Convert Magic vs Convertio: which free tier actually works?

I had two real tasks: clean up a 92-page contract before a client call and turn 20 listing photos into a single PDF. I ran both jobs through Convert Magic and Convertio to see which free tier could survive a normal workday.

How I tested

• Laptop: 2021 M1 MacBook Pro, Chrome 119
• Files: 92-page PDF→Word (10.4 MB), 5-page invoice PDF→Excel (2.6 MB), 20 JPG→PDF batch (1–3 MB each)
• Method: stopwatch from click to download; noted any caps, email gates, or upsells

Quick verdict

• Convert Magic finished every test in under 3 seconds and never asked me to sign up. Great for sensitive docs because nothing uploads.
• Convertio looked slick and supports niche formats, but the 100MB cap and 10/day limit cut me off during the batch run.

Snapshot

Convert Magic — speed + privacy

• PDF→Word: 2.3 seconds on the 10.4 MB file, no upload time.
• 20 JPG→PDF: 15 seconds total; CPU-bound, not network-bound.
• Zero accounts, zero caps. Nothing hit a server, so it’s safe for client docs.

Where it loses

• Only covers common formats; no CAD/EPUB/AI exports.
• No API if you need to automate conversions.

Convertio — huge format list, slower on uploads

• PDF→Word: ~9 seconds total because 4 seconds were spent uploading/downloading.
• The invoice PDF→Excel looked fine, but the 10/day limit blocked my second batch test.
• Great if you need odd formats like AI→SVG or EPUB→MOBI.

Where it loses

• Upload time dominates anything over a few MB.
• The free tier caps out fast; batch and larger files push you to the $10 plan.
• Not ideal for sensitive contracts since every file leaves your machine.

Bottom line

• Pick Convert Magic for daily, private, unlimited converting with no hoops.
• Pick Convertio when you specifically need its long tail of formats and don’t mind uploads or paying after you hit the caps.