PDF Architect vs Smallpdf

PDF Architect is a Windows PDF viewer and editor for creating, viewing, and editing PDF files. It can change text and images, manage pages, merge files, and insert or customize page elements. Conversion covers PDF, Word, Excel, HTML, text, and image formats. Review features include annotations and comparing two PDFs; form tools support creating and filling fillable forms. Secure adds passwords, permission levels, and digital signatures. E-Sign lets users prepare, send, and track documents in the application and creates a manifest for archiving the signature process; it requires a PDF Architect account. The Free plan costs nothing and includes viewing, creation from Word, Excel, and PPT, page rotation, deletion and rearrangement, and merging. Business deployment supports MSI packages and GPO, and the maker describes it as cloud-optional and local by default. Microsoft Office is required for plug-in use and Word conversion.

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.