180 CSV with CRLF line endings and a header row, which Excel, Relativity and most eDiscovery tools ingest without conversion. Every row carries a Document and Date column so logs from multiple exports can be concatenated into one master sheet without losing provenance. ## Does the audit trail record the contents of my document, or the text that was redacted? Neither. The redaction log records the category of each item withheld - for example "Redacted email address" - along with its page and reference number, never the value itself. The server-side record holds SHA-256 hashes of the original and redacted files, a count of redactions by category, the page count and a timestamp. Hashes are one-way fingerprints, so nothing can be reconstructed from them, and the document is never uploaded in the first place. ## Can I turn the server-side audit record off? Yes, under Settings then Privacy and Data, unless a team administrator has locked it on. With it off, exports still include a signed verify.json file that recipients can verify offline, but Certificate History stays empty, QR code lookups return not found, and recipients cannot verify by supplying the PDF alone. ## How long are export records kept? For the life of the account. Deleting your account cascade-deletes every certificate record, settings history entry and terms acceptance associated with it. There is no separate retention clock and no archival copy. ## Can a team administrator see everyone’s redaction history? On Pro, from two seats, administrators see a team-wide certificate history. A policy setting controls whether that history is visible to all members or to administrators only. Administrators can also require export records so members cannot disable them. ## Related Documentation - Verification Certificates How the signature and hashes are checked - Understanding Your Export Every file in the export bundle, and how they are packaged - Exemption Codes Populating the "why" column of the redaction log - Security Architecture Why documents never leave your device ## Related Guides Redacting Audit Reports and Investigation Files Redacting Documents for Court Filing Verifying Redacted Document Integrity --- # Detection Coverage & Limitations Source: https://redactproof.com/docs/limitations Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 ## Detection Coverage & Limitations Automatic detection is a first pass, not a guarantee. This page sets out plainly what RedactProof finds on its own, what it doesn't, and where a human review step is part of the intended workflow. Last updated: 21 Jul 2026 ## What is detected automatically RedactProof combines pattern matching (with checksum validation where a format has one, such as payment cards, IBANs, and NHS-style identifiers) with an on-device AI model. Coverage spans 60+ categories: names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, dates of birth, government identifiers across the UK, EU, US, Canada, and Australia, financial account details, healthcare identifiers (medical record numbers, accession and specimen IDs, patient IDs, health insurance member numbers), device and equipment serial numbers, employee IDs, vehicle identifiers, IP and MAC addresses, and credentials such as API keys and access tokens. Every automatic suggestion carries a confidence score and shows which detection layer produced it. Nothing is redacted without your approval: the workflow is detect, review, approve, export. For high-assurance work, treat the review step as mandatory - the certificate records what was redacted and whether each item was auto-detected or manually added. ## What needs manual redaction Some content is not analysed by automatic detection today. If your documents contain any of the following, plan for a manual pass: - Barcodes and QR codes. Their encoded content is not decoded. A QR code that encodes a patient identifier will not be flagged - draw a redaction box over it. - Handwritten and electronic signatures. There is no signature detection category. Signature images and signature blocks need manual boxes. - Faces and photographs. Photographs of people are not detected as identifying content. - Logos, stamps, and watermarks that identify an organisation or individual. Manual redaction produces exactly the same pixel-burn result as automatic redaction - the distinction is only in how the content gets found, and the redaction log records which was which. ## Scanned pages and OCR Pages with little or no selectable text - scanned pages and uploaded images - are OCR'd automatically before detection runs, on every plan. Uploaded JPG and PNG files are converted and OCR'd the same way. The nuance is mixed pages : a page that already has substantial native text plus an embedded image (a scanned wristband or label pasted into an otherwise typed report) is not automatically OCR'd, because the page as a whole doesn't look scanned. RedactProof flags such pages in the editor and prompts you to re-scan them - right-click the page number and choose "Re-scan this page". Until a page is re-scanned, text inside its embedded images is invisible to detection. ## Document metadata Pixel-burn export builds an entirely new PDF containing only rasterised page images (plus an optional OCR text layer generated by RedactProof). Nothing from the source file's internal structure survives: no document properties, XMP metadata, annotations or comments, embedded files or attachments, thumbnails, revision history, or digital signatures. The only metadata in the output is what RedactProof writes fresh at export time: - Title - blank - Producer - "RedactProof (redactproof.com)" - Subject - "Redacted document", or a certificate reference on certified exports - Keywords - "redacted", or on certified exports a machine-readable copy of the verification certificate (certificate ID, document hashes, signature, redaction counts - never document content) - Modification date - the export time - Author and Creator - your attribution identity: your custom username or reference ID if you've set one, otherwise your account identifier. Blank for anonymous exports. This is deliberate - it attributes the redaction work - but it does mean the exporter's identity is readable in the file's properties. You can confirm this on any exported file with our free Redaction Checker (which also runs entirely on-device) or a third-party metadata inspector. What's included in an export is documented on the exports page . ## Consistency over time Detection models are versioned. For a given model version, the on-device engine is deterministic: the same document produces the same results. Models do improve over time, though, and versions are not pinned per account - a document processed today and re-processed after a model update may be detected differently (usually better). Certificates record which detection engines produced a document's redactions, so an audit trail survives model updates. The practical guidance: treat each document as reviewed at time of processing, rather than relying on bit-identical reproducibility across releases. ## Found a gap? If detection misses something in your documents that you'd expect it to catch, we want to know - real documents drive coverage priorities. See the FAQ for how to get in touch, and never include unredacted sensitive content in a report. ## How your files are processed Your device Files load