Merging PDFs should be simple: combine your files, keep the page order, download the result - done.
But if you’ve tried a few popular “merge PDF online” sites, you’ve probably seen at least one of these issues:
- Ads and distractions
- Uploads to a server (privacy concerns)
- File limits, watermarks, or paywalls
This guide shows how to merge PDF files for free using PDFhero, plus best practices for quality and privacy. It also explains how PDFhero compares to tools people often search for like iLovePDF and iHatePDF.
Why merging PDFs is still a common problem
People merge PDFs for:
- Sending a single document instead of multiple attachments
- Combining scanned pages into one file
- Creating a contract packet (agreement + annexures + IDs)
- Joining invoices into a monthly bundle
The ideal merge tool should be fast, accurate, and private.
How to merge PDF files with PDFhero (step-by-step)
Step 1: Open the Merge PDF tool
Go to: PDFhero Merge PDF
Step 2: Add your PDF files
Upload or drop multiple PDFs. You can add many files at once.
Step 3: Reorder pages / files
Drag to reorder files so your final document is in the correct sequence.
Step 4: Merge and download
Click merge and download the combined PDF.
SEO keywords users search (and what they really mean)
When people search:
- “merge pdf online”
- “merge pdf free”
- “combine pdf files”
- “merge pdf without watermark”
- “iLovePDF merge pdf alternative”
- “iHatePDF merge pdf alternative”
…they usually want one thing: a quick merge that doesn’t compromise privacy.
PDFhero vs iLovePDF / iHatePDF-style online tools
Here’s the practical comparison most users care about:
Privacy
Many online PDF sites require uploading files to a remote server. If your PDFs contain sensitive information (IDs, invoices, contracts), this is a real concern.
PDFhero’s approach is designed for private, in-browser processing (no upload required for typical workflows).
Speed
For large documents, upload time is often the bottleneck. Local processing can feel much faster because you skip round-trip uploads.
Limits and watermarks
Some services add watermarks or restrict file size/page count unless you pay.
Best practices for a clean merged PDF
Keep page sizes consistent
If you’re merging files from different sources (A4 + Letter + receipts), your final PDF can look inconsistent.
Tip: normalize page sizes before merging, or merge first and then use a fix/resize tool.
Merge first, then compress
If you compress individual PDFs before merging, quality can degrade more than necessary.
Remove metadata if needed
For privacy-sensitive docs, consider removing metadata after merging.
FAQ: Merge PDF
Is it safe to merge PDFs online?
It depends on whether your files are uploaded to a server. For sensitive documents, prefer solutions that can process files locally.
Can I merge PDFs on mobile?
Yes. Use the same tool on your phone - just keep an eye on very large file sizes.
Will merging reduce quality?
Merging usually does not reduce quality. Quality loss typically happens during compression or image re-encoding.
Try it now
Open the tool: Merge PDF with PDFhero
If you want, tell me which tool you want next (Compress PDF, PDF to Word, JPG to PDF, etc.), and I’ll write another SEO-focused post for it.
