peadf vs PDFDeck
A "stupidly simple" PDF hosting tool that turns a PDF into a shareable link, website embed, or QR code with view tracking and an editable destination. Here is an honest look at how the two compare for sharing a PDF as a link and QR code.
| Feature | peadf | PDFDeck |
|---|---|---|
| Host a PDF as a shareable link + QR code | Yes, link plus QR code generated automatically | Yes, link, website embed, and QR code generated automatically |
| Editable destination (update the PDF without changing the link/QR) | Yes | Yes, but free plan is capped at 3 updates per PDF; unlimited requires a paid plan |
| View analytics | Yes, view analytics included | Free plan shows total view count only; timestamps, geography, and referrer data are paid-only and partly still planned |
| Free / no-signup tier | Generous free tier, no signup required to use the tools | Free tier with no signup to start, but limited to 3 PDFs, 10MB each, and 3 updates per PDF |
| In-browser PDF editing tools (merge, split, compress, convert, etc.) | 15 free in-browser PDF tools included | None, PDFDeck only hosts and shares PDFs |
| Custom branded domain | Not a primary offering | Yes, on paid plans (1 domain on Starter/Pro, 5 on Business) |
| Flipbook / presentation mode and website embed | Not a primary offering | Yes, flipbook mode and embeddable viewer included |
| Password protection | Yes, free Protect PDF tool (AES-256) in the browser | Yes, free on the share link (recently shipped) |
| Paid pricing | Free-tier focused | $6 / $15 / $38 per month (Starter / Pro / Business); annual saves 2 months |
Where PDFDeck is strong
- • Genuinely focused on PDF hosting: unlimited views and non-expiring documents even on free, plus polished extras like flipbook/presentation mode and clean website embeds that a general PDF-tool suite may not match.
- • Editable destination is a first-class feature: you can swap out the underlying PDF without changing the share link or QR code, which is the exact dynamic-QR behavior marketers and print users want.
- • Custom branded domains (e.g. pdf.yoursite.com) and the ability to remove the PDFDeck banner on paid plans give a more white-labeled, professional sharing experience.
- • Bot-filtered view counts mean the free analytics reflect real human opens rather than crawlers.
Where peadf is different
- Analytics are thin: the free tier is a single total view-count metric. Richer data (per-view timestamps, geography, referrer) is paid-only and parts of it are still described as planned/coming, where peadf surfaces view analytics out of the box.
- It is a single-purpose hoster: no in-browser PDF editing toolkit. peadf bundles 15 free PDF tools (merge, split, compress, convert, etc.) alongside hosting, so you don't need a second tool.
- The free tier is tight: only 3 PDFs, a 10MB cap, and just 3 updates per document before you must upgrade. peadf aims for a more generous no-signup free tier.
- No custom domains on the free plan, and unlimited updates require a paid plan.
- Controlled-sharing download limits are not available yet. (Password protection, once 'coming soon', has since shipped and is free on PDFDeck.)
When to pick peadf
Pick peadf when you want PDF hosting plus a full PDF toolkit in one place: 15 free in-browser tools (merge, split, compress, convert) sit right next to share-as-link-and-QR with an editable destination and view analytics, all on a generous no-signup free tier. PDFDeck is an excellent, more specialized choice if hosting is all you need and you want its polish (flipbook mode, custom branded domains, clean embeds), but its free tier is tighter (3 PDFs, 10MB, 3 updates) and its richer analytics and security features sit behind paid plans or are still in progress. If you mostly need to occasionally edit a PDF and share it without paying or signing up, peadf is the better fit; if you're a heavier publisher who wants branded domains and presentation-grade embeds, PDFDeck earns its subscription.
PDFDeck pricing: Free tier hosts 3 PDFs (10MB max, 3 updates each), with QR codes and view tracking included and no sign-up to start. Paid plans: Starter $6/mo (20 PDFs, 20MB, 1 custom domain, banner removed), Pro $15/mo (100 PDFs, 100MB, 1 custom domain), Business $38/mo (600 PDFs, 1GB, 5 custom domains). All paid plans get unlimited updates; annual billing saves 2 months.