The best Smallpdf alternatives

Most people looking for a Smallpdf alternative have hit the same wall: the free tier's couple-of-tasks-a-day cap. If that's you, the good news is that the free landscape is better than you'd guess — including options that don't upload your files at all. One entry below is our own product, and it's labelled as such.

1. 1. mypdf

   Our product

   Free, no account, and most tools never upload your file (that's us)

   Full disclosure: mypdf is our product, which is why it's first on our own list — judge accordingly. The pitch is simple: every tool is free with no account and no daily limits, and most tools run entirely in your browser, so your file is processed on your own device and never uploaded to any server, including ours. The few tools that do need a server (OCR, Office conversion, compression) delete the file immediately after processing.

   It covers the everyday jobs — merge, split, compress, convert, OCR, sign, watermark, page numbers, protect/unlock — and it's open-source and self-hostable via Docker, so the privacy claims are checkable rather than a promise.

   Pros

   • Every tool free, no account, no task or size limits
   • Most tools process files in your browser — nothing is uploaded
   • Open-source and self-hostable
   • No ads

   Cons

   • Web only — no mobile or desktop apps
   • No in-place editing of existing PDF text (you add content on top)
   • Smaller tool count than the biggest suites
   Browse the tools

2. 2. iLovePDF

   The biggest toolbox with a generous free tier

   iLovePDF is the most popular suite in this space for a reason: 30+ tools, apps on every platform, and a free tier generous enough that occasional users may never pay. Files are processed on its servers, and heavier use runs into task and size limits that the Premium plan removes.

   Pros

   • Very large tool count
   • Generous free tier
   • Apps for iOS, Android, and desktop

   Cons

   • Files are uploaded to their servers
   • Free tier limits for heavier use

   Full comparison: mypdf vs iLovePDF →

3. 3. PDF24

   The most generous of the established suites — genuinely free

   PDF24 is the rare big-name suite with no premium tier at all: 30+ online tools, free, no account. Its Windows desktop app (PDF24 Creator) even works offline, which makes it the strongest privacy option on this list for Windows users. The web tools upload your file to PDF24's servers for processing, like most online suites.

   Pros

   • Completely free, no limits, no account
   • Very large tool count
   • Offline Windows desktop app

   Cons

   • Desktop app is Windows-only
   • Online tools upload your files
   • Utilitarian design

   Full comparison: mypdf vs PDF24 →

4. 4. Sejda

   The budget pick for actually editing PDF text

   Sejda's standout feature is one most online tools don't have: its editor changes the existing text of a PDF in place, in the browser — the thing people usually buy Acrobat for. The free tier allows a few tasks per day with size caps, and the paid plans include short passes, which is friendlier than a subscription for one-off projects.

   Pros

   • True in-place PDF text editing
   • Fair pricing including short passes
   • Desktop app available

   Cons

   • Free tier has daily task and size limits
   • Web tools mostly upload your files

   Full comparison: mypdf vs Sejda →

5. 5. Xodo

   The reader-first suite with apps everywhere

   Xodo grew from a beloved free PDF reader into a full suite owned by Apryse. Its reading and annotation experience across phone, tablet, and desktop is still its strength. The free tier caps daily actions, and the full toolset is a subscription; online converters upload your files.

   Pros

   • Excellent reader and annotation apps
   • Cross-platform

   Cons

   • Daily action limits on the free tier
   • Subscription for full use
   • Files are uploaded for conversions

   Full comparison: mypdf vs Xodo →

6. 6. TinyWow

   Free everything-tools, funded by ads

   TinyWow is a free grab-bag: PDF tools plus image, video, and AI writing utilities, no account needed, funded by ads (with a paid ad-free tier). Files are uploaded to its servers and deleted after a short period. For non-sensitive quick jobs across many formats, it's handy; for private documents, the upload plus ad-tech model is the trade-off.

   Pros

   • Completely free with no account
   • Covers many formats beyond PDF

   Cons

   • Ads throughout
   • Files are uploaded
   • Jack of all trades rather than PDF-deep

   Full comparison: mypdf vs TinyWow →