The Redactable alternative that never takes the file.
Redactable starts with an upload. That is the right product when a team is allowed to send records to a vendor. When the file cannot leave the building, KeptPDF redacts in your browser, and the CLI runs the same engine on your hardware, unlimited files, $2,400 per organization per year.
Redactable meters documents. KeptPDF meters nothing on your hardware.
Redactable's public plans cap how many files you finish each month. KeptPDF's browser tool is free for everyday redaction. The CLI is $2,400 per organization per year, unlimited files, on machines you already have.
| What it costs | KeptPDF | Redactable |
|---|---|---|
| Try it | Browser: free, no account. CLI: first 100 files, no account, no card | 3 documents free, no card |
| Paid entry | Browser Pro $29/mo for large files and certificates. CLI $2,400/year per organization, unlimited files | Starter $19/mo for 15 documents |
| Higher volume | Same CLI license. No per-file cap | Pro Plus $99/mo, or $79/mo billed yearly, for 150 documents |
| Where the file goes | Browser: processed on your device. CLI: processed on your hardware, including air-gapped boxes | Step 1 is upload. Files are processed on Redactable's servers |
Redactable prices are from redactable.com as of August 2026 and can change. Check their site before relying on a number. KeptPDF CLI is one organization license, unlimited machines and files.
Credit where it's due.
Redactable is a real product for teams that are allowed to upload. Shared workspaces, comments, SSO on enterprise, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, and Clio, named customers, and SOC 2 Type II because the files go through their servers. If that is your constraint, they are the better fit.
Redactable is a cloud redaction desk. KeptPDF is the same redaction engine in your browser, plus a CLI that never needs the file to leave the building.
Redactable claims SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA-oriented processing, and can offer a BAA, because it processes files. KeptPDF holds no formal certifications: there is no uploaded file to certify. Auto-detect on either tool is a start. A person still reviews before production.
KeptPDF vs Redactable
Same job, two exposure models. Rows are benefit-framed: a check means good for you.
| Capability | KeptPDF | Redactable |
|---|---|---|
| Files stay on your device or your own hardware | ||
| Works on an air-gapped machine | ||
| Unlimited files on a flat organization price | ||
| CLI and a watch-folder drop box on your hardware | ||
| Team UI: comments, assignments, shared workspaces | ||
| SSO | ||
| Import from Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, Clio | ||
| Named-customer proof and a vendor SOC 2 report | ||
| Redaction permanently removes the burned text | ||
| Auto-detect of names and identifiers, for your review | ||
| Verifiable redaction certificate | ||
| Bates numbering in a browser workflow |
Yes / partial / no. Marks reflect each product as of August 2026, from redactable.com and KeptPDF. Auto-detect on either side is a start, not a guarantee; a person reviews before production. KeptPDF Bates numbering is the browser tool. The CLI does not Bates-stamp. Redactable applies Bates in its cloud workflow. KeptPDF Drive import is the web app, not Clio. SSO is an enterprise Redactable feature. Verify current Redactable pricing on redactable.com.
When Redactable is the better pick, honestly.
We'd rather you choose the right tool than oversell ours.
Teams that are allowed to upload
Shared workspaces, comments, assignments, and SSO are the product. If counsel already approved a vendor that processes files, Redactable is built for that desk. KeptPDF is not a cloud collaboration suite.
A SOC 2 report and a BAA on file
Because files go through their servers, they can sell SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA-oriented processing, and a BAA. We don't carry those papers. There is nothing to certify on an upload, because there is no upload.
Drive, Clio, and named customers
Redactable imports from Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, and Clio, and publishes customer names. If your intake already lives there, that path is theirs.
Where KeptPDF pulls ahead: the file never leaves.
This is the reason to pick us, or to keep both.
Files that cannot leave the building
Browser tools run on the device. The CLI runs on your server, including air-gapped boxes. The CLI license is offline. The website still sends tiny first-party pings for quota and analytics; those pings never contain the file.
Volume that blows a 150-document cap
Pro Plus is 150 documents a month. A FOIA stack or a production folder is often more than that before lunch. The CLI is unlimited files for $2,400 per organization per year. First 100 files are a trial.
CLI, review spreadsheet, watch folder
keptpdf redact, keptpdf review, keptpdf watch. Same engine as the browser. Auto-detect is a start, not a guarantee. Bates numbering stays on the browser tool; the CLI does not Bates-stamp.
Redactable alternative: FAQ
Does Redactable upload my files?
Is KeptPDF cheaper than Redactable?
Does auto-detect catch everything?
Does the KeptPDF CLI Bates-stamp?
Comparing other tools? See KeptPDF vs Adobe Acrobat, KeptPDF vs Smallpdf, KeptPDF vs iLovePDF, and KeptPDF vs Appligent.