How it works
Other "free" tools upload your files, limit your usage, then paywall the download. We don't. Here's how.
Your files stay on your device
PDF merges, QR codes, background removal, resume builds, invoice generation — all of it runs in your browser. There is no upload. There is no server processing your files. The computation happens on your device using JavaScript and WebAssembly.
This isn't a privacy policy. It's architecture. You can verify it yourself: open the browser's network tab while using any tool. No file data leaves your machine.
The only features that touch a server are dynamic QR codes and short links, which need a database to store redirect URLs. Those use Cloudflare D1 with passphrase-based auth — no accounts, no email collection.
What it costs us
nah.tools runs on Cloudflare Workers with KV caching and Analytics Engine. Static tools (PDF, QR codes, background removal, resumes, invoices) cost nothing to serve because they run entirely on your device. Dynamic features (short links, dynamic QR codes, link in bio) cost about $0.80 per million requests.
| What nah does | What it costs us | What others charge |
|---|---|---|
| Generate a QR code | $0.00 (your browser) | $120–564/year |
| Merge a PDF | $0.00 (your browser) | $96/year |
| Remove a background | $0.00 (your browser) | $2/image or $99/month |
| Build a resume | $0.00 (your browser) | $24/month (every 4 weeks) |
| Shorten a link | ~$0.0000008 (one redirect) | $348/year (Bitly Pro) |
| Remove data broker listings | $0.00 (pre-filled templates) | $78–129/year |
| Create an invoice | $0.00 (your browser) | $16–60/month |
| Link in bio page | ~$0.0000008 (one visit) | $5–24/month |
Sustainability
This is a one-person project. The maintainer personally covers infrastructure costs. At current architecture, that budget handles over a billion dynamic requests per month before it becomes a conversation. For reference, most funded startups never reach that.
If nah.tools gets popular enough to matter, the plan is simple: accept donations from people who want to help, and keep running. If that ever stops working, the code is MIT-licensed — anyone can self-host the whole thing.
There's no donate button yet. When there is, it'll be here. The tools are free either way.
The rules
No accounts. If a tool doesn't need to know who you are, it won't ask.
No tracking. No cookies, no fingerprinting. Basic Cloudflare Web Analytics that count page views without identifying visitors.
No ads. Not now, not later.
No paywall. Every feature free for every user. No premium tiers, no daily limits, no watermarks.
Open source. The full codebase is MIT-licensed. Read every line, verify every claim, self-host the whole thing.
Why these tools cost $0
Over $2.2 billion in venture capital has gone into companies that charge subscriptions for things your browser already does for free. The Better Business Bureau has documented $1.3 billion in consumer losses from the free trial traps these companies use.
The tools exist because the underlying technology is free. QR codes are an open ISO standard. PDF manipulation uses open-source JavaScript libraries. Background removal runs on open-source AI models. None of this requires a server, a subscription, or your credit card.
Read the full investigation: Why nah exists.
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