Imagine an unfortunate scenario where someone accessed your clients’ personal information - names, ages, birthdates, social security numbers, etc. When this sensitive customer data falls into the wrong hands, it makes them vulnerable to identity theft and fraud. Not only can data breaches derail your client’s lives, but they could also destroy your business. This may sound dramatic, but situations like these occur more often than you might think; there were 5.7 million cases of fraud and identity theft reported to the FTC in 2023. Safeguarding confidential data is an absolute must.
One of the main ways that criminals gain unauthorized access to personal information is through improperly secured documentation. And that’s where redaction comes into play. Redaction is the practice of removing or hiding sensitive information for compliance or security purposes. There are secure redaction options out there that you can use to keep private details safe. This article will cover everything you need to know about redaction and introduce you to the best redaction software options for businesses.
Benefits of online redacting software to redact PDF documents
To conceal identity-specific information on documents, you might reach for the ever-popular Sharpie marker. Here’s the problem with that – though the marker might initially appear to offer good coverage, it does eventually fade. That defeats the purpose. Then, there are even more labor-intensive options where you upload your document and drag shapes in front of the desired text, or cut out unwanted text on physical paper and then scan and save the page.
All of these options belong in the past. The best redacting is done online with dedicated redacting software and tools. Here are the main benefits of taking this route:
- Quicker redacting: Sanitizing your documents with dedicated redacting software is so much faster than other methods. Armed with the best PDF redaction software options (which we’ll cover later), you can fully redact multi-page documents in a couple of minutes.
- Cost-effectiveness: Time is money, and manual redaction materials (paper, markers, correction tape, scissors) can quickly become expensive. Redaction software saves you time and doesn’t require you to purchase any physical materials.
- Better accuracy: We’re all human, and we’re prone to mistakes. That applies when looking over documents and deciding which areas to conceal. Missing one piece of information can be a very costly mistake. Top-quality redaction software uses high-performance algorithms and technology to reliably scope out information you need to conceal.
- Ease of use: Online redaction solutions are typically very easy to use, even if you’re not a redaction pro. This is great for those who plan to use redaction on an occasional basis.
Manual vs. automated document redaction
In case you weren’t aware, there are two main types of document redaction – manual and automated. We’ll cover both of them in the below sections.
Manual redaction for documents
Do you remember how we mentioned the infamous marker? That’s a form of manual redaction. This type of redaction requires an individual to physically locate and obscure or remove unwanted text, images, and logos. Hence, the word “manual.” Manual redaction can be done on physical paper documents or scanned PDFs.
Pros
- You have full control of what is and isn’t concealed on a document.
- Paid software and subscriptions aren’t typically needed.
- Technical skills are rarely required for manual redaction.
Cons
- Time and labor-intensive, requiring you to mark up or manipulate your document one piece of information at a time.
- Inflated risk of missing pieces of sensitive data due to human error.
- Ongoing costs associated with necessary materials, including paper, markers, scissors, correction tape, etc. (particularly for physical document redactions).
- Not appropriate for businesses due to its slow, labor-intensive nature.
- Difficult to track manual redactions for auditing purposes.
Automated redaction for documents
Manual redaction and automated redaction couldn’t be more different. With automated redaction, you do very minimal work. Your chosen software will scan your uploaded documents and automatically remove or obscure personal information according to your specifications.
Pros
- You can redact your documents much faster than you ever could with manual methods.
- Errors are rare with automated redaction. This is because of the technological and algorithmic capabilities involved. You can trust that your documents are correctly redacted.
- Automated redaction can easily scale with you, which growing businesses will surely appreciate.
- Typically affordable.
Cons
- There may be a small learning curve after switching to a new automated redaction tool.
- Though remarkably high for some tools, accuracy cannot be 100% guaranteed.
Why automated redaction is universally preferred
It may go without saying that automated redaction is the universally preferred option. And it all comes down to reliability, productivity, and efficiency. The accuracy of automated redaction is unmatched, and you get to redact more documents faster at a reasonable price. Manual redaction just doesn’t come close.
The best online redaction tool for redacting your document
When you do an internet search for “redact PDF document,” “redacting software,” or “best redaction software,” one thing is bound to happen. You’ll be bombarded with a ton of different tools claiming to be the best. Which one should you choose? We’ll share the best overall redaction tool and some runners-up to consider. Let’s get right into it!
Redactable - top overall redaction tool (automated redaction with manual option)
Redactable is the best PDF redaction software you’ll find anywhere. It uses natural language processing (NLP) for information detection and AI workflows for accuracy. The result is super easy and lightning-fast automated redaction for all your documents. This tool is ideal for both businesses and everyday folks who would rather pass on the struggles of redaction.
Why Redactable is at the top of our list
Redactable has been dubbed the #1 redaction software because it:
- Only takes 2.5 minutes to redact a whole 10-page document.
- Is faster than Adobe, saving you 98% of the time you’d spend redacting on that platform.
- Is easy to use, requiring just four simple steps.
- Can be easily integrated into your Google Drive, Dropbox, One Drive, or Box.
- Is trusted by thousands of businesses and users.
- Can be used in various industries, from legal to finance to real estate and more.
