Local vs Cloud Processing
PDFLean is local-first: everyday tools run in your browser by default; heavy jobs can optionally use encrypted cloud.
Local Processing
Section titled “Local Processing”- Files never leave your browser; memory is released when the tab closes.
- Works offline once the page has loaded — suitable for confidential everyday documents.
- Tool pages carry a “Local Processing” badge.
Cloud Processing
Section titled “Cloud Processing”- Requires sign-in; used for server-assisted jobs (digital signing, PDF/A validation, URL-to-PDF) and heavy batch runs. Paid plans include unlimited fair-use cloud tasks.
- Files travel over TLS 1.3 into encrypted storage.
- Retention by plan: anonymous results are not stored; Free & Week Pass keep cloud files 7 days; Pro & AI Pro keep them 30 days; task records up to 7 days — deletable instantly in your account.
- File content is never used for ads or AI model training.
How to Choose
Section titled “How to Choose”| Scenario | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Contracts, invoices, IDs | Local tools |
| Huge files, heavy batch runs | Cloud tasks |
| Batch pipelines | Local if it runs; cloud otherwise |
The mode badge and limits row at the top of each tool page state the execution mode and quotas before you start.