Is MergeCraft free to use?

Yes. MergeCraft is completely free. There is no sign-up, no paywall, no usage limit, no watermark on output files, and no premium tier.

Does MergeCraft upload my PDFs to a server?

No. MergeCraft processes everything entirely inside your browser using Web Workers and WebAssembly. Your files never leave your device, are never uploaded to a server, and are never seen by MergeCraft or any third party. Closing the tab clears the workspace.

How is MergeCraft different from iLovePDF, Smallpdf, or Adobe Acrobat online?

iLovePDF, Smallpdf and Adobe Acrobat online upload your files to their servers for processing. MergeCraft does not — it runs entirely in your browser, so files never leave your device. MergeCraft is also free with no sign-up, no daily file limit, and no watermark, which is the typical free-tier limitation on those services.

Can I merge PDFs and images together into one PDF?

Yes. MergeCraft accepts PDF, JPG, PNG, and WebP files in the same merge session. You can drag-and-drop them in any order, rotate or reorder pages, and export a single combined PDF.

Is there a file size limit?

Because MergeCraft runs locally, the only limit is the memory available in your browser. Most modern laptops can comfortably merge hundreds of pages. There is no artificial server-side cap or daily quota.

Is MergeCraft safe for confidential or GDPR / HIPAA-sensitive documents?

MergeCraft is designed for confidential documents. Because files are never uploaded, there is no data transfer, no server storage, and no log of file contents. This makes it well-suited for legal packets, medical records, contracts, and other sensitive material. Users should still verify compliance requirements for their specific use case.

Does MergeCraft work offline?

Yes. MergeCraft is a Progressive Web App (PWA). After the first visit it can be installed and used offline — useful on flights, on weak conference Wi-Fi, or in air-gapped environments.

What file formats does MergeCraft support?

Inputs: PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, WebP. Outputs: PDF (merge / split / compress) and PNG or JPEG with adjustable DPI (extract). ZIP bundles are available when exporting many images at once.

What is the best free privacy-first alternative to iLovePDF or Smallpdf?

MergeCraft is a free, browser-based alternative to iLovePDF and Smallpdf that processes files entirely on your device. Unlike those services, MergeCraft requires no upload, no account, and adds no watermark, while supporting merge, extract, compress, and split workflows.

Does MergeCraft require sign-up or installation?

No. MergeCraft works in any modern browser without an account, without an email address, and without installing software. It can optionally be installed as a PWA for offline use.

How to Merge PDF on iPhone & Android

Why merging PDFs on mobile matters

More than half of all web traffic now comes from phones and tablets. You receive contracts to sign while commuting, scan receipts at lunch, and share proposals from airport lounges. Yet most PDF tools were designed for desktops first and feel clunky on a small screen.

Native PDF apps on iOS and Android often require installation, eat storage, and demand subscriptions after a short trial. Cloud-based alternatives force you to upload sensitive documents over cellular data — not ideal when you are on a metered plan or handling confidential files.

MergeCraft solves both problems. It runs entirely inside your mobile browser, requires zero installation, and never uploads a single byte. Open the site, drop files, and export — the same workflow you use on desktop, adapted for touch.

Merge PDFs on iPhone and iPad

Open Safari and navigate to mergecraft.app. Tap the merge workspace, then tap the drop zone to open the file picker. iOS lets you choose files from the Files app, iCloud Drive, or directly from email attachments.

Once your PDFs appear as cards, drag them into the right order using touch-and-hold. Rotate pages by tapping the rotate button on each card. When everything looks correct, tap Export and the merged PDF downloads to your Files app.

For the best experience, add MergeCraft to your home screen: tap the Share button in Safari, then Add to Home Screen. This creates an app-like icon that opens in full-screen mode without the browser toolbar, giving you more workspace on smaller screens.

Merge PDFs on Android

Open Chrome and visit mergecraft.app. Tap the drop zone, then pick files from your Downloads folder, Google Drive, or any file manager app. Chrome on Android supports multiple file selection, so you can add several PDFs at once.

Rearrange cards by long-pressing and dragging. The interface responds to touch gestures just like a native app. After reordering and rotating, tap Export to download the merged file.

Android users can also install MergeCraft as a Progressive Web App. Tap the three-dot menu in Chrome and select Install app. The PWA launches instantly from your app drawer and works offline after the first load.

Tips for a smooth mobile experience

Keep individual files under 50 MB each. Mobile browsers allocate less memory than desktops, so extremely large scans may slow down rendering. If you need to combine bulky files, compress them first using MergeCraft's PDF Compressor.

Use a stable connection for the initial page load, but after that everything works offline. The service worker caches all assets, so subsequent visits are instant — even in airplane mode.

Portrait orientation works best for the merge workspace. The card layout stacks naturally in portrait, making drag-and-drop intuitive with your thumb. Switch to landscape if you want to preview page thumbnails at a larger size.

Combining photos and scans into a PDF

MergeCraft accepts JPG, PNG, and WebP images alongside PDFs. This is perfect for mobile users who scan documents with their phone camera. Snap photos of receipts, whiteboard notes, or handwritten forms, then merge them with existing PDFs into a single organized document.

Each image is auto-rotated using EXIF metadata, so photos taken in landscape or portrait appear correctly without manual adjustment. The merged output preserves the original resolution of each image.

Privacy on public networks

When you merge PDFs at a coffee shop, hotel, or co-working space, your files never leave the device. MergeCraft processes everything using Web Workers in local memory. There is no server to intercept, no upload progress bar, and no cloud storage to breach.

This matters especially on mobile, where you might be connected to an unsecured Wi-Fi hotspot. Unlike cloud-based PDF tools, MergeCraft's client-side architecture makes network security irrelevant — your documents stay on your phone from start to finish.

Troubleshooting common mobile issues

If the file picker does not appear, check that your browser has permission to access storage. On iOS, go to Settings > Safari > Downloads. On Android, check Chrome's site permissions.

If the export fails on a very large merge, try closing other browser tabs to free memory. Mobile browsers are more aggressive about reclaiming resources from background tabs.

For the smoothest experience, use the latest version of Safari (iOS) or Chrome (Android). MergeCraft uses modern web APIs like Web Workers and IndexedDB that work best on up-to-date browsers.