into the editor and, out of the box, all processing runs on your device - no cloud uploads, no data residency concerns. Like a desktop app, without the install. Our servers Only content-free metadata reaches our servers - cryptographic fingerprints to verify integrity and provenance, plus redaction coordinates and categories for optional saved sessions and team workflows. The files themselves - contents, text, filename, everything - stay on your device. Precision Engine An optional upgrade you choose to enable. It sends only extracted text for analysis, never your original files - processed in memory, not stored. Security architecture · Privacy policy --- # FAQ Source: https://redactproof.com/docs/faq Retrieved from build: 2026-09-10 ## Frequently Asked Questions Everything you need to know about RedactProof. ## Security & Privacy ## How does RedactProof keep my documents secure? RedactProof redacts documents in your browser. Your document is never uploaded and never leaves your device; detection runs on-device by default. We never store document content: the only thing registered server-side is a cryptographic hash that backs your verification certificate. The optional Precision mode (Pro, off by default) analyses extracted text over an encrypted connection for higher recall; it never sees your document, the text is used for inference only, and admins can disable the mode company-wide. ## Where is my data stored? Your documents stay on your device: they exist in browser memory during processing and are not persisted anywhere. We store your account details, usage stats, and the cryptographic hashes that back verification certificates. We do not store document content. If you enable the optional Precision mode (Pro, off by default), extracted text is analysed over an encrypted connection for inference only: not stored, not used for training, and never the document itself. ## How do you track usage without seeing my documents? For Core tier billing, we need to count unique documents without knowing what those documents are. We use a privacy-preserving technique: your browser creates a one-way code from your document that changes each month. We can count these codes to track usage, but we cannot reverse them to identify your documents. Even if someone had your original document, they couldn't prove you processed it. ## Is RedactProof GDPR compliant? RedactProof is designed to support GDPR compliance. Your document never leaves your device, giving you full control over personal data processing, which aligns with requirements for data minimisation and security. The optional Precision mode (Pro, off by default) analyses extracted text for inference only: not stored, not used for training, and never the document itself. ## Features ## What types of PII can RedactProof detect? Our AI model detects over 60 types of sensitive information including names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, national ID numbers, bank account details, medical record numbers, crypto wallet addresses, developer secrets, and more. ## Can I redact manually as well as using AI? Yes. You can use AI detection to find PII automatically, then review and adjust before applying redactions. You can also draw manual redaction boxes on any part of the document. ## What are verification certificates? Verification certificates are cryptographically signed records that confirm a document was redacted at a specific time. They include cryptographic hashes that link the redacted document to its source, without revealing original content. Any modification to the certificate - even changing one character - is immediately detectable. Verification can be performed at redactproof.com/verify or using our independent verifier on GitHub. ## Pricing & Plans ## Do you offer a money-back guarantee? Yes. Core and Pro come with a 14-day money-back guarantee. If you're not satisfied, contact support@redactproof.com within 14 days of your first purchase for a full refund. Flex Packs are not refundable once a credit has been used. ## Is there a free version? Yes - a free trial on one document. Sign up and redact one source document with the full Pro feature set, with unlimited attempts and re-exports of that document and no card required. If you only need a handful of documents, Flex Packs start at £19 for five; the Core individual licence is £190/year. ## What payment methods do you accept? We accept all major credit cards through Stripe. Enterprise customers can arrange invoice billing with dedicated account management, regional data residency, and tailored Data Processing Agreements. Contact hello@redactproof.com for details. ## Can I cancel anytime? Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time. You'll continue to have access until the end of your billing period. ## What happens if my payment fails? If a payment fails, you have a 3-day grace period with full access while we retry the payment. After 3 days, your account becomes view-only: you can still log in and see your audit history and certificates, but redaction and export need an active plan. Update your payment method anytime to restore full access immediately. ## How does Pro seat pricing work? Pro is priced per seat with volume tiers - £79/seat/mo for 1-2 seats, £69 from 3 seats, stepping down to £55/seat/mo at 50+. Team administration features unlock from 2 seats. You can run 1 to 100 seats and adjust at any time from your account settings. ## Technical ## Which browsers are supported? RedactProof works in all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. We recommend using the latest version for the best experience. ## What file formats are supported? All plans support PDF documents, including scanned PDFs. Paid plans (Core and above) also support image files (JPG, PNG, TIFF, WebP, HEIC, BMP) - these are converted to PDF and OCR'd automatically in your browser. Need to redact a different format? Convert it to PDF first. ## Is there a file size limit? There's no hard limit, but very large files may be slower to process as everything happens in your browser. For best performance, we recommend files under 50MB. ## Compliance ## Is RedactProof suitable for UK GDPR and DPA 2018 compliance? Yes. Because documents are processed entirely on your device, you retain full control over personal data and there is no third-party transfer of your document. This aligns with UK GDPR principles of data minimisation and storage limitation. The optional Precision mode (Pro, off by default) analyses extracted text for inference only: not stored, not used for training, and never the document itself. ## Do you offer a Data Processing Agreement (DPA)? Yes. Enterprise customers can request a tailored Data Processing Agreement. Contact hello@redactproof.com with your requirements. ## Can I use RedactProof for SAR and FOI responses? Yes - Subject Access Request and Freedom of Information responses are a core use case. RedactProof lets you redact third-party personal data before disclosure, apply redactions to scanned documents, and export with tamper-evident certificates that demonstrate due diligence. ## Still have questions? Can't find the answer you're looking for? We're here to help. Contact Support ## Try RedactProof Free Create a free account and start redacting documents securely in your browser. Launch App ## Related Guides How to Redact a PDF What Counts as Personal Data