PDF editor · Smallpdf AG

Smallpdf

Swiss browser-based PDF toolkit with a free plan, mobile apps and a Windows desktop app.

64/100

#8 of 9 PDF editors
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

Pro costs $9 a month billed yearly ($108 a year), or $12 month to month^2,3.
The free plan covers 30+ tools with limited downloads and adds no watermark^1,9.
Editing existing text needs Pro, which has a 7-day free trial⁴.
Smallpdf says it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and audited annually⁸.
The desktop app is for Windows and works offline⁷.

Smallpdf suits occasional users who want quick browser tools and a free plan that does not watermark files^1,9. Pro adds direct text editing, OCR and unlimited signature requests through Sign.com^1,4. Form building, file comparison and certificate-based signing are not published, and the desktop app is for Windows only⁷.

Best for: Occasional users who work in the browser.

Where the points come from

Editing18 of 30

Systems12 of 15

Signing and security8 of 20

Price11 of 20

Privacy15 of 15

Editing 18 of 30 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Edit existing text	YesDirect text editing (Edit Text) needs a Pro subscription⁴.	6 / 6
OCR	YesPro includes OCR, including OCR conversion to Word, Excel and PowerPoint^1,3.	6 / 6
True redaction	YesRedact PDF permanently removes text and images so they cannot be recovered⁵.	6 / 6
Create fillable forms	Not published	0 / 6
Compare two PDFs	Not published	0 / 6

Systems 12 of 15 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Apps	Windows, iOS, Android, WebWeb app, a Windows desktop app⁷ and mobile apps for iOS and Android⁸.	12 / 15

Signing and security 8 of 20 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Request e-signatures	YesRequests signatures through Sign.com, with an activity timeline; unlimited on Pro¹.	8 / 8
Password protection	Not publishedAdds a password with 128-bit AES⁶; limits on printing or copying are not published.	0 / 6
Certificate-based signatures	Not published	0 / 6

Price 11 of 20 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Free version without watermarks	YesFree plan with limited downloads; Smallpdf says it adds no watermarks, even on the free version^1,9.	8 / 8
First-year price for text editing	$108/yrPro, $9 a month billed yearly ($108 a year); yearly billing is 25% cheaper than monthly^2,3.	3 / 7
One-time licence	Not publishedPro is sold with monthly or yearly billing³.	0 / 5

Privacy 15 of 15 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Edits files on your computer	YesThe Windows desktop app runs its PDF tools offline⁷.	8 / 8
SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001	YesSmallpdf says it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and audited annually^1,8.	7 / 7

The rule behind each line: how we score PDF editors.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Free1 person	Free¹	$0	30+ tools, limited downloads
Pro (yearly)1 person	$9/month, billed yearly^2,3	$9	$108 a year
Pro (monthly)1 person	$12/month²	$12
Team2 to 19 people	$7/month per seat, billed yearly^1,2	$7	$10 per seat month to month
Business20+ people	Custom¹	Quote

Pro is $9 a month on yearly billing or $12 month to month². Smallpdf offers a 7-day free trial of Pro³.

Strengths

Free plan with no watermark on downloads⁹.
Redaction permanently removes text and images⁵.
Unlimited signature requests through Sign.com on Pro, with an activity timeline¹.
Windows desktop app works offline⁷.
ISO/IEC 27001 certified and audited annually⁸.

Limits

Editing existing text needs Pro⁴.
The free plan limits daily downloads¹.
Protect PDF documents 128-bit AES passwords; limits on printing or copying are not published⁶.
Only monthly and yearly plans are offered; no one-time licence is listed³.

What Smallpdf AG says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

Smallpdf says 1.7 billion people have used it since 2013¹.

Other PDF editors

1
Wondershare PDFelementWindows users who want to buy a PDF editor once
90/100
$79.99/yrfirst-year price for text editing
2
Foxit PDF EditorPeople who want a full desktop editor with a one-time licence option
88/100
$129.99/yrfirst-year price for text editing
3
iLovePDFBudget buyers who mostly work in the browser
85/100
$67.12/yrfirst-year price for text editing
4
PDFgearPeople who want to edit PDF text for free
81/100
$0first-year price for text editing

All 9 PDF editors

Sources

Smallpdf Pricing and Plans, Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Adobe vs Foxit: In-depth Comparison [March 2026], Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Smallpdf Free vs Pro: 2026 Plan Comparison, Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Free PDF Editor: Change & Edit PDF Content Online, Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Redact PDF: Remove Sensitive Information Permanently, Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Password Protect PDF: Lock PDFs with Password Protection, Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Smallpdf Desktop App, Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Free PDF Signer: Fill & Sign PDF Documents Online, Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
PDF Maker–Make PDF Online in One Click, Smallpdf. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: smallpdf.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Smallpdf AG.