Move to Northdocs if…
You redact the same people across many files, work to FOI or DSAR deadlines, or need a record and a check that nothing survived.
AlternativesComparison
Northdocs vs a PDF editor for redaction
A good PDF editor can redact a page. Northdocs is for when a team must find every person across hundreds of pages and prove the release is clean.
Desktop and online PDF editors usually include a redaction tool that removes marked areas when you apply it. The risks are human: drawing a shape instead of using the redact tool, missing a name on page 212, or forgetting metadata. Northdocs finds personal data across the whole case, lets you accept each person once, removes it from the file and refuses to release an export where anything survived.
30-day trial · no card · evaluate on your own files
Comparison
Where the differences matter
| Capability | Northdocs | PDF editor |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Case workspace for hundreds of files and thousands of pages | One file at a time |
| Finding personal data | Automatic detection of names, addresses, CPR and other identifiers, including in scans | Manual marking, sometimes search-and-redact for patterns |
| Consistency across files | Fast Track: a decision about a person applies to every mention in the case | Repeat the same decision in every file |
| Proof the release is clean | Re-extracts every export and blocks the download if removed text survives | Depends on the user checking the output |
| Record of decisions | Exemption schedule and audit export with every release | Usually none, or a separate spreadsheet |
| Where files go | Hosted and processed in the EU (OVHcloud Frankfurt) | Desktop stays local; online editors vary by vendor and region |
PDF editors differ widely. Some have strong redaction tools. This page compares typical PDF editor redaction with Northdocs for disclosure work.
Decision
Keep your PDF editor if…
You redact a few pages now and then and can check each file by hand.
Questions
FAQ
Is drawing a black box in a PDF editor enough?
Not unless the editor's redaction is applied. A drawn shape or highlight covers text without removing it. See our guide on why black boxes leak.
Can Northdocs handle scanned PDFs?
Yes. Scans are read with OCR, personal data is found in the image text, and boxes on scans are burned into the page image.
See the difference on a real pack
Start a trial or walk through the interactive demo before you commit seats.