Adobe Scan vs Smallpdf
Adobe Scan
adobe.comSmallpdf
smallpdf.comSide by side
| Figure | Adobe Scan | Smallpdf |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 4 |
| Spec score · Mobile Scanning Apps | 8.8 (#8) | 9.4 (#1) |
| Spec score · Scanner apps | 8.7 (#9) | 9.4 (#1) |
| File Encryption | Files are encrypted in transit and at rest. | Smallpdf uses 256-bit TLS encryption for secure information transfer. |
| Founded | 1982 | 2013 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | San Jose, California, USA | Zürich, Switzerland |
| OCR included | Yes | Yes |
| Supported Platforms | Adobe Scan supports iOS 15 or later and Android 8.0 or later. | web,windows,ios,android,chrome_extension |
Plans
In their own words
Adobe Scan
Adobe Scan turns paper documents into digital scans on iOS and Android. Its capture modes and automatic boundary detection help frame pages; AI tools correct perspective, sharpen text, and reduce glare and shadows. OCR makes scans editable and searchable and can extract their text. You can create multipage PDFs, add drawings or shapes, and export files as PDF, JPEG, or Word. Sharing options include links, email, and connected cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive. Files can be arranged in custom folders, and markup changes sync across devices. Saved scans are also accessible through Acrobat desktop, web, and mobile apps, where Acrobat supports forms, signatures, notes, comments, and review with others. Adobe Scan is free to download, and creating and sharing PDFs is free. A free Acrobat Pro trial adds file combining, format conversion, password protection, and advanced editing. The app supports iOS 15 or later and Android 8.0 or later; files are encrypted in transit and at rest.
Smallpdf
Smallpdf is a PDF service with tools for editing, converting, compressing, organizing, sharing, protecting and scanning documents. Users can add text, shapes, images and freehand annotations, create forms and use OCR. It supports electronic signatures, including signing, requesting signatures and tracking documents. Files can be stored, managed and shared across devices, and the mobile app supports PDF scans, document organization and file sharing. Smallpdf is available on the web, Windows, iOS and Android, and also supports a Chrome extension. Integrations include Google Workspace and Dropbox. Thirty PDF tools are available for free, and the free trial lasts seven days. Pro costs $12 a month, billed monthly per user. Team costs $10 a month per user and covers 2 to 100 users, with a minimum of two seats. Smallpdf says it uses 256-bit TLS encryption for information transfer and is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and compliant with GDPR, CCPA and nFADP. Customer support is available around the clock.