I Built a Privacy-First PDF Toolbox That Runs Entirely in Your Browser

The Problem

Every time I needed to compress a PDF or convert it to JPG, I had to upload my files to some random server. Tax documents, contracts, personal records — all sent to who-knows-where.

So I built PDF Toolbox — a free, browser-based PDF toolkit that does everything locally.

How It Works

All processing happens right in your browser using WebAssembly and pdf-lib:

• No file uploads — your files never leave your device
• No registration — just open and use
• No daily limits — use it as much as you want
• 8 tools — Compress, Merge, Split, PDF→JPG, JPG→PDF, PDF→Word, Unlock, Protect

Why Client-Side Matters

Most free PDF tools either:

1. Upload your files to process server-side (privacy risk)
2. Watermark your output
3. Limit you to 2 files per day

PDF Toolbox does none of that. The code runs entirely in your browser, so sensitive documents stay on your device.

Tech Stack

• Next.js 16 + React
• pdf-lib for PDF manipulation
• WebAssembly for compression
• Zero server processing — everything client-side

Try It

Check it out at pdftoolbox.tech. Completely free, no signup needed.

Feedback welcome — what PDF features would you want next?