Online converters are handy because they work anywhere. The catch is the round trip. Every file is sent to someone else's computer and fetched back again, which takes time on a slow connection. And a private document or family video leaves your hands for a while. If you mostly convert on one Windows PC, doing it locally skips both problems.
Santra and Convertio side by side
| Feature | Santra | Convertio |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | On your Windows 10 or 11 PC | In the browser, on its servers |
| Your files are uploaded | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Works without internet | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Formats | The common ones: pictures, video, audio, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF | Over 300 formats |
| Largest file | No limit set by Santra | 1 GB free; up to 10 GB on Pro |
| Works on phones and Macs | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Price | First 25 files free, then US$19 once | Free tier; paid plans from US$11.99 a month |
When to choose Convertio
- You need an unusual format. Convertio lists over 300 formats; Santra sticks to the everyday ones.
- You are on a phone, a Mac or someone else's computer. A website works on all of them; Santra runs only on Windows.
- You want an API or command-line tool to plug conversions into your own scripts.
When to choose Santra
- Your files are private: contracts, ID scans, family photos. Santra never sends them anywhere.
- Your files are big. Long videos don't have to travel up and down the internet, and Santra sets no size limit.
- You convert often. One drag, a key and a drop is quicker than upload, wait, download, and you can drop many files at once.
- You prefer paying once: US$19 for up to 3 PCs instead of a monthly plan.
How to switch in three steps
- Install Santra on your Windows PC. No admin rights are needed.
- Find the file you would have uploaded, start dragging it and tap Shift.
- Drop it on the format you want. The result appears next to the original.
Guides for the most common jobs: MP4 to MP3, MKV to MP4, Word to PDF and PNG to JPG.
A word on the details
Convertio's details come from its own website, checked on 22 October 2026. Its pages give different figures for the free tier's daily limit, so we haven't quoted one. Its site says uploaded files are deleted at once and converted files after 24 hours.