You need PDF pages as images — for a presentation slide, a social media post, or editing in Photoshop. The conversion seems simple, but the tool you choose determines whether your document gets uploaded to a server.
What We Compared
- Processing — server upload vs browser-local
- Output formats — JPG, PNG, TIFF, etc.
- Resolution control — DPI settings
- Batch/all pages — convert entire PDF at once
- Free limits
- Privacy
The Comparison
| Tool | Processing | Formats | DPI control | All pages | Free limits | Privacy |
|------|------------|---------|-------------|-----------|-------------|---------|
| BrowserStay | Browser (local) | PNG | Yes | Yes (ZIP) | None | Never uploaded |
| iLovePDF | Server upload | JPG, PNG | Limited | Yes | Daily limit | Uploaded |
| Smallpdf | Server upload | JPG, PNG | Limited | Yes | 2 tasks/day | Uploaded |
| Adobe Acrobat Online | Server upload | JPG, PNG, TIFF | Yes | Yes | Limited | Uploaded |
| PDF24 | Server upload | JPG, PNG | Limited | Yes | Generous | Uploaded |
| Sejda | Server upload | JPG | Limited | Yes | 3/hour | Uploaded |
| PDF.js (self-hosted) | Local | JPG, PNG | Configurable | Yes | None | Offline |
*Based on publicly available information as of 2026.*
Server-Upload Converters
iLovePDF, Smallpdf, Adobe, PDF24, Sejda all require uploading your PDF before conversion.
Strengths:
- Fast on powerful servers
- Adobe offers TIFF output and fine DPI control
- PDF24 is generous on free tier
- Mature, tested rendering engines
Weaknesses:
- PDF uploaded to third-party server — contracts, financial reports, medical records exposed
- Smallpdf: 2 tasks/day
- Sejda: 3 tasks/hour, 200-page limit
- DPI control often limited on free tiers
Best for: Public documents, marketing PDFs, non-sensitive content.
Browser-Based: BrowserStay
Renders PDF pages to PNG in your browser using PDF.js.
Strengths:
- PDF never leaves your device
- Convert all pages or selected ranges
- Download individually or as ZIP
- No daily limits, no account
Weaknesses:
- Very large PDFs (100+ pages) take longer on older devices
- PNG output only — no JPG or TIFF
- Requires initial page load
Best for: Confidential documents, client files, anything you wouldn't email to a stranger.
Resolution Guide
| Use case | Recommended DPI |
|----------|----------------|
| Web / social media | 150 DPI |
| Presentations | 150–200 DPI |
| Printing | 300 DPI |
| Thumbnails | 72–96 DPI |
Higher DPI = sharper images but larger files. For screen use, 150 DPI is usually plenty.
JPG vs PNG for PDF Conversion
- JPG — smaller files, good for photo-heavy PDF pages
- PNG — lossless, better for text, diagrams, and screenshots
For scanned documents and pages with lots of text, PNG usually looks sharper.
Try It Yourself
Convert PDF pages to PNG with our free PDF to Image tool. Select pages, adjust resolution, download individually or as ZIP. No uploads, no limits.
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