Ombly vs Sejda
Sejda's online PDF editor offers Whiteout, which Sejda itself says hides content but doesn't remove it, so it isn't meant for sensitive data. Ombly is built for redaction: it suggests what to hide and rebuilds every page so nothing is left underneath.
Scorecard
Rows in your favour, from the table below. A row counts only when the vendor's own page confirms it.
Where Ombly is ahead
- Is the original uploaded?
- Runs on your company's own infrastructure
- Audit trail for compliance
- Automatic detection
- National ID and bank formats (IBAN, SSN, NI…)
- Metadata and hidden content
- Output
Where Sejda is ahead
- You need a broad PDF toolkit for merging, splitting, compressing and editing.
- You want an offline desktop editor for everyday PDF tasks.
What Ombly does
- 01
Runs on your computer
Your document is opened, checked and redacted on your own machine. Nothing is uploaded.
- 02
Finds what to hide
Card and account numbers, IBANs, national ID numbers, names, addresses, contact details and file paths are suggested for you to accept.
- 03
Leaves nothing behind
Every page is rebuilt from pixels, so there's no hidden text, metadata or old revision in the copy you share.
For firms: run Ombly on your own servers or cloud, with encrypted storage and an audit trail, and add your own patterns for matter, case or reference numbers. The personal app is coming soon.
Redacting a 200-page client bundle
Statements and contracts going to an auditor or the other side, wherever your firm works.
With Sejda
Sejda's editor offers Whiteout, which Sejda says doesn't remove the text underneath, so it isn't a fit for client documents.
With Ombly for teams
With Ombly, the bundle stays on your firm's own servers or cloud. Account numbers, IBANs, national IDs, names and file paths are suggested on every page, a reviewer checks them, and the audit log records each step without keeping the private text. You add your own patterns for matter, case or client reference numbers.
Book a demoSharing a bank statement with a landlord
The same everyday job, done both ways.
With Sejda
With Sejda's editor, you'd upload the statement and cover each number with Whiteout. Sejda itself says Whiteout doesn't remove the text underneath, so the numbers would still be in the file.
With Ombly
With Ombly, the statement never leaves your computer. The account number, IBAN and phone are suggested for you to accept, and you send a copy rebuilt from pixels, with nothing left to copy.
How the workflows differ
Side by side
- In your favour: In your favour
- Partly: Partly
- Not in your favour: Not in your favour
- Not stated by the vendor: Not stated by the vendor
| Feature | Sejda | Ombly |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Web browser, plus Sejda Desktop, which Sejda says works offline | On your own computer (personal app coming soon) or on your company's own servers |
| Is the original uploaded? | Not in your favour: Yes, for the web editor. Sejda says files are deleted after two hours. Desktop keeps files on your computer | In your favour: No. The original stays on your device or inside your network |
| Runs on your company's own infrastructure | Partly: No for the web editor. Sejda Desktop runs on each computer | In your favour: Yes. Teams run it on their own servers or cloud; processing workers have no internet access |
| Audit trail for compliance | Not stated by the vendor: Not stated | In your favour: Yes. Every upload, review, export and download is logged, without storing the private text itself |
| Automatic detection | Not in your favour: No redaction tool found. The editor's Whiteout covers areas by hand | In your favour: Yes. Suggestions you review: ID, account and card numbers, contact details, names, addresses and file paths |
| National ID and bank formats (IBAN, SSN, NI…) | Not in your favour: No automatic detection | In your favour: Yes. Card numbers, IBANs and Aadhaar numbers must pass their checksums; US SSN, UK National Insurance, PAN and IFSC formats are checked, and you can add your own |
| Metadata and hidden content | Not in your favour: Sejda says Whiteout "hides but will not completely remove underlying text or images" | In your favour: Nothing from the original file is carried over. Exports carry fixed, neutral metadata |
| Output | Not in your favour: The same PDF with white rectangles on top | In your favour: A new PDF rebuilt from page images. Not searchable, nothing left to copy |
| Best for | General PDF editing: merging, compressing, filling forms | Firms and individuals with documents that shouldn't leave their own machines or network |
| Pricing | Free within hourly limits; paid plans available | Teams: book a call to talk through a pilot. Personal app: join the waitlist |
- Where it runs
- Sejda: Web browser, plus Sejda Desktop, which Sejda says works offline
- Ombly: On your own computer (personal app coming soon) or on your company's own servers
- Is the original uploaded?
- Not in your favour: Sejda: Yes, for the web editor. Sejda says files are deleted after two hours. Desktop keeps files on your computer
- In your favour: Ombly: No. The original stays on your device or inside your network
- Runs on your company's own infrastructure
- Partly: Sejda: No for the web editor. Sejda Desktop runs on each computer
- In your favour: Ombly: Yes. Teams run it on their own servers or cloud; processing workers have no internet access
- Audit trail for compliance
- Not stated by the vendor: Sejda: Not stated
- In your favour: Ombly: Yes. Every upload, review, export and download is logged, without storing the private text itself
- Automatic detection
- Not in your favour: Sejda: No redaction tool found. The editor's Whiteout covers areas by hand
- In your favour: Ombly: Yes. Suggestions you review: ID, account and card numbers, contact details, names, addresses and file paths
- National ID and bank formats (IBAN, SSN, NI…)
- Not in your favour: Sejda: No automatic detection
- In your favour: Ombly: Yes. Card numbers, IBANs and Aadhaar numbers must pass their checksums; US SSN, UK National Insurance, PAN and IFSC formats are checked, and you can add your own
- Metadata and hidden content
- Not in your favour: Sejda: Sejda says Whiteout "hides but will not completely remove underlying text or images"
- In your favour: Ombly: Nothing from the original file is carried over. Exports carry fixed, neutral metadata
- Output
- Not in your favour: Sejda: The same PDF with white rectangles on top
- In your favour: Ombly: A new PDF rebuilt from page images. Not searchable, nothing left to copy
- Best for
- Sejda: General PDF editing: merging, compressing, filling forms
- Ombly: Firms and individuals with documents that shouldn't leave their own machines or network
- Pricing
- Sejda: Free within hourly limits; paid plans available
- Ombly: Teams: book a call to talk through a pilot. Personal app: join the waitlist
When Sejda is the better choice
- You need a broad PDF toolkit for merging, splitting, compressing and editing.
- You want an offline desktop editor for everyday PDF tasks.
- You're hiding something for looks, not for privacy.
When Ombly is the better choice
- You need the hidden details to actually be gone from the file.
- You want sensitive details found for you, including IBANs and ID numbers.
- You're sharing documents where a leak would matter.
Questions
Is Sejda's Whiteout the same as redaction?
No. Sejda's own editor page says Whiteout hides but won't completely remove underlying text or images, and isn't suitable for redacting sensitive data.
How long does Sejda keep files?
Sejda says files are permanently deleted after processing, and automatically deleted after two hours.
Does Sejda work offline?
Sejda Desktop does. Sejda says it works offline with the same features as the online service.
Last checked 18 October 2026
Facts about Sejda come from the pages below, as they read on that date. Products change; if something here is out of date, email dilpreetgrover2@gmail.com.
Share the document. Keep the secrets.
Ombly removes private details from your documents, on your own computer.