- Can pull documents from the cloud for easy redaction from any browser.
- Has a user-friendly redaction wizard that makes all redactions straightforward.
- Executes secure, permanent redactions that cannot be removed, unlike the average PDF editing tool.
In addition to these benefits, you get to try the software for free with no credit card. There are also no contracts – you pay as you go and cancel at any time.
How it works
When you go to redact a document, the last thing you want to do is rocket science. Just upload your document, use the redaction wizard to find the information, select the items you want to redact, and then download your finished document. It doesn’t get easier than that.
Redaction options
In the “Redaction Wizard,” you get to choose between four types of redactions, including manual, search text, categories, and auto.
The Manual option allows you to go through your document line by line and select the information you want to remove. Just click and drag to highlight.
The Search Text option will search the document for specific words and phrases you enter.
Simply enter your search terms as demonstrated below and click “Search.”
The software will highlight all instances of your search terms in the PDF. Check the boxes next to the terms you’d like to redact and then click “Redact.”
The Categories option redacts based on categories of information, like social security numbers, phone numbers, full names, last names, and more.
Check off the categories of information you want to redact, as shown below, and then click “Search”:
Then, check off the pieces of information you want to redact based on those categories and click “Redact”:
And then there’s the Auto feature. The software scans the document and gives you automatic redaction suggestions.
Key features
Though the Redactable interface is easy on the eyes and a breeze to navigate, there are several amazing features working behind the scenes. Here are some key features that make the software tick:
- AI technology for auto generations. Depending on the document you upload, there could be hundreds or even thousands of redaction suggestions. Having these suggestions compiled for you saves you untold time.
- Redaction workflow. For businesses that do heavy redacting, keeping track of everything is essential. The redaction workflow helps you do so. You can see how many docs have been uploaded, downloaded, and redacted. You can also organize your documents by tags, folders, projects, and more.
- Collaborative redaction. Several team members can work together on a single document and leave comments. You also get to view work logs.
Costs
Redactable offers both monthly and annual plans. Monthly plans start as low as $19 and increase based on how many documents you need to redact. Annual plans start at $182 per year.
PDFescape (manual redaction)
PDFescape is another option businesses should consider for their redaction needs. It’s a free tool that does manual redactions. To remove sensitive information, just upload your document, select the items you need to remove using the Whiteout function, click save, and then you’re done.
Why it’s on our list
PDFescape is on our list because the redaction function is easy to use and is a good option for small-scale redaction tasks.
Things to be aware of
PDFescape isn’t the best option for businesses or large redaction jobs because you have to manually remove each piece of information. It’s not made for specialized redaction and won’t give you the redaction options you get with Redactable. On top of that, there’s no guarantee that the text you highlight will actually be removed from the document.
Smallpdf (manual redaction)
Smallpdf is a PDF redaction software you can use to manually black out desired data. It’s got two simple options – one to move the page around and one to black out text.
Why it’s on our list
Even those with minimal computer knowledge will have no problem using this program to redact a PDF document. The interface is clean and makes for a frustration-free experience.
Things to be aware of
Since Smallpdf doesn’t have any AI technology or natural language processing capabilities to speed up the redaction process, redactions will be slow. So, this tool is best for smaller redaction projects. Also, there’s no way to know whether the text is being permanently deleted or simply masked.
Adobe Acrobat Reader (manual redaction)
This is a manual redaction option from Adobe, the well-known American software company. It allows you to permanently delete sensitive data via a “Redact a PDF” tool.
You can choose to leave the redacted portion blank or use black boxes.
Why it’s on our list
This option is on our list because of the redaction options you get. Though it doesn’t have AI technology or as many helpful features as Redactable, it has a search feature that could reduce your redaction time. It also comes from a reputable company that professionals in various industries trust.
Things to be aware of
This isn’t a free tool. You have to pay for an Adobe Acrobat subscription first. And the redaction features are lacking.
How to use a redaction tool: step-by-step instructions
First and foremost, every redaction tool functions differently. So, the below step by step instructions do not apply to all tools. But they give you a good idea of what to expect when you use top-quality tools to redact in PDF documents:
Step 1: Upload your document. You can drag and drop your file(s), select files from your computer, or import from integrated programs. Click the “upload” button.
Step 2: Select the type of redaction you want to perform. Choose the redaction type that best suits your needs.
Step 3: Select the items you want to redact and click redact.
Step 4: Download your freshly redacted document.
Limitations of manual redaction tools
Though they may come in handy in a pinch, manual redaction tools come with a laundry list of limitations:
- They are time-consuming.
- They are only useful for very small redaction tasks.
- They are prone to human error, being that you have to select the text or images yourself.
- Some methods, like using Whiteout and markers, require you to purchase physical supplies that can get expensive over time.
- Given the amount of time and manual labor required, it’s nearly impossible to scale up with manual redaction.
It’s for these reasons and more that we fully recommend going with a high-quality automated redaction solution, like Redactable.
So, there you have it – Redactable is the best redaction software. It far outperforms the competition with AI and NLP technology, allows for scaling, and eliminates many of the obstacles to redacting PDFs. Want to give Redactable a try for free? Get 3 free redactions today and give it a whirl. You’ll be glad you did!
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