Siliph vs AvePDF:
Generous Free Tier vs Restricted Limits
AvePDF is clean and capable, but its free tier is tight: 2 tasks/hour, 128MB max, no OCR, no AI. Siliph gives you more room to work — 3 tasks/hour, 50MB, free OCR, free AI.
More Free Tasks
AvePDF caps free users at 2 tasks/hour. Siliph allows 3/hour with no daily cap — effectively unlimited for normal workflows. Process a batch of 20 PDFs across an afternoon without waiting.
Free OCR & AI
AvePDF reserves OCR (make searchable) and advanced features for paid plans. Siliph includes free OCR + free AI Document Assistant — summarize, chat, extract data from any PDF at no cost.
Larger File Support
AvePDF free tier: 128MB max. Siliph free tier: 50MB per file — enough for most scans, contracts, and exams. Both offer higher limits on paid plans, but Siliph's free ceiling covers real work.
Siliph vs AvePDF Feature Comparison
Free tier capabilities compared
| Feature | Siliph | AvePDF |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tasks/Hour | 3 | 2 |
| Max File Size (Free) | 50 MB | 128 MB |
| OCR (Searchable PDF) | Free | Pro only |
| AI Document Assistant | Free | None |
| Exam Photo Resizers | 20+ presets | Not available |
| Account Required | No | Optional |
| Ads on Free Tier | None | Clean interface |
The 2-task ceiling
AvePDF's 2 tasks/hour sounds reasonable — until you hit it. Merging 3 PDFs, compressing 2 scans, and OCRing a contract = 6 tasks. You wait an hour or pay. Siliph's 3/hour with no daily cap means you can process a full work packet in one sitting.
OCR shouldn't be premium
Making a scanned PDF searchable is a basic accessibility need. AvePDF puts it behind a paywall. Siliph includes free OCR because searchable PDFs should be the default, not a luxury.
AI that AvePDF doesn't have
AvePDF is a solid format toolkit. But it doesn't understand content. Siliph's AI Document Assistant reads your PDF: "Summarize the termination clauses" → instant answer with page numbers. "Extract all vendor names and amounts from these invoices" → structured list. Free, in-browser.
More room to work. Free AI included.
3 tasks/hour, free OCR, free AI, exam presets. No account, no feature gates.