Compress a PDF
Smallpdf reduces the file size so it fits as an attachment or in an online form. There are three levels: basic, moderate, and strong.
AI tools · Documents and presentations
Smallpdf pricing, use cases, and first steps
Smallpdf is a site that brings together about thirty tools for PDFs: shrink them, turn them into Word or Excel files, merge them, edit them, sign them. You drop in the file, click, and get the result. Four tools use AI: chatting with a document, summarizing it, translating it, and generating questions from it.
Smallpdf has a free plan. The recommended plan to start with: Free, €0. Prices checked on October 3, 2026 on the vendor’s official page.
SmallpdfCompress, convert, and sign a PDF, and ask it questions- Vendor
- Smallpdf AG (Switzerland)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Recommended plan
- Free, €0
- Page checked on
- October 3, 2026
What Smallpdf does
Who it’s for: anyone who receives and sends PDFs: contracts, quotes, invoices, reports, job applications.
Convert to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and back
A PDF becomes a Word document, an Excel spreadsheet, or a presentation you can edit. In the other direction, your office files become PDFs. For a scanned PDF, text recognition requires the Pro plan.
Merge and reorder
You combine several files into a single PDF: PDFs, but also Word and Excel documents and images. You move and rotate pages using the thumbnails before you confirm.
Also
- Sign a document
- Chat with a PDF
- Summarize a PDF
- Translate a PDF
- Scan with your phone
Smallpdf pricing
The site calculates its prices when the page loads, and we could not record the amount of the Pro plan. For reference: on the French App Store, the in-app subscriptions range from €8.99 to €17.99 per month and from €59.99 to €129.99 per year. The subscription renews automatically: if you try the 7-day trial, note the date so you can cancel in time.
| Plan | Price | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Free Recommended to start | €0 | An occasional need |
| Pro | Varies by country, per month, less if billed yearly | Daily use |
| Team | Varies by country, per seat per month, billed yearly | From 2 people |
| Business | Custom pricing | Large organizations |
What the free plan includes
All 30 tools are available, with a limited number of downloads per day. The AI tools accept documents of 25,000 to 35,000 words. Strong compression and processing several files at once are reserved for the Pro plan. The mobile app is included.
Nova’s advice
For a PDF to compress or convert now and then, the free plan is enough. Choose Pro only if you hit the limit every day, or if you need text recognition on scanned documents. Before that, check whether your company already provides a PDF tool.
A first try, in 2 minutes
Your data. Uploaded files are deleted automatically one hour after processing, except those you choose to keep in your account.
What it does less well
- The free plan limits the number of downloads per day, and the number is not clearly displayed. You find out when the site blocks you.
- Translation keeps neither images nor special layouts: you get the translated text, not an identical document.
Shrink a PDF that is too large for an emailSmallpdf- Open smallpdf.com and choose the “Compress PDF” tool.
- Click “Choose Files,” or drag your PDF onto the page.
- Choose the “Basic” level, which is free. The “Moderate” and “Strong” levels are reserved for the Pro plan.
- Download the compressed file and compare its size with the original.
- Open it to check that images and tables are still readable before you send it.
Alternatives to Smallpdf
iLovePDF
Very similar, with clearer free limits and Mac and Windows apps.
Adobe Acrobat (AI Assistant)
The original PDF tool, more complete for editing a document, with an assistant that shows the cited passage.
ChatPDF
If you only want to ask a PDF questions, with a link back to the page.
DeepL
To translate an entire file with a tool built for that job.
Frequently asked questions about Smallpdf
How much does Smallpdf cost?
Free: €0; Pro: varies by country, per month, less if billed yearly; Team: varies by country, per seat per month, billed yearly; Business: custom pricing. Prices checked on October 3, 2026 on the vendor’s official page.
Can you use Smallpdf for free?
Yes. All 30 tools are available, with a limited number of downloads per day. The AI tools accept documents of 25,000 to 35,000 words. Strong compression and processing several files at once are reserved for the Pro plan. The mobile app is included.
What happens to my data with Smallpdf?
Uploaded files are deleted automatically one hour after processing, except those you choose to keep in your account.
What are the alternatives to Smallpdf?
iLovePDF: Very similar, with clearer free limits and Mac and Windows apps. Adobe Acrobat (AI Assistant): The original PDF tool, more complete for editing a document, with an assistant that shows the cited passage. ChatPDF: If you only want to ask a PDF questions, with a link back to the page. DeepL: To translate an entire file with a tool built for that job.
Official pages consulted
Page checked on October 3, 2026. Brands are named to identify the tools. No affiliation.