Upload-to-convert PDF sites vs in-tab tools

Marketing pages love the word “secure.” The useful question is narrower: does this workflow need my file on someone else’s disk to work? If yes, you are in a different threat and compliance posture than a page that never ships the document out for the effect you care about.

Signals that an upload is load-bearing

• The UI blocks until a cloud progress bar finishes, even for tiny files.
• Terms mention retention windows, “processing partners,” or OCR APIs.
• Network tab shows multipart POSTs to domains you do not recognize.

Where ScannedLook sits

ScannedLook is built so the scan-style pass, watermark layer, and PDF rebuild run in your browser. That is not a guarantee against all tracking — it is a deliberate architectural choice to keep the document transformation off a remote conversion worker.

Your checklist

1. Open devtools, run a job, confirm your PDF is not posted as part of the effect.
2. Match the tool to your sector rules (health, finance, education).
3. Prefer wiping the tab when you step away from a shared desk.