Redacta vs Redactable

Redacta is a free, open-source web tool for redacting or pseudonymising sensitive information in PDF files from plain-language instructions. It can identify and permanently remove names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, addresses, account numbers, and other personally identifiable information. It also detects embedded photos, signatures, logos, and screenshots for image redaction. Pseudonymisation replaces real names, addresses, and identifiers with fictional alternatives while keeping documents readable. Redacta says output PDFs retain their formatting, layout, fonts, and page structure. PDF parsing and redaction run in the browser through WebAssembly and MuPDF, and the site says files are not uploaded to a server. You provide your own Google Gemini or OpenAI API key, with requests sent directly to that provider. The free trial routes extracted text through a backend proxy. No signup, installation, watermarks, or usage limits are listed.

Redactable is a web-based platform for detecting and permanently removing sensitive information from documents and images. Its AI identifies personal, health, financial, and other sensitive patterns for redaction. Built-in OCR makes scanned documents and image-based PDFs searchable before redaction. Supported inputs include PDF, TIFF, PNG, and JPG files from device uploads or supported third-party services; output is PDF. Redactable says it removes hidden metadata, embedded objects, and residual data from redacted files. Collaboration tools include shared workspaces, task assignments, comments, role-based permissions, activity logs, and version history. It can generate redaction certificates and audit logs recording who redacted what and when. Integrations listed include Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, SharePoint, and Clio. Redactable states that it is SOC 2 Type II certified and HIPAA compliant, uses AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS 1.2 or higher in transit, and does not retain document content beyond the redaction job or use it to train AI models. Three documents are free; pay-as-you-go costs $7.50 after that. Starter costs $19 a month billed annually.