Side by side
BleachPDF vs GoCalma
Both stand on document redaction software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source LinuxMacSelf-hosted
BleachPDF combines local OCR redaction, batch processing, and output verification for PDF files. Its OCR limitations make manual review important, and its license states it grants no permission to use the software for censorship as defined in the license.
Visit BleachPDF Free plan Self-hostedWeb
GoCalma combines local PDF processing with multiple ways to handle detected information and review why it was flagged. Note the no-password key-storage finding and the regex-only limitation on its Vercel demo.
Visit GoCalmaThe facts
| BleachPDF | GoCalma | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted | Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | github.com |
| On document redaction software | #1 of 27 | #5 of 27 |
BleachPDF: what it does well
- Free plan listed as free.
- Processes folders or file patterns from the command line.
- Output has no hidden text layer.
- Rescans output and stops on failed verification.
- OCR language can be selected.
What to know first
- Requires Tesseract and pip installation.
- OCR may err on handwriting and poor scans.
- Available for Linux and macOS.
GoCalma: what it does well
- Processes PDFs, detection, and OCR locally in the browser.
- Offers five redaction modes by PII type.
- Reviews show strategy, pattern, and confidence.
- Supports encrypted recovery keys for restoration.
- Free and distributed under the MIT License.
What to know first
- No-password use has a raw key storage finding.
- Vercel demo uses regex-based detection only.
- Local setup requires Node.js 18 or later and npm.
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