Free Sejda Alternative — TryDocsy
Sejda offers a capable online PDF editor plus a desktop app, both free within limits. The best-known limit is three tasks per hour on the web. TryDocsy has no task counter and processes files in your browser instead of uploading them, but it has its own per-file size caps and fewer specialist features.
Updated September 17, 2026 · TryDocsy team
Sejda's free limits and TryDocsy's size caps
Sejda's online editor states: "Free service for documents up to 200 pages or 50 MB and 3 tasks per hour." The free Sejda Desktop app is limited per day instead, to 3 tasks, documents up to 50 MB and 200 pages, compression up to 100 MB and OCR up to 10 pages.
TryDocsy doesn't meter tasks by the hour or the day. The limit you may hit is file size, which each tool checks when you add a file: 100 MB for merge, split, compress, organise and the editor, 50 MB for the form filler and 20 MB for OCR. Page counts matter less: PDF OCR reads at most the first 50 pages, but the other PDF tools set no page limit of their own. A very long or image-heavy PDF can still be slow or run out of memory, especially on a phone.
Uploading to Sejda vs processing in the browser
Sejda explains that Sejda Web is "the online browser-based tools, where you upload your documents and process them on our servers". Its editor page says files are automatically deleted after 2 hours, and its security page says documents are encrypted in transit and at rest and that employees do not access documents without consent. Sejda Desktop, by contrast, processes documents on your computer without uploading them.
TryDocsy gives you the no-upload approach without installing anything: its PDF tools run on JavaScript libraries (PDF.js and pdf-lib) inside the browser tab, and only the OCR engine uses WebAssembly. The site itself uses Google Analytics and ads, and the analytics receive events such as the tool name and file type, not the document.
TryDocsy vs Sejda: side by side
| Feature | TryDocsy | Sejda |
|---|---|---|
| Free web limits | No task counter; per-tool size caps | 3 tasks per hour; 200 pages or 50 MB |
| Max file size | 100 MB on most PDF tools | Free: 50 MB; paid: up to 500 MB |
| Where files are processed | In your browser | Web: Sejda's servers (deleted after 2 hours); Desktop: your computer |
| Account | None | Not required for free use |
| Price | Free | $5 week pass, $7.50/month, $63/year (Desktop+Web) |
| Edit existing PDF text | Yes (/pdf/edit) | Yes |
| Add links to a PDF | No | Yes |
| Bates numbering | No (page numbers only) | Yes |
| Desktop app | No | Windows, macOS and Linux |
Sejda details are from sejda.com/pricing (which opens sejda.com/upgrade), sejda.com/pdf-editor, sejda.com/desktop and sejda.com/security, checked on 2026-09-17. Prices were shown in USD.
Sejda pricing as of 2026-09-17
Sejda's upgrade page listed three personal plans: a Web Week Pass for $5, a one-time payment for 7 days of Sejda Web; Web Monthly at $7.50 per month with recurring billing; and Desktop+Web Annual at $63 per year, which it describes as saving 30% over monthly. All paid plans include "Unlimited documents, no page or hourly limits", OCR of documents up to 100 pages, and uploads up to 500MB per file.
If you only occasionally need to merge, split or compress a PDF and keep running into the hourly limit, TryDocsy avoids the wait at no cost. For correcting existing text, /pdf/edit edits it in place; for numbering pages there is /pdf/page-numbers, and for headers and footers /pdf/header-footer.
When Sejda is the better choice
- Legal document numbering. Sejda has a Bates Numbering tool. TryDocsy can add page numbers and headers or footers, but not Bates numbers.
- Adding links. Sejda's editor can add text, links, images and shapes. TryDocsy's editor doesn't create links.
- Offline work on Mac or Linux. Sejda Desktop is available for Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple silicon) and Linux and processes files locally. TryDocsy has no installable app.
- Very large jobs. Paid Sejda plans accept uploads up to 500MB per file and allow up to 21 minutes of processing per task. TryDocsy stops at its per-tool caps and at what your device's memory allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the limits of Sejda's free web service?
Sejda's PDF editor page says the free service covers "documents up to 200 pages or 50 MB and 3 tasks per hour". Its free desktop app has daily limits instead: 3 tasks per day and documents up to 50 MB and 200 pages.
Does TryDocsy have an hourly or daily task limit?
No. TryDocsy doesn't count tasks. It does limit file size per tool: 100 MB for most PDF tools, 50 MB for the form filler and 20 MB for PDF OCR, and big files are also bounded by your device's memory.
What happens to my files on Sejda compared with TryDocsy?
Sejda Web uploads documents and processes them on Sejda's servers; Sejda says files are "automatically deleted after 2 hours" and are encrypted in transit and at rest. TryDocsy's PDF tools process the file in your browser, so it is not uploaded in the first place.
How much does Sejda cost?
On 2026-09-17 Sejda listed a Web Week Pass at $5 for 7 days (one-time), Web Monthly at $7.50 per month, and Desktop+Web Annual at $63 per year, in USD. Paid plans remove page and hourly limits and allow uploads up to 500 MB per file. TryDocsy has no paid plan.
When is Sejda a better choice than TryDocsy?
When you need Bates numbering, want to add links to a PDF, or want a desktop app for Windows, macOS or Linux that processes files locally. TryDocsy has none of those. TryDocsy does edit existing PDF text in place, so that alone is not a reason to switch.
Do I need an account on either service?
No. Sejda's free plan says "No signup required", and TryDocsy has no accounts at all. Sejda's paid plans are subscriptions or passes you buy.