Detailed comparison with cloudHQ “Save Emails as PDF”
Comparison table
| Feature | CarefulTools | cloudHQ |
|---|---|---|
| Formats and files | ||
| Formats | PDF, HTML and TXT | PDF, HTML and text |
| PDF with searchable, selectable text | Yes | Yes |
| One file with everything, or one per conversation or message | Yes | Yes |
| Password | Yes: PDF and attachments ZIP (AES-256) | PDF only, on its paid plan |
| Layout and page | ||
| Paper size | 10 sizes and a custom size | 9 sizes |
| Margins | 4 levels | No |
| Page numbers | Yes | Yes |
| Batch “Gmail print” mode | Yes | Does not have this mode |
| Cleaning and order | ||
| Cleaning of quoted replies, signatures and disclaimers | 5 levels, in 25 languages | One switch (“compact format”) |
| Group into conversations | Yes | Yes |
| Order as in the Gmail inbox | Yes | No |
| Separator lines between messages and conversations | Yes: between messages and between conversations | Between conversations only (never between messages) |
| Remove the lines or choose their style, thickness and colour | Yes | No: mandatory and always the same |
| Attachments | ||
| All original attachments inside the PDF (in the reader’s paperclip) | Yes | No |
| Attached images and PDFs as pages | Yes | Yes |
| Word, PowerPoint and Excel as pages | Yes | Yes |
| Choose which attachment types to show as pages (one by one) | Yes: 5 switches | No: all at once |
| Pages, paperclip and originals ZIP at the same time | Yes, in any combination | Pages and ZIP, yes; no paperclip option |
| Automatic rotation of images and spreadsheets to fit their shape | Yes, with an on/off toggle | No |
| Excel inside the PDF | ||
| Clean, continuous tables without wasted pages | Yes | No: each table starts a new page |
| Table size | Automatic or manual | Automatic only |
| Sheet and section shown on each page | Yes | No |
| Header rows repeated on each new page | Yes | No |
| HTML and TXT | ||
| Interactive HTML with side menu and attachment downloads | Yes | No |
| Attachments visible inside the HTML | Yes: independent switches per format | Yes, but all-or-nothing |
| Attachment text inside the TXT | Yes: independent switches per format | Yes, but all-or-nothing |
| File name and folder | ||
| Automatic file name with email details | 5 ready-made formats or custom with 8 details and 4 date styles | No: you must type the text by hand |
| Choose the destination folder on the computer | Yes (directly in the extension, without touching Chrome) | No: always goes to the browser’s downloads |
| A new folder for each download | Configurable (optional when multiple files are generated) | In the cloud, yes; on your computer, no |
| Save straight to the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive…) | No | Yes |
| Languages | ||
| Document language different from the extension’s | Yes | No |
| Extension languages | 25 | 11 (according to its listing) |
Attachments
Both can show attachments as pages of the PDF: images, PDFs, Word, PowerPoint and Excel. The difference is control. In CarefulTools you choose one by one which types show (for example, Excel yes and Word no) and you can also keep every original file inside the PDF itself, in your reader’s paperclip, whether or not it shows as pages. In cloudHQ the previews are turned on all at once and there is no paperclip option. Both can put the originals in a separate ZIP.
Layout, cleaning and order
cloudHQ has a “compact format” switch. CarefulTools offers five cleaning levels that remove quoted replies, signatures and legal disclaimers in 25 languages, or keep the whole email. Both group messages into conversations; CarefulTools also orders them as in your Gmail inbox and lets you add, remove and style (shape, thickness and colour) the lines between conversations and between messages. In cloudHQ the lines between conversations are always active.
CarefulTools also has a batch “Gmail print” mode: it saves multiple emails with the same layout as printing from Gmail, with optional header and footer, scale and up to 16 pages per sheet to save paper. cloudHQ does not have this mode.
Excel, HTML and TXT
With spreadsheets, cloudHQ puts each table on a new page and sizes it automatically. CarefulTools stacks tables continuously and cleanly to avoid wasting pages, lets you choose automatic or manual scale, shows the sheet and section on each page and repeats the header rows on each new page.
In HTML and TXT, both can include attachments or their text; in cloudHQ they are enabled all at once in bulk, while CarefulTools offers independent switches per format. In HTML, CarefulTools also adds a side index to jump to each conversation and buttons to download each attachment or all of them in a ZIP.
File name and folder
In cloudHQ the file name does not include email details: you must type the text by hand. CarefulTools offers five ready-made formats or a custom one that combines eight automatic details (date, time, subject, sender, your email, recipient, download date and number of emails), with four date formats.
To save on your computer, cloudHQ sends files to the browser’s downloads folder without any option to pick another local folder; CarefulTools lets you choose your destination folder directly in the extension without touching Chrome’s, and offers the option to create a new folder when multiple files are generated. On the other hand, cloudHQ saves straight to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, SharePoint and Egnyte, and CarefulTools does not save to the cloud.
Languages
CarefulTools comes in 25 languages and the document can be in a different language from the extension’s. According to its listing, cloudHQ comes in 11 languages and does not let you choose the document language separately.
When cloudHQ is the better fit
- If you want your emails saved straight to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, SharePoint or Egnyte.
- If you already use other cloudHQ tools and prefer to keep everything with the same company.
When CarefulTools is the better fit
- If you need the original attachments inside the PDF itself, or to choose which types show as pages.
- If you work with spreadsheets and want them readable in the PDF.
- If you want to batch-save with Gmail’s print look or several pages per sheet.
- If you want an HTML file with an index to browse your emails.
- If you prefer to choose the file name and the folder where it is saved.
- If you need the extension or the document in another of the 25 languages.
Switching is easy
There is nothing to move: install CarefulTools, choose your settings once and select the emails in Gmail. The files you already saved are still yours. CarefulTools will soon be on the Chrome Web Store.
How we made this comparison
We made it on 4 and 5 October 2026 by installing and using both extensions to test their features directly, reviewing cloudHQ’s official support documentation, and from what its Chrome Web Store listing indicates. When a feature is not shown in its settings or documentation, we say exactly that, without claiming it does not exist. Features of either may change: if you see something out of date, write to support@carefultools.com and we will correct it.
cloudHQ is a trademark of its owner. CarefulTools is not affiliated with cloudHQ.