The best Smallpdf alternatives in 2026

Smallpdf is polished, but its free tier runs out fast and paid plans cost more than most rivals. These are the alternatives people switch to, and why.

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Updated by the PDFbat team

The short answer

The best Smallpdf alternative for most people is PDFbat: every PDF tool is on the free plan with 10 tasks a day, files up to 25 MB and no watermark, and Pro costs $4 a month. If you want a fully free option with no account, PDF24 is hard to beat, and iLovePDF is the closest match in look and feel.

Smallpdf is still a good choice if you like its design, need its mobile apps or want a quick conversion with no learning curve. Switch when you hit daily limits, want true text editing, or want lower pricing.

The comparison below covers six options and says where each one falls short.

At a glance

FeaturePDFbatiLovePDFSejdaPDF24Adobe online tools
Free planAll tools, 10 tasks a dayLimited daily tasksLimited daily tasksFree with no daily cap on toolsLimited free use
Paid pricePro $4/mofrom about $6 to $9/mofrom about $5 to $8/moFreefrom about $13/mo and up
Account needed for free useYes, username and passwordNoNoNoAdobe account
Edit existing textYesLimitedYesLimitedVia Acrobat
E signaturesYesYesYesBasicYes
OCRYesYesYesYesYes
AI chat and summariesYesCheck their current plansCheck their current plansNoYes
Cloud storage1 GB free, 10 GB ProCheck their current plansCheck their current plansNoAdobe cloud
File size limit on free25 MBCheck their current plansCheck their current plansCheck their current plansCheck their current plans
REST API250 free calls a monthPaid APICheck their current plansNoPaid API
Desktop appNoYesYesYesVia Acrobat

Competitor details reflect their public pricing pages in November 2026. Check their site for current terms.

The best Smallpdf alternatives

1

PDFbat

Best for free use without watermarks, with real text editing and AI

Free, Pro $4/mo

PDFbat gives you 30+ PDF tools, an editor that changes existing text, e signatures, a cloud Drive, OCR and AI chat on the free plan. Pro lifts the daily limit and raises the file size to 100 MB for $4 a month.

Pros

  • No watermark and no credit card on the free plan
  • Edits existing text, including right to left and Indic scripts
  • Pro is $4 a month for unlimited tool tasks

Cons

  • Free plan caps tool tasks at 10 a day
  • No desktop or native mobile app
  • Newer product with a smaller community
2

iLovePDF

Best for a familiar, simple online toolbox

Free, paid from about $6 to $9/mo

iLovePDF is a long running online toolbox with a very simple layout, plus desktop and mobile apps. It offers a free tier with usage limits and a premium plan for larger files and batch work.

Pros

  • Very easy to use
  • Desktop and mobile apps
  • Wide set of conversion tools

Cons

  • Free tier has size and batch limits
  • Editing is lighter than a full editor
  • Check their current plans for current limits
3

Sejda

Best for editing PDFs with a desktop or web app

Free with limits, paid from about $5 to $8/mo

Sejda offers web tools and a desktop app with a capable text editor and form tools. The free tier is limited by tasks per day, file size and pages.

Pros

  • Capable editor with clear interface
  • Web and desktop versions
  • Reasonable paid pricing

Cons

  • Free tier limits are tight
  • Fewer AI and developer features
  • Check their current plans
4

PDF24

Best for completely free tools, online and on Windows

Free

PDF24 is a free toolbox from Geek Software, available online and as a Windows desktop app. It covers merging, splitting, compressing, converting and basic editing with no stated daily cap.

Pros

  • Free to use with a large tool list
  • Windows desktop app works offline
  • No account required for common tasks

Cons

  • Interface is utilitarian
  • Editing is basic compared with a full editor
  • Cloud features and signing are limited
5

Adobe online PDF tools

Best for people who trust Adobe quality for occasional conversions

Limited free use, paid plans from Adobe

Adobe offers free online tools for converting, merging, compressing and signing PDFs, backed by the Acrobat engine. Free use is limited, and the full editor requires an Acrobat plan.

Pros

  • High quality conversions
  • Trusted brand
  • Smooth path to full Acrobat

Cons

  • Free use is limited and prompts a sign in
  • Full editing needs a paid plan
  • Costs more than most alternatives

How we picked these alternatives

We started from the reasons people leave Smallpdf: the daily task limit, price and missing features. Each alternative had to run in the browser and handle the everyday tool set.

  • What the free plan allows and whether outputs are watermarked.
  • Price of the cheapest paid plan.
  • Depth of editing, not only conversion.
  • E signatures, OCR and AI.
  • File size limits.
  • Privacy and how long files are kept.

Free limits compared

Free tiers are where these tools differ most. Smallpdf, iLovePDF and Sejda limit the number of tasks per day, so a long afternoon of PDF work can hit a wall. PDFbat allows 10 tool tasks a day with every tool unlocked, while PDF24 has no stated cap at all.

If you process PDFs in bulk, a paid plan or a desktop tool is usually cheaper than fighting limits. PDFbat Pro at $4 a month removes the task cap, and PDF24 desktop is free. See the full list on the free PDF tools page.

Where Smallpdf still wins

Smallpdf has a very polished interface, mobile apps and integrations with Google Drive and Dropbox. Teams that want a managed subscription with admin features may prefer its business plans.

If those matter to you, stay. If you mostly want edit, sign, merge and compress for less, an alternative will serve you well.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Smallpdf with no limits?

PDF24 has no stated daily cap and is free. PDFbat is free with 10 tool tasks a day and no watermark, and Pro removes the cap for $4 a month.

Which Smallpdf alternative edits text best?

PDFbat and Sejda both edit existing text. PDFbat also supports right to left and Indic scripts with correct shaping.

Is iLovePDF better than Smallpdf?

They are similar in scope. iLovePDF is generally priced lower, while Smallpdf has a more polished design. Compare the current free limits on both before choosing.

Do these tools add watermarks on free output?

PDFbat does not watermark output on any plan. For others, check their current plans, since some limit or stamp free results.

Can I use these on my phone?

Browser tools work on phones, and PDFbat runs on iPhone, iPad and Android through the browser. Smallpdf and iLovePDF also have native apps.

Which alternative has an API?

PDFbat offers a REST API with 250 free calls a month. iLovePDF and Adobe also sell APIs, so check their current plans.

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