Key Features
✓ Pros
- 20+ PDF tools in one subscription — compress, merge, split, convert (Word, Excel, PPT, JPG), eSign, protect, unlock, rotate, add page numbers, watermark, and more. No other AI PDF tool covers this breadth of utility functions
- AI summarization and translation — get quick summaries of long documents and translate PDFs between languages without losing formatting
- eSignatures built in — legally binding electronic signatures without needing a separate DocuSign or HelloSign subscription. For freelancers and small businesses, this alone can justify the cost
- Desktop and mobile apps — unlike most AI PDF tools that are web-only, Smallpdf has native apps for Windows, Mac, and mobile
✗ Cons
- Free tier caps at 2 tasks per day — barely enough to evaluate the product
- AI features are competent but not as deep as dedicated chat tools like ChatPDF or Adobe's AI Assistant. You get summarization and basic Q&A, not multi-turn document conversations
- The July 2026 Apryse acquisition introduces uncertainty — pricing, features, and data handling policies could change during integration
- $12/month is mid-range, but the annual plan drops to $9/month, which is reasonable for the breadth of tools included
Full Review
Smallpdf has been the Swiss Army knife of PDF tools for years — compress, merge, split, convert, sign, protect. The AI features added more recently (summarization, translation, document Q&A) are solid additions to an already comprehensive toolkit. Worth noting: Apryse acquired PDF Tools AG from Smallpdf in July 2026, which could mean feature changes down the road, though nothing has shifted yet.
Freelancers, small business owners, and office workers who deal with PDFs daily across multiple tasks — converting proposals to Word, merging contract pages, compressing files for email, getting signatures, and occasionally needing AI summaries. If you primarily need AI chat with documents, ChatPDF or Humata are better and cheaper. If you need a PDF tool that does everything, Smallpdf covers more ground than anything else on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smallpdf?
Small businesses and freelancers who need multiple PDF tools in one place
How much does Smallpdf cost?
Smallpdf pricing: Free (2 tasks/day) / Pro $12/mo or $9/mo (annual) / Team pricing available
What are alternatives to Smallpdf?
Popular alternatives include Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant , Agentcard, and Anki. See our full Smallpdf alternatives guide or explore the Productivity tools directory.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Productivity
- Pricing
- Free (2 tasks/day) / Pro $12/mo or $9/mo (annual) / Team pricing available
- Best For
- Small businesses and freelancers who need multiple PDF tools in one place
- Website
- smallpdf.com
Our Verdict
Smallpdf stands out in the productivity category with a free tier that lets you get started immediately. Its key strengths include 20+ pdf tools in one subscription — compress, merge, split, convert (word, excel, ppt, jpg), esign, protect, unlock, rotate, add page numbers, watermark, and more. no other ai pdf tool covers this breadth of utility functions and ai summarization and translation — get quick summaries of long documents and translate pdfs between languages without losing formatting. Keep in mind that free tier caps at 2 tasks per day — barely enough to evaluate the product.
Get Started with Smallpdf →Smallpdf vs Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant: Quick Comparison
| Our Pick Smallpdf | Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (2 tasks/day) / Pro $12/mo or $9/mo (annual) / Team pricing available | AI Add-on $4.99/mo (on top of Acrobat plan) / Acrobat Pro $19.99/mo (AI bundled) / Acrobat Studio $24.99/mo (Pro + Express + AI) |
| 20+ PDF tools in one subscription — compress, m... | ✓ | — |
| AI summarization and translation — get quick su... | ✓ | — |
| eSignatures built in — legally binding electron... | ✓ | — |
| Our Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | See review → |
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