Is PDFCrop Private? Offline Processing, Ads and Analytics Explained

The problem

PDFs are contracts, medical letters and ID scans. A “free PDF editor” that uploads them to a server for processing is a real risk, and so is an app that’s vague about what else it sends.

What stays on your device

• The PDF you import and the PDF you export.
• Your crop, split and rotate edits.
• All processing, using Apple’s PDFKit. There is no server.

What the app does send

• Anonymous usage events to Google Firebase Analytics: things like “export completed” or how long it took, in coarse buckets. No documents, file names or text. It is on by default and you can turn it off at Settings → Share Anonymous Analytics.
• Ads from Google AdMob on the free version. AdMob may use the advertising identifier. In regions that require it (EEA, UK) a consent form appears first.
• A list of our other apps fetched from Apple’s public iTunes API.
• Purchases through the App Store.

Ads in the free version

The first full journey (import, edit, export) is ad-free. Interstitial ads begin from your second export, at most every few minutes; an app-open ad can appear at most every few hours; native ads can appear in lists. A rewarded ad gives one extra use when you ask for it.

Pro, or an unspent paid Single Clean Export, turns ads off.

For sensitive documents

Turn off analytics, enable Encrypt output PDF when exporting, and delete exported files from the Files tab when you’ve sent them. Remember that cropping hides content but doesn’t delete it.

FAQ

Are my PDFs uploaded? No. Documents stay on the device; PDFs, file names and text are not sent to analytics or ad services.

Does the app work offline? Yes for editing and export. Ads and the Pro purchase need a connection.

How do I stop analytics? Settings → Share Anonymous Analytics → off.

Are there ads? The free version shows ads (banner-style native, interstitial, app-open and rewarded). Pro and a paid Single Clean Export remove them.