Short answer: we test the claims free online tools make — with real files, real measurements, and the full methodology published. Journalists and bloggers: cite anything here freely with attribution to ToolVaultly.
All studies
How Much Data Does Your PDF Editor Send?
We uploaded the same test PDF to 6 editors: 4 of 5 competitors transmitted it to their servers. Ours sent 0 bytes. October 2026.
How Free Are "Free" PDF Editors?
We tested 27 editors: 37% require signup before editing, 78% upload your files. October 2026.
How we test
Every study follows the same rules: a fixed test file or procedure applied identically to every tool, a fresh session per tool, no accounts created unless the flow requires it, and every claim re-verified before publishing. Methodology sections name the date, the exact steps, and the limits of what was measured — including what we couldn't verify. If a competitor comes out clean on a test, we say so.