{
  "title": "Five online PDF fillers on the same flattened IRS W-9",
  "measured_on": "2026-09-08",
  "test_file": {
    "description": "Official IRS Form W-9 (Rev. March 2024) with its 23 AcroForm fields baked into the page content, so the copy has no form fields. 6 pages; page 1 is the form.",
    "source": "https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf",
    "flattened_sha256": "b8082dcfa7284cb8318fa351c370264e94552e3baa3696354f20c6837345fb23",
    "official_fields_page1": 23
  },
  "method": "One person uploaded the same file to each tool in a normal Chrome session on 2026-09-08 without signing in, counted the fillable fields each tool created on page 1 against the 23 official fields, counted boxes placed where the official form has none, typed the word TEST into line 1 with each tool's text tool, and followed the download path until a file was offered or an account was demanded. pdf2fill's numbers come from scripts/w9_flat_detection.py (IoU >= 0.3 match). Competitor counts were read from each editor's own field list or by inspection. Prices and limits were read from each site's pricing or editor page the same day.",
  "tools": [
    {
      "name": "pdf2fill",
      "url": "https://pdf2fill.com/",
      "account_to_upload": false,
      "account_to_download": false,
      "auto_detect": "Runs on every upload",
      "fields_recovered_page1": 12,
      "of_official": 23,
      "checkboxes_recovered": 8,
      "text_recovered": 4,
      "extra_boxes_page1": 2,
      "phantom_boxes_instruction_pages": 18,
      "type_anywhere": true,
      "free_limits": "No file cap enforced; soft notice after 5 fills a month",
      "retention": "Auto-deleted from the server within 1 hour of last activity",
      "price": "Free",
      "notes": "Missed line 2, the LLC letter, the exempt-payee and other entries, line 5, the requester box, line 7, and most SSN/EIN segments. See w9-flat-detection.json."
    },
    {
      "name": "pdfFiller",
      "url": "https://www.pdffiller.com/",
      "account_to_upload": false,
      "account_to_download": true,
      "auto_detect": "Not in the default Edit & fill editor (0 fields, field list empty). Offered as 'Auto-add fillable fields' inside the Create form tab.",
      "fields_recovered_page1": 23,
      "of_official": 23,
      "checkboxes_recovered": 8,
      "text_recovered": 15,
      "extra_boxes_page1": 2,
      "extra_boxes_page1_note": "signature and date boxes, which the official form does not have as fields",
      "phantom_boxes_instruction_pages": 10,
      "type_anywhere": true,
      "free_limits": "Editing works without an account; download opens 'To proceed with your document, please create an account' and a 30-day trial",
      "retention": "Files stored in the account",
      "price": "Basic $8, Plus $12, Premium $15 per month on annual billing (read 2026-09-08). 'Add basic fillable fields' is listed under Plus.",
      "notes": "Best detection of the five. The auto-add step is two clicks away from the default editor and took about 15 seconds."
    },
    {
      "name": "PDFescape",
      "url": "https://www.pdfescape.com/",
      "account_to_upload": false,
      "account_to_download": null,
      "auto_detect": "None. Insert menu offers a manual Form Field tool.",
      "fields_recovered_page1": 0,
      "of_official": 23,
      "checkboxes_recovered": 0,
      "text_recovered": 0,
      "extra_boxes_page1": 0,
      "phantom_boxes_instruction_pages": 0,
      "type_anywhere": true,
      "free_limits": "Files under 10 MB and 100 pages; ads in the editor; unregistered files removed after 7 days of inactivity; an idle session timed out and lost the document during this test",
      "retention": "7 days of inactivity (unregistered)",
      "price": "Free; upgrade 'starting at $2.99 per month' for ad-free and bigger limits",
      "notes": "Download button is shown without an account; we stopped before downloading."
    },
    {
      "name": "Sejda",
      "url": "https://www.sejda.com/pdf-editor",
      "account_to_upload": false,
      "account_to_download": false,
      "auto_detect": "None. Forms menu adds text, multiline, drop-down, radio, checkbox and signature fields by hand.",
      "fields_recovered_page1": 0,
      "of_official": 23,
      "checkboxes_recovered": 0,
      "text_recovered": 0,
      "extra_boxes_page1": 0,
      "phantom_boxes_instruction_pages": 0,
      "type_anywhere": true,
      "free_limits": "Documents up to 200 pages or 50 MB and 3 tasks per hour",
      "retention": "Automatically deleted after 2 hours",
      "price": "Free tier; Web Week Pass $5, Web Monthly $7.50, Desktop+Web Annual $63",
      "notes": "Apply changes took about 10 seconds and offered Download with no account prompt."
    },
    {
      "name": "Adobe Acrobat online",
      "url": "https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/acrobat/fill-sign",
      "account_to_upload": true,
      "account_to_download": true,
      "auto_detect": "Not measured: the fill and sign tool redirects to Adobe sign-in before any upload",
      "fields_recovered_page1": null,
      "of_official": 23,
      "type_anywhere": null,
      "free_limits": "Sign-in required. Marketing copy: 'Do more for free. Sign in or create a free account.'",
      "retention": "Files stored in the account",
      "price": "Free tier behind an account; paid Acrobat plans not read",
      "notes": "We did not create an account, so nothing past the sign-in screen was tested."
    }
  ]
}