Cachety vs iLovePDF: which should you use to watermark your ID?
Updated 11 October 2026
iLovePDF is one of the best-known PDF websites, and its watermark tool is quick and capable. But to watermark a passport or a payslip, iLovePDF needs a copy of the file on its servers. Cachety does the same job without the file ever leaving your phone or computer.
In short
For a logo watermark or for everyday PDF jobs like merging, converting or signing, iLovePDF is the more complete toolbox. For an ID document, a payslip or a bank statement, Cachety avoids sending the file anywhere at all. If you would rather not trust anyone's servers with your passport, that is the difference that matters.
Side by side
| Criterion | Cachety | iLovePDF |
|---|---|---|
| Where your file is processed | CachetyIn your browser, on your own device. Nothing is uploaded.Advantage Cachety | iLovePDFOn iLovePDF's servers. Your file is uploaded over an encrypted connection. |
| How long the file is kept | CachetyNever stored anywhere except on your device.Advantage Cachety | iLovePDFDeleted within two hours of processing, according to its privacy policy. |
| Price | CachetyFree, with no paid tier. | iLovePDFFree version with usage limits. A paid Premium plan removes them. |
| Adverts | CachetyNo ads or trackers today.Advantage Cachety | iLovePDFThe free version shows ads. An ad-free service is listed as a Premium feature. |
| Type of watermark | CachetyText only, repeated diagonally across the whole page. | iLovePDFText or image, placed where you click or in a mosaic pattern.Advantage iLovePDF |
| Can the watermark be stripped out? | CachetyNo simple way: it is blended into the page image. | iLovePDFNot documented. You can choose to place it over or under the PDF content. |
| Blacking out details | CachetyBuilt in: draw boxes and the hidden content is really removed. | iLovePDFAvailable as a separate Redact tool. |
| One copy per recipient | CachetyYes, up to 20 recipients in one go, each with their own name on it.Advantage Cachety | iLovePDFNot offered in the watermark tool. |
| Works offline | CachetyYes, in the browser, once the page has loaded. | iLovePDFYes, with the iLovePDF Desktop app for Windows and Mac. |
| Other PDF tools | CachetyWatermark, mask, combine, password and size only. | iLovePDFA large range: merge, split, compress, convert, sign and more.Advantage iLovePDF |
The real difference: where your passport goes
When you use iLovePDF's website, your file is sent to its servers, processed there, and sent back to you. iLovePDF says uploads are encrypted and that files are deleted within two hours. That is a reasonable policy, and iLovePDF holds ISO 27001 certification. But for those two hours a copy of your ID sits on a computer you do not control, under someone else's rules. Cachety works differently. The whole thing runs inside your web browser. Your passport is read, watermarked and saved on your own device, and there is no server waiting to receive it. That is not a promise to delete your file quickly: the file is simply never sent.
You can check this yourself. Open cachety.com, then switch on aeroplane mode and watermark a document. It still works, because nothing needs to travel over the internet.
Where iLovePDF is better
iLovePDF is a full PDF toolbox. If you need to merge, compress, convert to Word or sign a document, it can do all of that, and Cachety cannot. Its watermark tool also accepts an image, so a business can stamp its logo on documents. Cachety only does text watermarks.
Where Cachety is better for ID documents
- Your file never leaves your device, so there is no upload and no retention period to think about.
- The watermark is blended into each page, so it cannot simply be deleted by editing the PDF.
- You can black out details such as an account number or a photo in the same step.
- You can make one copy per letting agent, employer or bank, each with its own name, in one go.
- Hidden data like metadata, GPS location in photos and the text layer is removed from the result.
How to watermark your ID with Cachety
- 1Open cachety.com. There is nothing to install and no account to create.
- 2Add your passport, driving licence or payslip. PDFs and photos, including iPhone photos, both work.
- 3Type who the copy is for and why, then press the button to add today's date.
- 4Check the preview and download your watermarked copy.
One honest point: Cachety turns every page into an image, so the text in the result can no longer be selected or searched. That is deliberate, to make the watermark hard to remove, but it does mean the file can be larger than the original.
When iLovePDF is the better choice
- You want to put a logo or an image on your documents as a watermark.
- You also need to merge, compress, convert or sign your PDFs in the same place.
- You want a desktop app to process lots of files on your computer.
When Cachety is the better choice
- You are watermarking a passport, driving licence, payslip or bank statement and would rather it never left your device.
- You want to send a different, named copy to each letting agent or employer.
- You want to black out details and add a password to the PDF in the same step.
- You want a free tool with no ads, no account and nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
- Is iLovePDF safe for ID documents?
- iLovePDF says uploads are encrypted and files are deleted within two hours, and it is ISO 27001 certified. The question is whether you are comfortable with a copy of your ID being on its servers for that time. If not, use a tool that works on your device, such as Cachety.
- Does iLovePDF upload my files?
- Yes. The website processes files on iLovePDF's servers. Its desktop app for Windows and Mac works locally instead.
- What is a free alternative to iLovePDF for watermarking?
- Cachety is free and watermarks PDFs and photos in your browser without uploading them. It only does text watermarks, so for a logo you would need another tool.
- Can I add a logo watermark with Cachety?
- No. Cachety only adds text watermarks. For a logo, iLovePDF's watermark tool accepts images.
Sources
- iLovePDF privacy policy
- iLovePDF FAQ
- iLovePDF security
- iLovePDF pricing
- iLovePDF guide: how to watermark a PDF
Facts checked on 11 October 2026 on each publisher's public pages. Services change: if something here is out of date, tell us on GitHub and we will fix it.
Written by the author of Cachety. We aim to be factual and fair: every claim about another tool links to its source.