Add custom text watermarks to every PDF page. 100% private — processed locally, no uploads.
Need to watermark a PDF for free? Add a professional text watermark to any PDF — CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, your company name, or copyright notice — with full control over font size, color, opacity, and rotation. Everything runs locally in your browser: no upload to any server, no account, no signup, instant results.
Click Choose files or drag your PDF into the drop zone. The document stays on your device throughout the process.
Type your watermark text (e.g. DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, your company name). Set font size, color, opacity (10–100%), and rotation angle. Preview updates in real time.
Click Add Watermark. The watermark is embedded on every page. The watermarked PDF downloads immediately.
Circulating a document for review? Adding a 'DRAFT' watermark makes it clear the content is not final and prevents recipients from treating it as an authoritative version.
Adding 'CONFIDENTIAL' or 'INTERNAL USE ONLY' to financial reports, HR documents, or strategic plans before distributing them internally signals handling requirements.
Photographers, designers, and writers can add a copyright notice or studio name as a watermark before sending proofs to clients, making unauthorized distribution traceable.
Consultants and agencies can add their logo name or website as a light watermark to reports and presentations they deliver to clients.
| Feature | PDFree | Typical cloud tools |
|---|---|---|
| Files uploaded | No — stays on device | Yes — sent to remote servers |
| Customization | Text, color, opacity, rotation, size | Often limited on free tier |
| Daily usage limit | None | Often restricted on free tier |
| Sign up required | No | Often required for full features |
| Price | Free forever | Free with limits / paid plans |
No. Watermarking is done entirely in your browser using pdf-lib. Nothing is uploaded to any server.
PDFree adds watermarks but does not remove them from existing PDFs. Watermarks added by PDFree are embedded as page content and cannot be automatically removed by basic tools.
Currently PDFree supports text watermarks only. Image/logo watermarks are on the roadmap.
Yes. You can adjust opacity (10–100%), font size, color, and rotation angle. Preview updates in real time before you apply the watermark.
Yes. The watermark is embedded into the PDF as page content and cannot be easily removed by standard tools.
Yes. The watermark is applied to all pages of the PDF by default.
Opacity of 100% makes the watermark fully opaque (solid, dark). Opacity of 20–30% creates the classic 'ghost' watermark that is visible but doesn't obscure the content underneath. Most use cases work well at 20–40%.
Yes. You can set any hex color or choose from common presets. Light grey (#CCCCCC at 30% opacity) gives a professional, unobtrusive result.
Yes. PDFree is a completely free PDF watermark tool — no subscription, no sign up, no watermarks or credits added to your output. Watermark as many PDFs as you need with no daily limit.
The terms are often used interchangeably. A watermark is typically a semi-transparent text or image that repeats diagonally across every page (e.g. DRAFT at 30% opacity). A stamp is usually an opaque label placed once in a fixed position (e.g. APPROVED in a corner). PDFree lets you achieve either look by adjusting the opacity and position of the text watermark.
PDFree is a free online PDF watermark tool to watermark PDF documents instantly — no signup required, no software to install, no account needed. Unlike services that upload your documents to their servers, PDFree processes everything inside your browser. Your confidential reports, legal documents, and creative work never leave your device. The watermark is applied instantly and the result downloads automatically.