2026-04-24 · 1 min read
Client-side vs. Server-side Tools
Privacy vs. Power: Understanding where your data is processed.
Client-side tools process data entirely within your browser—no data is uploaded.
Server-side tools process data on our secure servers—required for complex tasks like PDF merging.
How to read this comparison
Knowing where your data goes is key to security and privacy compliance.
| Approach | Data handling | Typical speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client-side (In-browser) | 100% private; data never leaves your device | Instant; limited by your device's CPU/RAM | Encoding, formatting, regex, sensitive text |
| Server-side | Data is uploaded, processed, and deleted; secured via TLS | Dependent on network and server load | PDF tools, image optimization, file conversions |
Takeaways
- Prefer client-side tools for maximum privacy of sensitive text.
- Use server-side tools for high-performance file processing and complex conversions.