The Save Emails as PDF (cloudHQ) Alternative
cloudHQ's Save Emails as PDF is the most-installed Gmail-to-PDF extension — and it uploads your mail to its servers at roughly $149.90/user/year. ThreadPDF does the same core job on your device for about one-fifth the price.
Try ThreadPDF FreeWhy Look for a cloudHQ Alternative
cloudHQ's "Save Emails as PDF" is a mature, capable product with 100,000+ users. The reasons people shop for an alternative are consistent: the price ($149.90 per user per year), the server-side processing model (your emails are uploaded to cloudHQ to be converted), and a free tier that's a one-time lifetime cap rather than a recurring allowance.
ThreadPDF for Gmail targets exactly those three points. It runs the conversion in your browser (nothing is uploaded), costs $4.99/month or $49.99/year flat, and its free tier renews daily.
This is a singular-alternative view focused on switching. For the full head-to-head feature breakdown, see our dedicated ThreadPDF vs cloudHQ comparison.
Quick Verdict
If you need cloudHQ-specific features — direct save to Box, Egnyte, or OneDrive, or EML export — stay with cloudHQ. If you want the same Gmail-to-PDF job done on-device, for far less money, with no account, ThreadPDF is the better alternative.
Most individuals, small teams, and anyone in a regulated field where server-side upload is a problem will be better served by ThreadPDF. Switching is just installing the extension — there's no data to migrate.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Switch Labs | Save Emails as PDF by cloudHQ |
|---|---|---|
| Paid price We Win | $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr | $149.90/user/year (~$12.49/mo) |
| Free tier We Win | 5 threads/day (recurring) | 50 lifetime conversions per type |
| Where conversion happens We Win | On your device (browser) | cloudHQ servers (uploaded) |
| Account required We Win | ||
| Merge multiple emails into one PDF | Yes, with TOC | |
| Attachments included | Yes (ZIP bundle) | |
| Output formats They Win | PDF, HTML, TXT | PDF, HTML, TXT, EML |
| Cloud destinations (Drive/Box/Egnyte) They Win | Not yet | Yes |
| Chrome Web Store users They Win | 144 | 100,000+ |
Detailed Comparison
The Switching Case in One Paragraph
You are paying roughly 3x more per user per year for cloudHQ, and your emails are uploaded to a third party to be converted. If you do not specifically use cloudHQ's cloud-destination routing or EML export, you are paying for capacity and a data flow you do not need. ThreadPDF does the core job — select Gmail threads, convert to PDF, keep attachments, merge if you want — on your own machine, for far less.
On-Device vs Server-Side
This is the difference that decides it for regulated teams. cloudHQ uploads your selected emails to its servers, converts them, and sends the result back. cloudHQ has a serious security program, so this is not about carelessness — it is that any server-side step inserts a third party into your data flow.
ThreadPDF renders the PDF in your browser. Your email content is never transmitted to ThreadPDF, because there is nothing for it to do on a server. For attorneys with privileged mail, healthcare workflows touching PHI, or anyone bound by data-residency rules, "processed on my machine" is often a procurement requirement, not a preference.
What You Give Up
Being honest: cloudHQ does some things ThreadPDF does not. It can save directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, and Egnyte, and it exports EML. ThreadPDF saves locally first and does not export EML.
If your workflow depends on routing exports straight into a cloud destination, or on EML for re-importing into a mail client, cloudHQ is doing more today and the switch may not be right for you.
Free Tier: One-Time vs Recurring
cloudHQ gives 50 lifetime conversions per output type — generous for a first try, then it's gone. ThreadPDF gives 5 thread exports per day, every day (roughly 150/month).
For a single one-off export, cloudHQ's lifetime tier may cover you. For anyone who exports routinely, ThreadPDF's recurring daily allowance is the more practical free experience.
Pros & Cons
Switch Labs
Pros
- Roughly one-fifth the cost at $4.99/month
- On-device processing — emails never leave your browser
- No account required
- Recurring daily free tier instead of a one-time lifetime cap
- Merge into one PDF with a table of contents
- Attachments bundled with the export
Cons
- No direct save to Google Drive / Box / Egnyte yet
- No EML export
- Smaller user base than cloudHQ
Save Emails as PDF by cloudHQ
Pros
- Most-installed Gmail-to-PDF extension (100,000+ users)
- Direct save to Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, Egnyte
- EML export for archive workflows
- Mature, feature-rich platform
Cons
- Roughly 3x more expensive per user per year
- Server-side processing — emails uploaded to cloudHQ
- Requires an account
- Free tier is a one-time lifetime cap, not recurring
Which Should You Choose?
Choose ThreadPDF If You...
- Want the same Gmail-to-PDF job for far less money
- Need on-device processing for compliance or privacy
- Prefer a tool that doesn't require an account
- Export routinely and want a recurring free tier
- Don't specifically need Box, Egnyte, or EML
Stay With cloudHQ If You...
- Need direct save to Box, Egnyte, or OneDrive
- Need EML export for Outlook/Thunderbird archives
- Are already standardized on cloudHQ across a team
- Want the most-installed option and have the budget
Frequently Asked Questions
Same Job, On Your Device, About One-Fifth the Price
Install ThreadPDF free from the Chrome Web Store. Export 5 Gmail threads per day at no cost, or go unlimited at $4.99/month.
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