TrueRedact — Permanent PDF redaction

Detect and permanently remove sensitive info from PDFs

Problem

Many people think a black box over PDF text means it's gone, but the original can still be copied, searched, or extracted. A developer built exactly this tool and is now trying to figure out who actually needs it — the pain is real but needs clearer compliance targeting.

Solution

Upload a PDF to auto-detect sensitive info (names, emails, ID numbers, bank accounts), let users confirm each item, then permanently delete the underlying text rather than just covering it. Output a verified clean PDF plus a redaction report.

Users

Legal, HR, and finance staff, plus small business owners and freelancers who share PDFs externally

MVP

PDF upload and text parsing; sensitive info auto-detection (regex + NER); human review and confirm UI; permanent deletion of underlying text with clean PDF output; redaction report listing all flagged items

Revenue

Per-document pricing ($5-15/doc) or subscription ($19/mo for 30 docs); API for enterprise integration

Why now

Remote work and cross-border collaboration have increased PDF sharing, yet most people don't know black-box redaction is bypassable