Sejda's 3 tasks per hour limit, and what to use instead

Sejda is a good PDF site, but its free tier stops you after three tasks in an hour. If you hit that wall while filling and signing forms, here is exactly what the limits are, when Sejda is still worth using, and the free options that have no counter.

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

What Sejda's free limits actually are

As of October 2026, Sejda's PDF editor page says: "Free service for documents up to 200 pages or 50 MB and 3 tasks per hour." The same page lists 30 files per hour and one file per task. Some individual tools have tighter caps; for example, the editor shows a "Free users are limited to 50 pages" message for certain tasks, and OCR is capped well below the general page limit.

Sejda also says: "Files stay private. Automatically deleted after 2 hours." So files are uploaded to its servers and removed later. That is a stated policy, not a reason to distrust the site, but it matters if the document holds an ID number or bank details.

A "task" is one operation, such as one edit-and-download session. Filling a form, then signing a second one, then fixing a typo in a third uses up the hour. Sejda's Trustpilot page (4.1 out of 5 from 103 reviews as of October 2026) includes complaints along the lines of "they made me wait for an hour before I could save."

What Sejda costs to remove the limits

As of October 2026, Sejda's pricing page shows these paid options. Our fetch showed Canadian dollars, so check the price in your own currency.

Paid plans list "unlimited documents, no page or hourly limits," multiple files at once and uploads up to 500 MB. If you have one big batch to do this week, the Week Pass is a reasonable way to get through it.

When Sejda is still the better choice

Sejda does many things Penwise does not. Use Sejda (or a similar tool) when you need to:

• Compress a PDF to get under an email or upload size limit.
• Convert to or from Word, Excel or images.
• Run OCR on a scanned document so the text is searchable.
• Edit existing text in a PDF, which Penwise does not do either.

Penwise has none of these. It fills, signs and marks up. If your task is on the list above and the file is not sensitive, the free tier is fine for an occasional job.

Alternatives for filling and signing

Sejda Desktop

Sejda's editor page says: "Rather not upload your files and work with them offline? Try Sejda Desktop. Same features as the online service, and the files never leave your computer." The pricing page lists a free Desktop+Web plan with "page and hourly limits," so the free desktop version appears to be limited too. Unlimited desktop use is on the C$83 per year plan. Good if you want Sejda's full toolset offline.

Mac Preview

Preview fills forms, adds text and stores a signature you can reuse. No task counter, no upload. Limits: Mac only. See how to sign a PDF without uploading it.

Chrome's built-in viewer

Recent versions of Chrome can fill forms, add text and draw a signature in the built-in viewer, according to Chrome Help (we understand this arrived in Chrome 149, June 2026). It is free, local and has no limit. For a simple form it may be all you need. Google notes on its Chromebook help page that the feature "doesn't provide signature verification or security."

Acrobat Reader

The free desktop app has Fill & Sign with no hourly cap. Limits: a large install and regular prompts to pay for extra features.

Penwise (extension and web app)

Disclosure: we make Penwise.

Penwise is a Chrome extension that runs entirely in the browser. Files are never uploaded and there is no account. Everything below is free, with no watermark and no usage limit:

• Fill form fields, and add text anywhere, including on non-fillable or flattened PDFs.
• Add check and cross marks, today's date, highlights and white-out.
• Draw, type (handwriting font) or upload a signature, and save it on your device.
• Drag, resize and recolour items, undo, then download or print.

There is also a free web version that fills, signs and downloads in any modern browser; the PDF opens inside the tab and nothing is uploaded. Pro is a $9.99 one-time payment (no subscription) and adds true redaction, page organizing and merging, in the extension only.

What Penwise does not do: compress, convert, OCR, multi-party e-signature workflows, audit trails or certificate-based digital signatures.

Side by side

Based on the vendors' own pages as of October 2026. Plans and limits change, so check before you rely on them.

Related: fill a PDF form for free · pdfFiller alternatives

FAQ

What are Sejda's free limits?

As of October 2026, Sejda's PDF editor page says: free service for documents up to 200 pages or 50 MB and 3 tasks per hour. It also lists 30 files per hour, one file per task, and says files are automatically deleted after 2 hours.

How much does Sejda cost to remove the limits?

As of October 2026, Sejda's pricing page shows C$7 for a 7-day Web Week Pass, C$10 per month for Web Monthly, and C$83 per year for Desktop+Web. Prices are shown in Canadian dollars. Paid plans remove the page and hourly limits.

Is there a free way to fill and sign a PDF without a task limit?

Yes. Mac Preview, Chrome's built-in viewer and Acrobat Reader work locally with no task counter. Penwise, a Chrome extension, also runs locally, and its fill, sign and download features are free with no watermark.

Can Penwise compress, convert or OCR a PDF?

No. Penwise does not compress files, convert to or from Word, or run OCR. For those jobs, Sejda or another dedicated tool is the better choice.